Xorg

lastmod 2026-08-08created 2020-07-1818 edits

The X.Org Server is a free and open-source implementation of the display server for the X Window System, organized by the X.Org Foundation. Client-side implementations of the protocol include Xlib and XCB.

Categories

Common (categories)

• freedesktop.org (XDG; X Desktop Group)
• X Window System (x11; xserver)
• X Display Manager (xdm)
• X window manager

Implementation

• X.Org Server (xorg; X.Org)
• XQuartz
• XFree86
• Phoenix (X server) - A modern X server written from scratch in Zig

Programming

• Xlib: x11 library for C Programming.
• XCB
• X:Programming

X.Org

• xorg.profile
• xorg.conf
• xorg.drivers

Spec

• XDMCP
• Extended Window Manager Hints (EWMH)
• Inter-Client Communication Conventions Manual (ICCCM)

X11 Window System Protocol

• X11:Keysyms

Common Tools

• xinit
• startx
• xauth
• fonts-conf

Composite

• Xorg - ArchWiki # Composite
• See the Compositing window manager page for details.
• Picom
• Xcompmgr
• Unagi

Plugins

• xserver-xorg-video-dummy: Dummy video

x11 apps

• iceauth: Tool for manipulating ICE protocol authentication records
• rgb
• sessreg: Simple program for managing utmp/wtmp entries
• xclock: Displays the current time - handy for showing the current time with something like OBS.
• xcmsdb: a device color characteristic utility for the X Color Management System
• xgamma: Tool for querying and setting a monitor's gamma correction
• xhost: Controls which users can access the extended X-Windows on the current host machine. - A very, very, very dangerous program that should be avoided if at all possible .... or so they say.
• xmodmap: Utility for modifying keymaps and pointer button mappings in X
• xrandr: Command-line interface to the RandR extension; resolution/monitor settings
• xrdb: Tool for managing the X server resource database
• xrefresh: Tool that forces the X screen to redraw
• xset: Tool for setting various X server parameters
• xsetmode and xsetpointer: Tools for adjusting X input devices
• xsetroot: Tool for adjusting the appearance of the root window
• xstdcmap: Utility for selectively defining standard colormap properties
• xvidtune: Tool for modifying X server modelines for the user's monitor. (information found in synaptic package manager)
• xev: print contents of X events.
• xdpyinfo
• xprop - Shows the properties (e.g. WM_CLASS) of the selected window. - Unfortunately, default programs like gnome-* can't be selected...
• xwininfo - Shows information (e.g. id, title) about the selected window. - Unfortunately, default programs like gnome-* can't be selected...
• wmctrl - A command used to control windows in EWMH- and NetWM-compatible X window managers. Common tasks include listing, resizing, and closing windows.
• xdotool - command-line X11 automation tool
• xvfb - "Virtual display" tool for headless app development (sudo apt install xvfb)

x11-utils

• xfd - display all the characters in an X font

Applications

• dmenu
• xterm: Terminal emulator for the X Window System

Ref

• ArchLinux:Dirver: A graphics driver must be installed before proceeding.

ETC

• xloadimage: Sets the background image.
• xpmroot: Sets the background image.
• feh: Sets the background image.
• xbindkeys: Binds commands to keyboard combinations.
• xdotool
• xte
• xdotool - Shows a window's position, name, and so on.

Running

The Xorg(1) command is usually not run directly; the X server is started with a display manager or xinit.

Configuration

Xorg uses a configuration file called xorg.conf and files ending in the .conf extension for its initial setup. The full list of folders searched for these files can be found, with a detailed explanation, in xorg.conf(5).

Print current configuration

• xorg show current config

If you already have X running, and you try to generathe the xorg.conf file, you might get an error.

$ sudo Xorg -configure

xsessions

To manage multiple sessions, add a *.desktop file to the /usr/share/xsessions folder. For reference, here is an example for qtile:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Qtile
Comment=Qtile Session
Exec=qtile start
Type=Application
Keywords=wm;tiling

X access control

• Section 2. X access control

As explained earlier, X uses a client/server architecture, so X applications running on a remote host can be displayed on the local X server. Access can be controlled through the X server's own settings and through packet filtering.

See xhost or xauth.

Log

X.org logs are written to /var/log/Xorg.<X session number>.log.

X.org log symbols and meanings

Screenshot

See xwd#Screenshot.

See also

• wayland

Favorite site

• X.Org
• Wikipedia (en) X.Org Server
• Xorg/Guide/ko - Gentoo Wiki
• [Recommended] Xorg - ArchWiki ¹
• KLDP: X Window programming basics course ²
• Compiling against the windows windowing system instead of X11
• [Recommended] Wikibooks Guide to X11

References