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XQuartz VS Wayland

Compare XQuartz VS Wayland and see what are their differences

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Contents:
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  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

XQuartz logo XQuartz

The XQuartz project is an open-source effort to develop a version of the X.

Wayland logo Wayland

Wayland is intended as a simpler replacement for X, easier to develop and maintain.
  • XQuartz Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-09-10
  • Wayland Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-30

XQuartz features and specs

  • Open Source
    XQuartz is an open-source project, which means it is free to use and the source code is available for anyone to inspect, modify, and improve.
  • Compatibility
    XQuartz enables users to run X11-based applications on macOS, making it possible to use software that depends on the X Window System.
  • Community Support
    Being open source, XQuartz benefits from a community of developers and users who can provide help, share solutions, and contribute to ongoing maintenance.
  • Regular Updates
    XQuartz typically receives updates to address bugs and compatibility issues, ensuring that it works well with the latest versions of macOS.
  • Integration
    It provides a bridge between native macOS applications and X11 applications, offering a degree of integration between different software environments.

Possible disadvantages of XQuartz

  • Performance Issues
    Running X11 applications through XQuartz can sometimes be slower compared to running native applications, which may affect usability, especially for graphics-heavy tasks.
  • Complex Setup
    Setting up XQuartz and configuring it to work with specific applications can be complex and intimidating for users unfamiliar with such systems.
  • Limited Feature Set
    Compared to native macOS applications, XQuartz does not always offer the same level of integration with macOS features like display scaling and system-wide keyboard shortcuts.
  • Compatibility Issues
    While XQuartz aims to provide compatibility, there can be occasional issues with specific applications or versions, requiring troubleshooting and adjustments.
  • Maintenance Dependence
    The ongoing functionality of XQuartz depends on community contributions and updates, which may vary in their frequency and quality over time.

Wayland features and specs

  • Improved Performance
    Wayland provides a more efficient and direct communication between applications and the display server, reducing latency and improving performance by minimizing protocol overhead.
  • Reduced Complexity
    Wayland simplifies the graphical stack by eliminating the need for an X server, reducing the overall complexity and potential for bugs or errors that can arise from more complex architectures.
  • Security Enhancements
    Wayland offers better isolation and security by design, as applications only have access to their own buffers and cannot snoop on input events from other applications.
  • Modern Features
    Wayland supports contemporary features such as high-DPI displays and fractional scaling, providing a better experience on modern devices and screens.
  • Consistency
    Wayland ensures more consistent rendering across different applications, as it standardizes the rendering pipeline and reduces inconsistencies caused by different toolkits trying to work with X11.

Possible disadvantages of Wayland

  • Compatibility Issues
    Wayland is not backward compatible with X11, so older applications that rely on X11-specific features may not work correctly without modification or through compatibility layers like XWayland.
  • Limited Customization
    Some users may find Wayland's reduced ability to configure and customize the windowing system compared to X11 to be a disadvantage, as X11 provides extensive customization options.
  • Driver Support
    Wayland's functionality can be limited by the availability and maturity of graphics drivers, as driver support is crucial for optimal performance and features.
  • Adoption and Maturity
    While many applications and environments are moving towards Wayland, it is still relatively newer and may lack the maturity and extensive ecosystem of X11, affecting its adoption in some distributions.
  • Feature Parity
    As Wayland continues to develop, some advanced features available in X11 might not be fully implemented yet, possibly affecting power users who rely on them for their workflows.

XQuartz videos

+ Add

What is xquartz X11 | How To Install xquartz On Mac OS (Big Sur, Mojave, Catalina) | Xquartz Shell

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How To Install Run XQuartz X11 Applications On Mac OS X 10 10 Yosemite Or Later

Wayland videos

+ Add

WAYLAND: what is it, and is it ready for daily use?

More videos:

  • Review - Testing Wayland & Weston desktop experience in 2020!
  • Review - Wayland vs Xorg | Learn which one to choose

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to XQuartz and Wayland)

XQuartz

Wayland

OS & Utilities
45 45%
OS & Utilities
55% 55
Window Manager
23 23%
Window Manager
77% 77
Linux
28 28%
Linux
72% 72
Automation
100 100%
Automation
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using XQuartz and Wayland. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Wayland seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 24 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

XQuartz mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of XQuartz yet. Tracking of XQuartz recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Wayland mentions (24)

  • Debian KDE: Right Linux distribution for professional digital painting in 2024
    Wayland is flawless for what it claims to do. The issue is you can't replace X Org with Wayland, you can only use Wayland combined with other software to replace X Org. This is the biggest issue with Wayland: "Wayland is a replacement for the X11 window system protocol,"[0] but you can't actually replace x11 with it. What they should have done is make sure all the features that x11 had were supported by Wayland.... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Session manager Anbox
    Waydroid is rebuilding the original idea behind Anbox with explicit focus on modern Wayland powered desktop environments. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Asahi Linux To Users: Please Stop Using X.Org
    Checkout out the wayland site.( https://wayland.freedesktop.org/ ) The gist is wayland is a protocol that describes how compositor implementations need to behave for clients to use them and clients need to behave according to the waylaid protocol to use the compositor. There are many different compositors. The wayland contributors have a full usable implementation. Gnome has one and I believe KDE has one. So if... Source: over 2 years ago
  • Swingland: Recreating Java Swing for Wayland
    More recently I switched away from X11 & Budgie to pure Wayland for my desktop on the assumption that it's over 10 years old now, and is the default technology underlying current Gnome and KDE desktops.. Everything will be fine right? Kind of.. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Linux is Making Apple Great Again
    Wayland is not a WM. https://wayland.freedesktop.org Wayland is the thing "underneath" a Window Manager. For example you can run KDE on top of X or Wayland. There are a few blurry boundaries in all this but that largely covers it. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing XQuartz and Wayland, you can also consider the following products

Mir - The purpose of Mir is to enable the development of user interfaces shells.

DirectFB - DirectFB is a web-based platform that provides you with complete access to a software library that you can use for the acceleration of graphics, handling the input devices, and others for your Linux operating systems.

i3 - A dynamic tiling window manager designed for X11, inspired by wmii, and written in C.

Xynth Window System - Xynth Window System is a web-based software that is used for the deployment of resources within a minimum resource and offers you features that are alternatives to the X Window System.

Y Window System - Y Window System is a platform that allows you to improve the speed, working, and efficiency of the application in your operating system and helps you to increase the responsiveness of applications similar to any locally based app.

dwm - dwm is a dynamic window manager for X. It manages windows in tiled, monocle and floating layouts. All of the layouts can be applied dynamically, optimising the environment for the application in use and the task performed.

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