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Mattscreative edited this page Dec 5, 2025 · 2 revisions

CachyOS Display Server Configuration Guide

Complete beginner-friendly guide to display servers on CachyOS, including X11 vs Wayland, switching between them, and configuration.

Table of Contents

  1. Understanding Display Servers
  2. X11 Display Server
  3. Wayland Display Server
  4. X11 vs Wayland Comparison
  5. Switching Between X11 and Wayland
  6. Desktop Environment Support
  7. Troubleshooting Display Issues

Understanding Display Servers

What is a Display Server?

Display server is software that manages graphical output and input on Linux.

What it does:

  • Manages windows: Controls window placement, sizing, stacking
  • Handles input: Processes mouse and keyboard input
  • Renders graphics: Displays applications on screen
  • Manages displays: Handles multiple monitors
  • Security: Controls application access to display

Why it's needed:

  • Applications need display: Programs need to show windows
  • Input handling: Mouse/keyboard need to work
  • Window management: Multiple windows need management
  • Security: Prevents unauthorized screen access

Display Server Architecture

How it works:

Applications → Display Server → Graphics Driver → Monitor

What each layer does:

  • Applications: Create windows and graphics
  • Display Server: Manages windows and input
  • Graphics Driver: Communicates with GPU
  • Monitor: Displays final output

Two main display servers:

  • X11: Traditional display server (older)
  • Wayland: Modern display server (newer)

X11 Display Server

What is X11?

X11 (also called X Window System or X) is the traditional display server for Linux.

History:

  • Created: 1984 (very old!)
  • Status: Mature, stable, widely used
  • Default: Still default on many systems

Key features:

  • Network transparency: Can display applications over network
  • Mature: Very stable, well-tested
  • Compatible: Works with almost everything
  • Flexible: Highly configurable

X11 Architecture

How X11 works:

  • X server: Manages display and input
  • X clients: Applications that connect to X server
  • X protocol: Communication between clients and server
  • Window manager: Manages window appearance and behavior

Components:

  • X server: Core display server
  • Window manager: Window appearance (KWin, Mutter, etc.)
  • Compositor: Visual effects (optional)
  • X clients: Applications

X11 Advantages

Why use X11:

  • Mature: Very stable, well-tested
  • Compatible: Works with almost all applications
  • Network support: Can display apps over network
  • Flexible: Highly configurable
  • Troubleshooting: Well-documented, many resources

X11 Disadvantages

Why avoid X11:

  • Old: Created in 1984 (very old design)
  • Security: Less secure than Wayland
  • Performance: Can be slower than Wayland
  • Complexity: More complex architecture
  • Future: Being replaced by Wayland

X11 Configuration

Configuration files:

  • ~/.xprofile: User X11 configuration
  • ~/.xinitrc: X11 startup script
  • /etc/X11/xorg.conf: System X11 configuration

Check X11 version:

X -version

What this does:

  • Shows X server version
  • Displays X server information

Check if using X11:

echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE

Output:

x11

What this means:

  • Currently using X11
  • X11 is active display server

Wayland Display Server

What is Wayland?

Wayland is a modern replacement for X11.

History:

  • Created: 2008 (much newer than X11)
  • Status: Modern, actively developed
  • Default: Default on many newer systems

Key features:

  • Modern: Designed for modern systems
  • Secure: Better security than X11
  • Performance: Better performance than X11
  • Simpler: Simpler architecture than X11

Wayland Architecture

How Wayland works:

  • Compositor: Manages display and windows (single component)
  • Wayland clients: Applications that connect to compositor
  • Wayland protocol: Communication protocol
  • No separate window manager: Compositor handles everything

Components:

  • Compositor: Display server + window manager (combined)
  • Wayland clients: Applications
  • Protocol: Wayland protocol

Examples of Wayland compositors:

  • GNOME: Mutter (GNOME's compositor)
  • KDE: KWin (KDE's compositor)
  • Sway: i3-like tiling compositor
  • Wayfire: Feature-rich compositor

Wayland Advantages

Why use Wayland:

  • Modern: Designed for modern systems
  • Secure: Better security model
  • Performance: Better performance than X11
  • Simpler: Simpler architecture
  • Future: Future of Linux graphics

Security benefits:

  • Application isolation: Applications can't spy on each other
  • Input security: Better input handling
  • Screen capture: More secure screen sharing

Performance benefits:

  • Lower latency: Less input lag
  • Better frame rates: Smoother animations
  • Efficient: More efficient resource usage

Wayland Disadvantages

Why avoid Wayland:

  • Newer: Less mature than X11
  • Compatibility: Some applications don't work yet
  • Screen sharing: Some screen sharing tools don't work
  • Remote desktop: Limited remote desktop support
  • Gaming: Some games have issues

Wayland Configuration

Check Wayland version:

wayland-info

What this does:

  • Shows Wayland compositor information
  • Displays Wayland version

Check if using Wayland:

echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE

Output:

wayland

What this means:

  • Currently using Wayland
  • Wayland is active display server

X11 vs Wayland Comparison

Feature Comparison

Feature X11 Wayland
Age 1984 (old) 2008 (modern)
Security Less secure More secure
Performance Good Better
Compatibility Excellent Good (improving)
Network support Yes Limited
Screen sharing Works well Some limitations
Gaming Works well Some issues
Remote desktop Works well Limited

When to Use X11

Use X11 if:

  • Compatibility needed: Application doesn't work on Wayland
  • Remote desktop: Need remote desktop features
  • Screen sharing: Need advanced screen sharing
  • Gaming: Some games work better on X11
  • Stability: Need maximum compatibility

When to Use Wayland

Use Wayland if:

  • Security: Want better security
  • Performance: Want better performance
  • Modern system: Have modern hardware
  • Desktop environment: DE supports Wayland well
  • Future-proof: Want modern solution

Compatibility Status

Applications that work on both:

  • Most modern applications
  • Most desktop applications
  • Most browsers
  • Most media players

Applications that need X11:

  • Some older applications
  • Some screen sharing tools
  • Some remote desktop tools
  • Some games

Applications that work better on Wayland:

  • Modern desktop environments
  • Native Wayland applications
  • Applications using modern toolkits

Switching Between X11 and Wayland

Checking Current Display Server

Check current display server:

echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE

Output:

  • x11: Using X11
  • wayland: Using Wayland

Alternative method:

loginctl show-session $(loginctl | grep $(whoami) | awk '{print $1}') -p Type

What this does:

  • Shows session type
  • Displays current display server

Switching at Login

Most desktop environments let you choose at login.

