Xfce Desktop Pivots to Rust-Based Wayland Compositor for Future
The Xfce desktop environment team has announced a significant technological shift that signals the project's commitment to modernizing Linux desktop computing. The team is investing substantial community donations to fund the development of xfwl4, a completely new Wayland compositor built from the ground up using Rust programming language.This strategic decision represents more than just a technical upgrade—it's a fundamental reimagining of how one of Linux's most popular lightweight desktop environments will handle display management in the post-X11 era. Core developer Brian Tarricone will lead the development effort, which aims to deliver feature parity with the existing xfwm4 window manager while embracing modern display protocols.The choice to abandon incremental updates in favor of a complete rewrite reflects broader industry trends toward memory-safe programming languages and next-generation display technologies. Rather than attempting to retrofit the existing xfwm4 codebase—an approach the team initially considered but ultimately rejected—xfwl4 will leverage Smithay building blocks, a Rust-based Wayland library that offers greater flexibility and safety guarantees.The technical architecture promises seamless user experience migration. Xfce plans to maintain compatibility with existing xfwm4 configuration dialogs and settings, ensuring that users won't face a jarring transition when the new compositor arrives. This backward compatibility approach demonstrates sophisticated engineering thinking that prioritizes user experience alongside technological advancement.The project scope extends beyond simple window management, encompassing related infrastructure improvements that will position Xfce for future display technology evolution. With development already underway, the team expects to release the first development version around mid-2025.This initiative exemplifies how open-source projects can leverage community funding to make bold technological leaps rather than incremental improvements. By investing in Rust-based infrastructure and Wayland adoption, Xfce is positioning itself as a forward-thinking desktop environment ready for the next decade of Linux computing.Source: Alexxcon's Software Development Blog
