Pidgin 3.0 Alpha 4 2.98.0 has been released

We are thrilled to announce the release of Pidgin 3.0 Alpha 4, version 2.98.0. This release will continue until the ultimate 3.0.0 version is deemed ready for general user consumption. The source code can be found on Fastly and SourceForge, with Flathub Beta availability coming soon. Users can follow the build instructions in the README.md if they prefer to build Flatpak locally or install it within a Meson devenv.

Despite this being a timed release, it still includes many features and improvements. The user interface has been enhanced, with improved formatting of usernames in the contact list and account manager. A default avatar is now provided if none is set, and searching in preferences has been fixed. Users can now specify commands to run after connecting to an IRC server and before channels are joined, though sensitive information should be avoided as it will be stored in clear text.

Pidgin now includes a new protocol plugin, Soju, which supports the soju.im/bouncer-networks specification. This allows the plugin to connect to the soju bouncer network, discover upstream connections, create IRCv3 accounts, and route them through the soju bouncer. It also introduces the concept of managed accounts, which are likely to become read-only.

Additionally, the release includes maintenance work and planning for future features such as Zulip channel support and conversation folders/spaces. The next Alpha release, Alpha 5, is scheduled for November 26, 2026, and will adopt version number 2.99.0. The release cycle has shifted from quarterly to monthly, with releases now occurring on the last Thursday of each month.