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1 April 20262On March 27, we hosted a webinar dedicated to the release of QGIS 4.0 – the new version of one of the most popular tools for working with spatial data. During the session, we presented the key changes, tested selected features, and explored what the new version means in practice – both for users and plugin developers.
Below is a summary of the key takeaways.
- 🔵 QGIS 4.0 is a technological change (Qt6), not a visual one
- 🔵 the interface looks familiar, but performs more efficiently
- 🔵 most plugins are not yet available
- 🔵 it’s worth testing, but not necessarily switching to production yet
Revolution or evolution?
After launching QGIS 4.0, the first impression may be surprising – the interface looks almost identical to version 3.4. The same panel layout, the same icons, and a very similar menu. And that’s no coincidence.
QGIS 4.0 is primarily a technological change, not a visual one. The biggest change is the transition from Qt5 to Qt6 – a modernization of the foundations the application is built on. It can be compared to replacing a car engine – the appearance stays the same, but the way it works changes.
In practice, this means:
- better performance in selected scenarios,
- greater stability,
- preparing the system for further development.
That’s why QGIS 4.0 is seen more as an evolution than a revolution.
What changes in everyday work?
Although visual changes are minimal, several features have been introduced that genuinely improve everyday work. During the webinar, we focused on selected features – below is a brief summary:
- selects the object,
- zooms the map to its location.
- removing polygons below a specified area,
- removing lines shorter than a defined length.
- network connectivity checks,
- route calculation.
- custom toolbars,
- enhanced theming options,
- a redesigned start page.
Is it worth switching to QGIS 4.0 yet?
At this stage, QGIS 4.0 is not yet a fully viable replacement for version 3.4 in production environments. The main limitation lies in plugins. Many have not yet been adapted to the new version, as they require migration to Qt6. As a result, some tools users rely on daily may be unavailable. For this reason, the recommendation is simple: it is best to use both versions in parallel.
- QGIS 3.4 as a stable working environment,
- QGIS 4.0 as a testing environment.
The first LTR version of QGIS 4 is expected in the coming months (according to the project roadmap), while full plugin compatibility may take significantly longer.
What does this mean for plugin developers?
The transition from Qt5 to Qt6 means that some plugins need to be adapted. In simpler cases, updating configuration (e.g. version in the metadata file) is sufficient, but more complex plugins require migration from PyQt5 to PyQt6. For Windows users, a tool is available that can help speed up this process.
The pyqt5_to_pyqt6.py script, when run from the OSGeo4W Shell, allows you to automatically adapt plugin code to Qt6
It’s worth keeping in mind that:
- it works best for simpler cases,
- in more complex projects, manual code adjustments may be required.
Found a bug? Report it
QGIS 4.0 is still under development, so testing and reporting bugs is very important. Official reports are handled via
GitHub Issues
Worth noting:
- reports should be submitted in English,
- a GitHub account is required.
If you’d like to discuss the issue in Polish first, visit
the QGIS Poland community forum
Summary
QGIS 4.0 is an important step forward, primarily from a technological perspective. The changes are not revolutionary for end users, but they provide a solid foundation for further development – especially in terms of performance, stability, and scalability. At this stage, it’s a version worth exploring and testing, but not yet necessarily using as a primary working tool.
Thank you to everyone who joined the webinar and took part in the discussion around QGIS 4.0. We’re glad to be building a community together, where we share knowledge, experience, and a practical approach to working with spatial data.
See you at the next sessions 🙂