For all flavors, lazpaint

Flavors & Remixes
1

The case for including LazPaint in the ISO rests on bridging the gap between basic image viewing and high-end professional editing. As the Linux desktop evolves to compete with macOS and Windows, the “out-of-the-box” experience for creative tasks remains a critical factor for user retention.

Here is why LazPaint belongs in the default installation:

Filling the “Missing Middle”

Currently, Ubuntu provides the GNOME Image Viewer (Loupe) for viewing and GIMP for heavy editing. However, most users exist in the middle—they need to add text to a screenshot, use layers to combine two images, or remove a background. GIMP’s steep learning curve often intimidates new users, while Loupe is too limited. LazPaint provides a “Paint.NET-like” experience that is intuitive for anyone coming from other operating systems.

Efficiency and Performance

LazPaint is written in Lazarus (Free Pascal), making it incredibly lightweight and fast to launch. Unlike many modern Electron-based apps, it doesn’t hog system resources. Adding it to the ISO would contribute negligible weight to the image while providing a powerful functional upgrade.

Superior Layer and Alpha Channel Handling

For a lightweight editor, LazPaint handles transparency and alpha channels with surprising sophistication. It allows users to perform complex selections and manipulate layers without the overhead of a massive software suite. This makes it the perfect tool for quick web design tasks or social media content creation.

Native Look and Feel

In the context of Ubuntu 26.04, where UI consistency is a priority, LazPaint’s clean and straightforward interface fits well within a productivity-focused environment. It provides a “no-nonsense” workspace that aligns with the Ubuntu philosophy of making powerful technology accessible to everyone.

Open Source Synergy

Including LazPaint supports the broader Open Source ecosystem by highlighting high-quality projects developed outside the C++/Python mainstream. It rewards a project that has remained stable, functional, and bloat-free for years.

2

Lazpaint appears to be using older libraries (ie. Qt5).

The Qt5 library was last included (by default) with 24.04 or noble, with subsequent releases instead using Qt6 (flavors using Qt such as Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Ubuntu Studio).

Using older software (using older libraries/toolkits) will raise disk footprint (Qt6 & Qt5 libs need to be on disk) & then in RAM too.

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3

There is also a gtk2 version. The GTK2 version of LazPaint offers superior stability and a more mature implementation within the Lazarus LCL framework.

It provides a lightweight footprint with faster startup times and lower memory consumption compared to newer toolkits.

The interface integrates more naturally with traditional desktop environments while maintaining consistent behavior for floating toolbars.

Using the GTK2 backend ensures fewer additional dependencies which helps keep Ubuntu ISO lean.

4

GTK 2??

That is already scheduled to be removed upstream which will of course impact Ubuntu.

https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2026/01/msg00090.html

GTK 4 is the primary supported version of that toolkit, with GTK 3 still receiving maintenance, but GTK 2 is deprecated & has been for some time now (thus removal scheduled).

( Qt 5 was aimed to be removed before 26.04 too as can be seen in this thread - Removing Qt 5 from Ubuntu before the release of 26.04 LTS though I’m not sure if that’s still going ahead. That app using older/deprecated libraries raises concerns (to me) of it not being well maintained, or it approaching its EOL )

3 Likes
5

Thank you for the feedback. Since Ubuntu 26.04 has reached Feature Freeze, I am shifting this proposal to target the Ubuntu 26.10 cycle to ensure full alignment with upcoming archive standards. Regarding the concerns about deprecated toolkits, it is important to clarify that LazPaint is not a stagnant project. It is built on the Lazarus LCL, which is actively transitioning to modern backends. The GTK3 widgetset is on the way but more importantly, development is also advancing on the Qt6 interface to align with the latest industry standards.

The application core, BGRABitmap, is toolkit-independent, meaning that the shift to modern libraries for the 26.10 release is a matter of targeting the updated LCL backends rather than a software rewrite. You can see the official progress on these modern interfaces in the Lazarus Roadmap and the active development repositories. This ensures that LazPaint is not a dead-end project but a highly portable tool that can adapt to Ubuntu’s evolving environment.

By aiming for 26.10, we can deliver a version that utilizes either GTK3 or Qt6, satisfying all security and maintenance requirements. LazPaint fills a unique and critical gap in the default repositories between basic viewers and professional tools like GIMP, offering a lightweight, layer-based editing experience that is currently missing.

https://wiki.lazarus.freepascal.org/Roadmap

1 Like
6

I think that “most users” (the vast majority of users) these days use AI to edit their images, frequently but not always on their phone. Only the more professional people use tools such as GIMP.

1 Like
7

There is also a snapd package.
So for Ubuntu 26.10 and later;

Ubuntu currently lacks a “middle-ground” image editor between a basic photo viewer and the heavyweight GIMP. LazPaint fits this niche perfectly, offering layers, filters, and a familiar interface for everyday tasks.
The “Case for Small”
The strongest argument for LazPaint is its incredible efficiency:

  • Tiny Footprint: The snap package is only ~7-10 MB. In an era where ISO space is precious, adding a full-featured editor for the “price” of a high-res wallpaper is a massive win for users.
  • Shared Infrastructure: Since Ubuntu 26.10 already includes the snap runtimes (for Firefox and the App Center), LazPaint adds zero bloat to the system libraries. It simply “plugs in” to what is already there.
  • Performance: Being built with Lazarus, it is lightning-fast and respects system resources, making it ideal for both high-end workstations and older hardware.
8

If “Most Users” are on their phones using AI, and “Professional People” are in GIMP/Photoshop, then LazPaint is for the “Pragmatic Minimalists.” These are users who:

Are likely on a PC (Windows/Linux/macOS).

Need more than a phone app can offer (like precise layer manipulation or vector shapes).

Refuse to deal with the complexity of GIMP or the subscription/privacy issues of Adobe.

It is the “digital notepad” of image editing—it isn’t trying to paint a masterpiece for you, but it’s the most efficient way to jot down a visual idea.

1 Like
9

Where’d you get ~7-10 MB from?

The lazpaint snap is 56 MB, according to snap info lazpaint.

base:         core24
snap-id:      danVJBFpiM31XbE5znKGTZJDgSXkdvQd
tracking:     latest/stable
refresh-date: today at 16:26 UTC
channels:
  latest/stable:    7.3.0 2025-05-25 (4) 56MB -
  latest/candidate: ↑
  latest/beta:      ↑
  latest/edge:      ↑
installed:          7.3.0            (4) 56MB -
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10

You are right, I was referring to the standalone/portable binary of LazPaint, which is indeed around 7-10 MB. I didn’t account for the fact that the Snap version is significantly larger (around 56 MB).

11

This would be a perfect fit for Ubuntu Studio, but we already have both GIMP and Krita installed by default along with Gwenview, which bridges the gap as it follows the “Simple by default, powerful when needed” philosophy of KDE.

With that, including it in the Ubuntu Studio ISO would just add more “bloat”, for which we have a reputation. We also have MyPaint installed by default.

Additionally, Edubuntu has GIMP, GNOME Paint, and TuxPaint installed by default, filling the same niche for education and professionals alike.

With that, I’m going to have to say thank you for your input, but on behalf of Ubuntu Studio and Edubuntu, we will pass. I understand your position, but we simply cannot add yet another application like this to the default install.

Adding it to the repositoriy is always welcome, but adding it to the ISO for a default install is up to the individual flavors or, for the Ubuntu Desktop ISO, the Desktop Team, which must also go through the Main Inclusion Request process as it must then be in the “main” repository instead of the “universe” or “multiverse” repository.

4 Likes