Yes it’s possible to work in a fashion similar to earlier versions; have a look at the “fp-lib-table” documentation in the cvpcb manual (also reproduced in the larger pcbnew manual).
You will need to pull the footprint repositories that you want from the github repositories: https://github.com/kicad
Then you will need to set up your global fp-lib-table file; on Linux this is ~/.config/kicad/fp-lib-table
Footprints are in the *.pretty repositories.
The schematic symbols still use the older file format and they are in the github kicad repository “kicad-library”.
I’m sure many people have written scripts to pull in the libraries and perhaps even add entries to the fp-lib-table file, but personally I never use the symbols and footprints from the repository so I can’t remember any examples of such scripts.
It can be very frustrating at the moment, but once you’ve sorted it out you’ll be happier until:
(1) the file format changes for eeschema take effect (my bet is late next year at the earliest)
(2) someone changes a footprint in the repository and you did an update and broke your layout (many of the devs have already been victims of such a thing)
So - short story - pull in the schematic symbols and the footprints you want, set up the global fp-lib-table, and enjoy the new footprints and improved 3D VRML models as well as the numerous improvements to KiCad itself such as the Push-Shove Router and many other features developed by the CERN programmers, the newer 32-layer limit for copper layers and for technical layers, improved 3D viewer, usable VRML exporter, and the IDF exporter.