deepin 25 Alpha is a sleek Linux distro from China with Linyaps packaging -- but can it be trusted?

deepin 25 Alpha has arrived (download here), promising an overhauled desktop experience, advanced personalization options, and improved system-level features. On the surface that sounds great, but there is a legitimate question that remains -- should users really trust an operating system developed in Communist China?

This is software coming from a Chinese developer, and while deepin is open source, not every part of its ecosystem is fully transparent. It has faced questions before about telemetry and potential data collection. For users who care about digital privacy, that’s not something to brush off. Especially when you’re dealing with an OS that touches everything on your computer.

This Alpha release adds many enhancements across the board. From power management and audio tweaks to better touchpad gesture support and a smoother desktop interface, deepin is clearly putting in work. The DDE (deepin Desktop Environment) has been redesigned in several areas, and Pipewire is now the default audio system, which brings broader device compatibility.

One of the more exciting pieces of this update is Linyaps, a packaging system that deepin says solves longstanding Linux software issues like dependency chaos and security holes. It runs apps in a container-like environment and works across multiple Linux distributions. Users can even convert AppImage, Flatpak, and deb files into Linyaps format. It all sounds promising, but again, there's still the question of trust.

deepin 25 Alpha also integrates UOS AI, which now supports local and cloud-based DeepSeek models. That could be exciting for AI experimentation, but it also adds another layer of complexity when evaluating privacy. Are these AI tools phoning home? Are they siloed and safe, or could they be another vector for data collection?

The browser now includes dark mode and a more touch-friendly interface. Voice dictation and transcription features have been added to the notepad and text editor, and there are interface tweaks to improve usability. The installer has been refined too, with clearer messaging and better handling of EFI partitions.

There are plenty of bug fixes in this new release. From Nvidia driver issues to clipboard quirks and launcher misbehavior, many headaches from earlier versions have been addressed. But this is still an Alpha release, and deepin lists over 30 known unresolved issues. Some are cosmetic, but others, such as like system freezes, black screens, and login problems, could cause real frustration.

And then there’s the update mechanism. Users upgrading from a previous deepin 25 Preview via a custom install will need to run several manual commands just to ensure future updates work properly. That’s not exactly user-friendly.

deepin 25 Alpha might look nice, but questions about its origins, its data practices, and its level of transparency are unavoidable. Is this just a polished Linux desktop, or is it something more complicated? For now, those looking for a secure and reliable Linux environment might want to think twice before installing software that comes with this many unknowns.

Image Credit: Shao-chun Wang / Dreamstime