deskd 🖥️

A production-grade Rust daemon for Linux desktop automation. Control GTK, Qt, and other applications through AT-SPI with multi-user, multi-desktop support on Wayland and X11.

GitHub | Documentation | Architecture | Installation

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Quick Start

# Install
sudo apt install deskd

# Start daemon (per-user)
systemctl --user start deskd

# Use the CLI tool
deskctl click "Submit Button"
deskctl type "Hello World"
deskctl focus "Input Field"

Key Features ⚡

• Wayland-Native - Pure Wayland support with X11 compatibility, not the other way around
• Multi-User - Secure per-user daemon instances with optional system-wide mode
• Accessibility-First - Uses AT-SPI for semantic UI control, not vision-based
• Multi-Desktop - Handles multiple desktops per user (GNOME, KDE, Sway, etc.)
• Persistent State - SQLite database for tasks, workflows, and audit logs
• Smart Input - Multiple input methods with intelligent fallback (Portal → libei → ydotool)
• Sub-100ms Latency - Async I/O, connection pooling, and caching for speed
• Audit Trail - Complete operation history for debugging and compliance

Architecture

deskd exposes three primary interfaces:

• AT-SPI Tree - Semantic UI element discovery and interaction
• Wayland Protocols - Direct desktop control (focus, input, screenshots)
• Unix Socket - JSON-RPC daemon API and CLI tool (deskctl)

See ARCHITECTURE.md for details.

Documentation

Document	Purpose
Installation	Setup and system requirements
Quick Start Guide	Common tasks and examples
Configuration	Configuration file reference
CLI Reference	deskctl command reference
Database Schema	SQLite tables and operations
Deployment Models	Per-user vs system daemon
Security	Permissions and multi-user isolation
Development	Build, test, and contribute

Why deskd?

vs. Dogtail (X11-focused)

• Wayland-native, not X11 with Wayland hacks
• Multi-user from ground up, not bolted on
• Persistent state in SQLite
• Production daemon architecture

vs. Computer Use APIs (Cloud-based)

• Local execution, no cloud dependency
• Accessibility-first, not vision-based
• Multi-session support
• Fully auditable, works offline

vs. AskUI/Commercial

• Free and open source
• Standard Linux daemon conventions
• No vendor lock-in
• Community-driven

Deployment Models

Choose the model that fits your use case:

Per-User Daemon (Primary, Recommended)

• Each user runs their own daemon: systemd --user
• Socket: ~/.local/run/deskd.sock
• Database: ~/.local/share/deskd/state.db
• Most secure, isolated by user boundaries

System-Wide Daemon (Alternative)

• Single daemon for all users
• Socket: /var/run/deskd.sock
• Database: /var/lib/deskd/state.db
• Requires privilege separation and auth

Hybrid (Recommended for Complex Setups)

• User daemons for desktop interaction
• Optional system daemon for coordination
• Cross-user workflow support

See DEPLOYMENT.md for details.

Protocol & API

Core operations via JSON-RPC over Unix socket:

{
  "method": "type",
  "params": { "text": "Hello World" }
}

Supported operations:

• Input: type, type_secure, key_press, key_combo, paste, copy
• Clicking: click, right_click, double_click, drag, scroll
• Focus: focus_element, focus_window, get_focused_element, wait_for_focus
• Desktop: list_desktops, switch_desktop, execute_on_desktop
• Clipboard: clipboard_get, clipboard_set, clipboard_history
• Database: db_query, get_task_history, save_workflow, resume_workflow

See CLI_REFERENCE.md for the full protocol.

Building from Source

git clone https://github.com/sebyx07/deskd
cd deskd
cargo build --release
cargo test

See DEVELOPMENT.md for detailed build instructions.

Requirements

• Linux kernel 5.10+
• Wayland or X11 display server
• systemd for daemon management
• AT-SPI (usually installed with desktop environment)
• Rust 1.70+ (for building from source)

Status

deskd is actively under development. Current phase: Foundation & AT-SPI Integration.

Phase 1 ✓ Foundation & project structure Phase 2 🔄 AT-SPI input operations Phase 3 ⏳ Wayland & multi-input methods Phase 4 ⏳ Multi-desktop sessions Phase 5 ⏳ Advanced features & polish

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Please see DEVELOPMENT.md for guidelines.

Security

deskd uses secure-by-default practices:

• Memory zeroing for sensitive operations (type_secure)
• Per-user isolation with systemd
• Wayland portal permission model
• Audit trail in SQLite
• No direct sudo requirement

See SECURITY.md for details.

Author

Sebi (@sebyx07) - sebyx07.pro@gmail.com

License

(Add your license here)

Support

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Documentation: ./docs

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Made with ❤️ for the Linux desktop automation community