glxinfo

glxinfo [-display dpy] [-b|--brief] [-v|--verbose] [-l|--list-formats] [-c|--chipset] [-m|--machine] [-i|--indirect] [--attribs] [-h|--help]

-display dpy
    Specify X display (e.g., :0.0)

-b, --brief
    Print only renderer string

-v, --verbose
    Enable verbose output for visuals

-l, --list-formats
    List GLX framebuffer configurations

-c, --chipset
    Show chipset-specific details

-m, --machine
    Machine-readable (tab-separated) output

-i, --indirect
    Force indirect rendering context

--attribs
    Display GLX visual attributes

-h, --help
    Print usage summary and exit

glxinfo is an essential diagnostic tool from the Mesa 3D graphics library that interrogates the X11 server about GLX (OpenGL Extension to the X Window System) capabilities and the underlying OpenGL renderer.

It outputs critical details including GLX version supported by server and client, vendor and renderer strings, direct vs. indirect rendering status, visual configurations, framebuffer formats (via GLX 1.3+), OpenGL core/profile versions, and a comprehensive list of supported extensions.

Common use cases include verifying hardware-accelerated rendering (direct rendering: Yes), troubleshooting driver installations (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel), checking maximum texture sizes or shader support, and comparing configurations across systems.

Run without options for full report; output is structured into sections like 'server glx info', 'display', 'visual', and 'OpenGL extensions', aiding quick grep searches (e.g., glxinfo | grep rendering).

Ideal for developers testing GL applications or sysadmins ensuring GPU acceleration on Linux desktops/servers.

Requires X11 with GLX extension; indirect mode needed for remote X. No Wayland support natively. Output varies by driver (Mesa, proprietary). Run as regular user; su may alter DISPLAY.

glxinfo | grep -i 'direct rendering\|opengl version'
Verifies acceleration and GL version.

glxinfo | grep -E '^(GLX|OpenGL)'
Shows key extensions for app compatibility.

Developed in the 1990s as part of Mesa Demos by Brian Paul; bundled in mesa-utils/mesa-demos packages since Mesa 2.x. Evolved with GLX 1.3+ for fbconfigs and OpenGL 3+/4.x profiles. Widely used for driver validation.

glxgears(1), xdpyinfo(1), glxheads(1), mesa_demos(1)