If you use a Linux desktop, you’re interacting with a display server. This crucial piece of software is responsible for drawing everything you see on your screen—from windows and menus to your mouse pointer. For decades, the Xorg (X11) display server was the standard. However, as computing needs evolved, a modern alternative called Wayland has emerged and is increasingly becoming the default.
This post explains what Wayland is, how it works, and how it compares to Xorg.
What Is Wayland?
Wayland is a modern display protocol that defines how applications communicate with the display server to render graphics and respond to user input, such as mouse clicks and keyboard presses. Introduced around 2008, it was created as a more efficient and secure replacement for the X Window System (X), which had been in use since 1984. As of 2025, Wayland has become the default in many Linux distributions.
Unlike X, which depends on a separate display server like Xorg, Wayland combines the display server and window manager into one component called a compositor. GNOME uses the Mutter compositor, while KDE Plasma uses KWin. These compositors talk directly to the graphics hardware using libraries such as libwayland or wlroots (used in lightweight compositors like Sway). This direct approach removes the middleman layer, resulting in better performance and smoother visuals.
Features of Wayland
Wayland offers a modern and simplified design that makes it easier for developers to build, maintain, and troubleshoot applications. It significantly improves security by isolating each application so they cannot access each other’s inputs or graphical data.
It uses fewer system resources, resulting in lower latency and smoother animations. Wayland also supports high-DPI displays with per-monitor and fractional scaling. Its integrated compositor delivers consistent visual effects such as shadows, transitions, and transparency with improved performance.
Modern input methods, including touchscreens, styluses, and gestures, are natively supported. Wayland also ensures better synchronization with your display (VSync), reducing flickering and tearing. By removing legacy components, it is better suited to modern hardware and software requirements.
How Wayland Works
Display servers process input and output between applications, the kernel, and graphics hardware. These applications must communicate using the appropriate protocol. Apps built for X cannot directly interact with Wayland servers.
To bridge this gap, Wayland uses a compatibility layer called XWayland. This layer translates X client requests so they can run within the Wayland environment.
Under Wayland, the server and compositor are merged into one. Each desktop environment using Wayland makes system calls through a library that implements the Wayland protocol. These calls generate effects like blurring, transparency, and animations. All this is done closer to the kernel, which contributes to the smoother graphical experience.
Instead of drawing using a third-party server, the Wayland compositor directly calls the Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) in the Linux kernel to draw the output. This more direct route improves performance, especially in graphically demanding situations, and simplifies application development.
Trying Out Wayland
Most modern Linux distributions that use GNOME or KDE Plasma now default to Wayland.
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) defaults to Wayland on most systems, including those with Intel, AMD, or even NVIDIA graphics. If your system still defaults to Xorg, and you want to use Wayland, you can follow a dedicated guide to get it running smoothly on NVIDIA hardware.
To check your current session type, open a terminal and run:
bashCopyEdit echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPEIf the output is “wayland,” you’re already using it. If it says “x11,” you’re still on Xorg.
To switch to Wayland, log out and check for a gear icon or session menu near the Sign In button. Select “Ubuntu,” “Ubuntu on Wayland,” or “GNOME Classic,” depending on what is available. Then log in again.
Please note that when running a live session from a USB (such as Ubuntu 24.04.1), the option to switch to Wayland may not appear.
Trying Wayland on Fedora and Arch Linux
Fedora has adopted Wayland as the default for both GNOME and KDE Plasma. If you’re on a recent Fedora release, you’re likely already using it. As with Ubuntu, log out and use the gear icon on the login screen to switch between Wayland and X11.
On Arch Linux, GNOME users only need to install the gnome and gnome-session packages. The GDM display manager supports Wayland by default:
bashCopyEdit sudo pacman -S gnome gnome-sessionKDE Plasma users should install the plasma and plasma-workspace-wayland packages to enable Wayland support:
bashCopyEditsudo pacman -S plasma plasma-workspace-waylandTo ensure legacy application compatibility, also install the xorg-xwayland package:
bashCopyEdit sudo pacman -S xorg-xwaylandAfter installation, select the Wayland session from the login screen’s session menu. For better support with Qt and GLFW applications, you may also install qt5-wayland, qt6-wayland, and glfw-wayland.
If you encounter issues running KDE on Wayland, you can use the following command to open the KWin debug console and diagnose problems:
bashCopyEdit qdbus org.kde.KWin /KWin org.kde.KWin.showDebugConsoleOnce configured, your system should be able to run Wayland while maintaining compatibility with older X11 apps.
Wayland vs. Xorg: A Comparison
Xorg, the traditional display server, uses a client-server model where the X server manages all inputs and outputs. Over time, this system has grown complex and bloated due to backward compatibility and numerous extensions. These factors often cause inefficiencies, performance issues, and security concerns—such as applications being able to snoop on each other.
Wayland takes a fundamentally different approach. It eliminates the separate display server and allows applications to interact directly with the compositor. This integrated model boosts performance and improves security by preventing one app from interfering with another.
Graphical output and input management also differ. Xorg relies on external window managers and compositors (like Compiz or Mutter), while Wayland integrates the compositor, reducing screen tearing and input lag.
Should You Use Wayland?
Wayland support continues to grow across Linux environments. Even traditionally Xorg-focused desktop environments like Cinnamon, XFCE, and MATE are gradually introducing Wayland compatibility. Lightweight and tiling window managers such as Sway (for i3 users), dwl (based on dwm), and the newer Hyprland offer modern features and improved performance on Wayland.
That said, Wayland isn’t flawless. Some tools like xkill don’t function because of how Wayland handles windows. You may also face occasional bugs or hardware compatibility issues. Legacy applications that haven’t been updated in years may still require Xorg.
Conclusions
If your current setup is working well, there’s no need to switch right away. But if you experience issues like stuttering, screen tearing, or crashes, it’s worth trying the other display server. Depending on your hardware, one may simply work better than the other. Switching display servers can be a practical way to resolve performance or compatibility issues.
