SUMMARY *** There is a general splash page that can be gotten to via "K Menu -> ..." Sadly, I have a bug wherein "K Menu" is not working. Googling around gets you to all sorts of out-of-date-yet-produces-a-number results. *** STEPS TO REPRODUCE 1. Google "KDE Version" OBSERVED RESULT $ for cmd in kdeinit5 plasmashell kf5-config kate > do printf "\n=== %s ===\n" $cmd ; $cmd --version ; done === kdeinit5 === Qt: 5.12.7 KDE: 5.76.0 === plasmashell === plasmashell 5.18.6 === kf5-config === Qt: 5.12.7 KDE Frameworks: 5.76.0 kf5-config: 1.0 === kate === kate 20.04.2 EXPECTED RESULT I'd know what version I'd be reporting against. SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS Linux/KDE Plasma: (available in About System) --- *IF* K-Menu worked KDE Plasma Version: 5.18.6 KDE Frameworks Version: 5.76.0 Qt Version: 5.12.7 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Recommended solution: The "Help" menus generally have an "About KDE" entry. That is the very first place I looked. Nope. It's why I resorted to Google and found all the conflicting pieces of advice.
P.S. I did look at bug 354943 that was resolved, "we made it hard for you on purpose." I'm guessing you're not firing off the "kinfocenter" page for some reason. I am just finding it difficult to understand the reason. I'll probably remember "kinfo<tab>" in the future, but for someone not fully enmeshed in KDE goings on, it's hard to find.
There is no such thing as a KDE version; KDE is the name of the whole community, not a desktop environment. This branding change was made 13 years ago; see https://dot.kde.org/2009/11/24/repositioning-kde-brand. The "About KDE" menu opens a window that talks about KDE the community, not KDE the desktop environment, because no such product has existed for over a decade. :) KDE (the community) makes Plasma, which has been the name of the desktop environment formerly known as KDE for these past 13 years. Its version can be found on the command-line using `plasmashell --version` and I don't believe this has changed in at least 8 years. The Info Center app also clearly shows you the Plasma version on its main page. Kate is a standalone app so it has its own version number and release cycle; it's not tied to Plasma in any way. You can run it on GNOME, ElementaryOS, or wherever. Even Windows these days! kf5-config is a part of KDE frameworks, which is still another product--a collection of re-usable libraries that are usable by apps, Plasma, and any 3rd-parties as well. It has a monthly release schedule. In general, the KDE Frameworks version is not something the average user needs to care much about unless they're reporting a bug.
I kind-of figured that out. I do not file bugs against KDE very often, but when I do, version information is required. Specifically: KDE Plasma Version: 5.18.6 KDE Frameworks Version: 5.76.0 Qt Version: 5.12.7 Since the "Help" menu should have a uniform "look and feel", and since there is a widespread tradition of providing useful version information there, it would seem like a reasonably good idea to have the "About KDE" piece provide those three versions, perhaps in the "Report Bugs or Wishes" tab. Instead, one winds up on this site and discovers it's necessary to google around until the methods for determining that are found. Or just wrap an invocation of "kinfocenter" output on that tab. Anything.
P.S. "Kate" was one of the programs suggested as a source for version information. When you use Google to find information, you never really know how reliable it is.
If you type "about this system" in the application launcher it will launch system settings in the "about this system" page which displays the versions needed to fill in a bug report.
"how to get KDE version 2022"(In reply to bkorb from comment #3) > Since the "Help" menu should have a uniform "look and feel", and since there > is a widespread tradition of providing useful version information there, it > would seem like a reasonably good idea to have the "About KDE" piece provide > those three versions, perhaps in the "Report Bugs or Wishes" tab. Instead, > one winds up on this site and discovers it's necessary to google around > until the methods for determining that are found. Or just wrap an invocation > of "kinfocenter" output on that tab. Anything. The "Report bug" window does tell you the version of the thing you're reporting a bug against. If I invoke it from Dolphin, it says "Version 21.12.3", which is accurate. In this case, the Plasma version isn't relevant, since the bug is in Dolphin, and Dolphin--like Kate--is a standalone app. The era of there being a giant monolithic thing called KDE that includes interdependent apps is over. :) You don't need to supply the version number of Plasma itself if you're reporting a bug against a KDE app. (In reply to bkorb from comment #4) > P.S. "Kate" was one of the programs suggested as a source for version > information. When you use Google to find information, you never really know > how reliable it is. Yes, it's a shame how old out-of-date information sticks around forever on the internet. I find myself appending the year to my web searches these days
I was using Konsole as my example KDE app. *NONE* of the four "help" tabs have any version info.[QUOTE]If you type "about this system" in the application launcher[/QUOTE]Actually, if I could use the app launcher, I probably wouldn't even be here. :) Originally, I thought it to be an openSUSE install problem, but bug 778390 seems to apply. It does with regard to some symptoms, but I don't use Kate. So, anyway, it looks like I chose the wrong example application and that application (Konsole) probably needs some help with its "Help" display. :) Thank you for looking at this. Now, if only I could figure out why the app launcher app won't display....
bug 448390 :)
You're welcome! Again, KDE is a community not a software product, so "about KDE" tells you about the community itself, not the version of any particular piece of KDE software. Sounds like "About Kate" is what you want. I get that this is confusing if you've got "KDE is a desktop environment" burned into your brain, but it's been this way for 13 years. Old habits die hard. :) Bug 448390 looks very weird.