GNOME:

  1. Click your username
  2. Click gear icon ()
  3. Select "GNOME" (Wayland) or "GNOME on Xorg" (X11)

KDE Plasma:

  1. Click session type dropdown
  2. Select "Plasma (Wayland)" or "Plasma (X11)"

XFCE:

  • Usually X11 only (no Wayland support yet)

i3:

  • Usually X11 (Sway is Wayland alternative)

Switching Default Session

Edit display manager configuration:

For GDM (GNOME Display Manager):

sudo nano /etc/gdm/custom.conf

Add or modify:

[daemon]
WaylandEnable=false

What this does:

  • WaylandEnable=false: Disables Wayland (forces X11)
  • WaylandEnable=true: Enables Wayland (default)

For SDDM (KDE Display Manager):

sudo nano /etc/sddm.conf

Modify session:

[General]
DisplayServer=wayland
# or
DisplayServer=x11

What this does:

  • Sets default display server
  • Applies to all users

Restart display manager:

sudo systemctl restart gdm
# or
sudo systemctl restart sddm

** Warning**: This affects login screen - be careful!

Switching in Running Session

You cannot switch between X11 and Wayland in a running session.

You must:

  1. Log out
  2. Select different session type at login
  3. Log back in

Why:

  • Display server is fundamental
  • Cannot change while running
  • Requires new session

Desktop Environment Support

GNOME

GNOME support:

  • Wayland: Full support (default)
  • X11: Full support (fallback)

GNOME on Wayland:

  • Default on most systems
  • Best Wayland support
  • Recommended for GNOME

GNOME on X11:

  • Available as fallback
  • Use if Wayland has issues
  • Select "GNOME on Xorg" at login

KDE Plasma

KDE Plasma support:

  • Wayland: Full support
  • X11: Full support (default on some systems)

KDE Plasma on Wayland:

  • Good Wayland support
  • Recommended for modern systems
  • Select "Plasma (Wayland)" at login

KDE Plasma on X11:

  • Traditional default
  • Maximum compatibility
  • Select "Plasma (X11)" at login

XFCE

XFCE support:

  • X11: Full support
  • Wayland: Not yet supported

XFCE status:

  • X11 only currently
  • Wayland support in development
  • Use X11 with XFCE

i3 Window Manager

i3 support:

  • X11: Full support
  • Wayland: Not supported (use Sway instead)

Sway (Wayland alternative):

  • i3-like tiling window manager
  • Uses Wayland
  • Similar keybinds to i3

Wayfire

Wayfire support:

  • Wayland: Full support (Wayland-only)
  • X11: Not supported

Wayfire status:

  • Wayland compositor
  • Modern features
  • Eye candy and effects

Troubleshooting Display Issues

Display Not Working

Check display server:

echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE

Check graphics drivers:

# NVIDIA
nvidia-smi

# Intel/AMD
glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"

Check X11 logs:

cat ~/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log

Check Wayland:

journalctl -b | grep -i wayland

Applications Not Displaying

X11 applications on Wayland:

  • Some X11 apps don't work on Wayland
  • Use XWayland (X11 compatibility layer)
  • Usually works automatically

Check XWayland:

echo $WAYLAND_DISPLAY

Force X11 application:

GDK_BACKEND=x11 application-name

What this does:

  • Forces application to use X11
  • Runs through XWayland
  • May fix compatibility issues

Screen Sharing Not Working

Wayland screen sharing:

  • Some tools don't work on Wayland
  • Use Wayland-native tools
  • Or switch to X11

Enable screen sharing on Wayland:

  • Install xdg-desktop-portal
  • Install xdg-desktop-portal-gnome or -kde
  • Configure in desktop environment

Performance Issues

X11 performance:

  • Check compositor settings
  • Disable unnecessary effects
  • Update graphics drivers

Wayland performance:

  • Usually better than X11
  • Check compositor settings
  • Update graphics drivers

Input Issues

Mouse/keyboard not working:

  • Check if device is detected
  • Check display server logs
  • Try different USB port

Input lag:

  • Wayland usually has less lag
  • Check compositor settings
  • Update graphics drivers

Additional Resources

Summary

This guide covered:

  1. Understanding display servers - What they are and why they matter
  2. X11 - Traditional display server
  3. Wayland - Modern display server
  4. X11 vs Wayland - Comparison and when to use each
  5. Switching - How to switch between X11 and Wayland
  6. Desktop environment support - Which DEs support what
  7. Troubleshooting - Common display issues

Key Takeaways:

  • X11 is traditional, Wayland is modern
  • Most desktop environments support both
  • Choose at login screen
  • Wayland is more secure and performant
  • X11 has better compatibility
  • Cannot switch in running session
  • Check $XDG_SESSION_TYPE to see current server

This guide is based on the CachyOS Wiki and Arch Linux Wiki and expanded with detailed explanations for beginners. For the most up-to-date display server information, always refer to the official documentation.

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