Paint.net 5.2 alpha now runs on Linux
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Paint.NET 5.2 alpha adds experimental support for running on Linux via WINE.
Paint.NET 5.2 Alpha (build 9739) adds extremely experimental WINE/Linux support, enabled by a clean-room reverse-engineered rewrite of Direct2D (180,000 lines, AI-generated via Claude). Other changes include an update to .NET 11 Preview (fixing a WinForms input bug), new tiling modes for the Mosaic effect, crossgen composite mode for performance, and reduced UAC elevation requests. The build is available via the built-in pre-release updater or as offline installer/portable ZIP.
What commenters are saying
Many commenters welcome Paint.NET on Linux, calling it the most-missed app from Windows and preferring it over GIMP or Krita for basic image editing. The AI-generated Direct2D rewrite sparks debate: some question whether it can be called 'clean room' if produced by a model trained on possibly proprietary code, while others defend it. A side thread notes the author faced backlash on Bluesky over AI use. Commenters also discuss Paint.NET's history (MIT-licensed origin, later closed-source) and telemetry.