How to install the KDE Plasma Desktop on Linux Mint 21.2

Let’s install KDE Plasma on Linux Mint!

Why would we do this?
Plasma Desktop is super-customizable, feature-rich, and beautiful–and you want to keep Linux Mint and all the great tools and other benefits.

We have 3 options:
kdedesktop-full - everything
kde-standard - primary KDE desktop
kde-plasma-desktop - just the very basics, no bloat, minimal number of applications
(Another option is installing kubuntu-desktop, but you might as well download and install Kubuntu if you want to do that.

KDE Plasma is based on QT, whereas Mint is based on GTK.

Problems you may have:
Going back and forth between Mint and Plasma, you WILL see theming issues (icons, colors, themes, etc.)
Suggestion: Create a different user account for Plasma (Thump for Mint / ThumpKDE for Plasma)

Install Plasma using ONE of these options:

sudo apt install kde-plasma-desktop (minimal)
sudo apt install kde-desktop-full to install the whole shebang. Tons of software!
sudo apt install KDE-standard to get everything you need—no more, no less.


Choose a display manager.

Mint’s default is lightdm
Plasma’s default is SDDM
(I like Lightdm better)

Recommended: Create another user account for Plasma, unless you plan not to use the Cinnamon desktop again.

Reboot your system

Log into your Plasma Desktop and enjoy!