[4][5] COSMIC was originally the name of a modified version of GNOME made specifically for Pop!_OS.

[9] It added more pages to the settings application which was unfinished in the first alpha, as well as several more features for the file manager.

[11] The fourth alpha released on December 4, 2024, introducing region and language settings, COSMIC Store improvements, and accessibility features.

[specify][12][13] The fifth alpha released on January 9, 2025, adding a Users page to the settings application, and some minor UI improvements.

[6] It features a custom theming system, utilizes the Rust-based iced graphics toolkit, streamlined window tiling, and its own applications (a text editor, a terminal emulator, a file manager, a settings application, an app store, and a media player).

Furthermore, it also includes a feature that allows users to divide a terminal window into multiple areas.