The Linux community has welcomed the release of XLibre, a fork of the X11 window display system, as an alternative to Wayland. XLibre, developed by Enrico Weigelt, aims to address shortcomings in Wayland’s functionality, particularly in areas like accessibility and performance. Artix Linux, a systemd-free distribution, now offers XLibre for testing, indicating growing support for this project.
Wayland, the successor to X11, has been touted as a superior option, offering improved security and performance. However, despite its adoption by major distributions like Fedora and Ubuntu, Wayland has yet to match the functionality of X11, especially in features such as accessibility tools, screen recording, and session restoration. Many users have reported performance regressions when switching to Wayland, raising questions about its readiness for widespread adoption.
Enrico Weigelt, a long-time contributor to X11, has taken the initiative to create XLibre as a solution to these challenges. The first release of XLibre, version 25.0, includes a range of improvements, positioning it as a viable alternative to the aging X11 system. Artix Linux, known for its systemd-free approach and rolling-release model, has integrated XLibre into its testing repositories, signaling strong support for the project. According to Artix developers, the XLibre package is considered a testing version but is rapidly moving toward inclusion in their main repositories, suggesting a potential shift in the Linux display protocol landscape.
This development highlights the ongoing debate within the Linux community regarding the future of display protocols. While Wayland has made strides, its adoption has been hindered by technical limitations and compatibility issues. XLibre’s release represents a significant step in maintaining the relevance of X11 while addressing its shortcomings. As the Linux ecosystem continues to evolve, the competition between XLibre and Wayland could shape the future of graphical interfaces for Linux users.