How to Download Dino and What's New in Recent Releases

You can get Dino from the repositories of many Linux distributions, and the project points you to its "Distribution Packages" wiki page for details. The most recent release highlighted on the site is Dino 0.5, which improved file transfers and reworked two dialogs; earlier releases added message reactions and replies, a move to GTK4 and libadwaita, and video calls and conferences.

How to download Dino

Dino is distributed through Linux distribution repositories rather than a single installer on the website. The site states plainly: "You can get Dino from the repositories of many Linux distributions." For the specific package names and per-distribution instructions, it directs you to the "Distribution Packages" wiki page.

That means the practical path is:

1. Check your distribution's package manager or software center for Dino.
2. If you don't find it there, open the "Distribution Packages" wiki page linked from dino.im for the current list of packages and instructions.
3. Install through your normal package workflow so updates arrive with the rest of your system.

The site does not publish a standalone download link, version-specific system requirements, or a list of supported distributions on the page itself — those details live in the wiki page it references.

What's new in recent releases

The "What's new?" section lists releases in reverse order, newest first.

Each entry links to a release blog post on dino.im for the full notes.

Dino 0.5

The current highlighted release. The site describes it as featuring "improved file transfers and two completely reworked dialogs." If file transfer reliability or the affected dialogs mattered to you in earlier versions, this is the release to look at.

Dino 0.4

This release added message reactions and replies — the interaction features common in modern chat apps — and moved the client to GTK4 and libadwaita, which affects how it looks and integrates on modern GNOME-based desktops.

Dino 0.3

This is where calling arrived: video calls and conferences, with calls described as end-to-end encrypted, peer-to-peer, and compatible with other XMPP applications. Compatibility here matters because Dino is built on an open protocol rather than a closed network.

What Dino is, in one paragraph

Dino is a modern open-source chat client for the desktop, focused on a clean and reliable Jabber/XMPP experience with privacy in mind. It is built on XMPP, an open internet standard for decentralized communication — the instant messaging counterpart to email — so you are not tied to a single provider and can even host your own server. Encryption is on by default in the sense that chats never leave your computer unencrypted, and enabling end-to-end encryption via OMEMO or OpenPGP means only you and your chat partners can read messages, not your server administrator. You can also disable read and typing notifications globally or per contact.

Common questions when choosing a download

Is there a Windows or macOS build? The site describes Dino as a chat client for the desktop and points to Linux distribution repositories for downloads. It does not list Windows or macOS packages on the page, so check the "Distribution Packages" wiki page for the authoritative, current list rather than assuming.

Which version will I get? That depends on your distribution's repositories, which may lag behind the latest release. If you specifically want the file transfer improvements in 0.5 or the reactions and replies from 0.4, confirm the version your package manager offers.

Do I need an account somewhere? Dino is an XMPP client, and XMPP is decentralized, so you use a Jabber/XMPP account — potentially one you host yourself. The download page itself does not cover account setup; the protocol's decentralized nature is the relevant context.