XFCE 4.20 Aims To Bring Preliminary Wayland Support

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XFCE community is waiting for the release of XFCE 4.20, which promises significant improvements. One of the most exciting features in this upcoming release is the introduction of preliminary Wayland support . XFCE developers aim to release XFCE 4.20 version in December 2024.

While XFCE has always been known for its lightweight and customizable X11 desktop environment, XFCE 4.20 is taking an important step towards embracing future display server technology.

Catalog

- What is Wayland?

• XFCE 4.20: Lay the foundation for Wayland
• Key components that get Wayland support
• Challenges and Future Plans
• XFCE 4.20 Release Plan
• Summary

What is Wayland?

Wayland is a modern display server protocol designed to replace the old X11 system. It has the following advantages:

• Best performance and security: Wayland A simpler design and direct communication between applications and display servers enables smoother graphics, lower input latency and higher security.
• Enhanced HiDPI monitor support: Wayland natively supports high-resolution displays, making everything on modern hardware look clearer and more visually appealing.
• Synthetic-centered approach: Wayland allows synthesizers to have better control over the user interface, thereby more efficiently managing window management, animations, and effects.

XFCE 4.20: Lay the foundation for Wayland

XFCE 4.20 is designed to introduce preliminary Wayland support into its core components without losing compatibility with X11. This means that users can continue to enjoy the familiar XFCE experience, while also having the option to try Wayland.

Key components that get Wayland support

Several important XFCE components have made progress in supporting Wayland:

• xfce4-panel:This panel has successfully adapted to Wayland using the wlroots synthesizer framework, ensuring it runs smoothly on Wayland.
• xfdesktop: Desktop Manager has also been ported to Wayland and is working to support features such as workspaces and window lists.
• libxfce4ui:The core UI library has been updated to ensure compatibility with X11 and Wayland.
• xfce4-settings: Settings Manager now contains Wayland counterparts, allowing users to configure their Wayland environment. The display settings have also been adjusted to work with X11 and Wayland, respectively.

Challenges and Future Plans

While the XFCE community has made good progress in Wayland support, there are still some challenges. For example, the window manager xfwm4 is still under development for Wayland. In addition, support for various panel plug-ins and applications is under active development.

The long-term goal is to provide a fully functional XFCE Wayland session, but the exact schedule remains uncertain. Developers focus on ensuring smooth user transitions and maintain X11 compatibility for the foreseeable future.

XFCE 4.20 Release Plan

The following are the current plans released by XFCE 4.20:

• November 1, 2024: XFCE 4.20pre1 (Function String Freeze)
• December 1, 2024: XFCE 4.20pre2 (code freeze)
• December 15, 2024: XFCE 4.20pre3 (Final Freeze) - Optional version
• December 15, 2024 (circa December 29, 2024, including pre3): XFCE 4.20 (final version)

Summary

In my opinion, XFCE 4.20 will be an important version! With its initial Wayland support, XFCE will provide current and future users with a modern, fast and customizable desktop experience.

While the complete transition to Wayland is still in the future, XFCE 4.20 will be a major milestone in this journey, ensuring that this popular desktop environment remains a powerful option for years to come.

While it is often criticized for its slow development pace, I believe XFCE will continue to grow steadily, maintaining its core values ​​of simplicity, efficiency and user-centric customization.

This cautious approach ensures that each new version is fully tested and reliable, providing a stable desktop experience for those who appreciate a lightweight and neat Linux desktop environment.

Resources:

• https://www.php.cn/link/9a9c759a3bc07fef5ebaf9d2eea33dc1

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