gnome-session

gnome-session [OPTIONS]

--session=SESSION
    Use the SESSION.session file.

--failsafe
    Run in failsafe mode.

--debug
    Enable debugging output.

--autostart=DIR
    Autostart applications from DIR.

--display=DISPLAY
    X display to use.

--help
    Show help options.

--version
    Show version information.

gnome-session is a command-line tool that starts and manages a GNOME desktop environment session.

It's the core component responsible for launching the necessary applications, services, and settings to provide a fully functional GNOME desktop. When you log into a GNOME environment, gnome-session is typically the first process started, initializing the window manager, panel, file manager, and other essential components. It reads session configuration files (e.g., .desktop files in autostart directories) to determine which programs to start and how to manage the session's lifecycle. It also handles user logout, shutdown, and restart requests. Different desktop environments such as GNOME or Xfce uses the same logic but can have different executables. gnome-session can be customized through various options and configuration files to tailor the user experience.

The command can be invoked directly from the terminal, but it's generally launched automatically by a display manager (like GDM or LightDM) or by a session manager during the login process. Direct use is mostly useful for debugging or running specific sessions.

Directly running gnome-session from a terminal might not always work as expected, especially if another graphical session is already active. It's primarily intended to be managed by a display manager. Proper environment variables (like DISPLAY) must be set when not using a display manager.

gnome-session uses session configuration files, typically located in /usr/share/gnome-session/sessions/, to determine which applications and services to start. These files define the session type and the programs that should be launched during the session startup.

Applications can be automatically started during a GNOME session by placing their .desktop files in the autostart directories, usually ~/.config/autostart or /etc/xdg/autostart.

The gnome-session command has evolved alongside the GNOME desktop environment. It was initially developed as part of the transition to GNOME 2 and continues to be a core component in modern GNOME environments (GNOME 3, GNOME 4x). Its design has been influenced by the need to provide a reliable and customizable session management system, handling tasks such as autostarting applications, managing user sessions, and interacting with system services. Over time, gnome-session has been updated to support new technologies and features, such as systemd integration and improved power management.

startx(1), xinit(1), gdm3(1), lightdm(1)