krfb-virtualmonitor

Create a virtual monitor

$ krfb-virtualmonitor --resolution [1920]x[1080] --name [monitor_name] --password [password] --port [5900]

krfb-virtualmonitor [Qt-options] [KDE-options]

--help
    Displays information about the command line options.

--version
    Displays version information for the application.

--author
    Shows author information.

--license
    Shows license information.

--display <displayname>
    X display to use. While less common for a virtual monitor provider, KDE applications often inherit this standard Qt/X option.

krfb-virtualmonitor is an essential component of KRfb, the KDE remote desktop sharing application. Its primary function is to create and manage a virtual display server. This virtual display acts as a canvas for the remote desktop session, enabling KRfb to share a graphical environment even when no physical monitor is connected to the host machine, or when a separate, isolated graphical session is desired for remote access.

It is particularly valuable in "headless" server environments, where a physical display is absent but remote graphical administration is required. Instead of sharing an existing physical X display, krfb-virtualmonitor provides an independent virtual screen buffer. This ensures that remote sessions can operate without interfering with local display activities or requiring a local X server to be active on a physical output. It typically runs as a background process, facilitating robust and independent VNC sessions via KRfb.

Integration: Primarily an internal component of KRfb; it is not typically invoked directly by end-users. Its lifecycle is usually managed by the KRfb application or service.
Dependencies: Relies on underlying display server technologies (like X or Wayland compatibility layers) to function, even though it creates a virtual display.
Resource Usage: Like any display server, even virtual, it consumes system resources (CPU, RAM) which scales with resolution and activity.
Security: As part of a remote access solution, ensure the host system and network are properly secured to prevent unauthorized access.

This command is not designed for direct user interaction in most scenarios. It functions as a backend helper for the KRfb application, which orchestrates the remote desktop session. When you configure KRfb for a "virtual desktop" or when connecting to a headless system, krfb-virtualmonitor is likely invoked by KRfb to provide the necessary graphical environment.

One of the most significant benefits of krfb-virtualmonitor is its ability to enable remote graphical access to systems without a physical monitor attached (e.g., servers, virtual machines). It creates a fully functional X display in memory, allowing a full KDE Plasma session (or any other desktop environment) to run purely for remote viewers, independent of any physical display hardware.

krfb-virtualmonitor emerged as part of the KDE Project's krfb application, which provides remote desktop sharing capabilities within the KDE Plasma desktop environment. Its development paralleled the increasing demand for robust and independent remote access solutions, particularly for headless systems or for creating dedicated remote sessions. It has been a stable component of krfb for many years, evolving with the underlying KDE Frameworks and Qt libraries, ensuring compatibility and improved performance across different KDE Plasma releases.

krfb(1), Xvnc(1), x11vnc(1), vncserver(1), X(7)