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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Can someone ELI5 why some apps need to support X11/wayland? (self.linux)

submitted 1 year ago by nossaquesapao to c/linux@lemmy.ml

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Isn't this supposed to be a job for the window manager?

For example, my virtualbox install has some mouse pointer bugs on wayland, and I can't run waydroid on X. These things are weird to me. Shouldn't window managers abstract all that for the software we run?

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[–] NeoNachtwaechter@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Imagine the whole thing like a graphics card that is in a different PC. Your app wants to draw it's content on the remote screen. Only it's own content inside it's own window. This is not screen sharing. Your app cannot touch any other apps.

X11 is the connection between your app and the remote graphics card. It may be the local card as well, it is the same.

Technically, a wm is not needed. The app and X11 would work anyway.

Shouldn't window managers abstract all that for the software

The wm does not interrupt or change any communication between the app and the screen. It amends it with decoration and control buttons etc. for example it draws the window borders around the app's own window area.