mdmlogin

mdmlogin [options]

--help
    Display a help message and exit.

--version
    Display the version information and exit.

--daemon
    Run mdmlogin as a daemon. This is usually handled by the init system and not invoked manually.

--debug
    Enable debugging output.

mdmlogin is the graphical login manager used by the Linux Mint distribution, primarily with the Cinnamon and MATE desktop environments. It provides a user interface for authenticating users and starting a session, presenting a greeter window where users can enter their username and password, select a session type (e.g., Cinnamon, MATE, Xfce), and configure accessibility options.

Unlike display managers like GDM or LightDM, which are more generic and widely used across various distributions, mdmlogin is tailored for the Mint experience, typically offering tight integration and a familiar aesthetic. It manages the X server and starts the chosen desktop environment after successful authentication.

While MDM (Mint Display Manager) itself is largely deprecated in favor of LightDM on modern Mint systems, understanding mdmlogin is valuable for troubleshooting older installations or configurations where MDM is still in use.

mdmlogin is mostly specific to older Linux Mint releases that used MDM as the display manager. Modern Mint installations default to LightDM. Direct interaction with mdmlogin is rare, as it's typically managed by the system.

mdmlogin's configuration is often found in the /etc/mdm/ directory. Key files include mdm.conf (main configuration) and potentially customized greeter configurations within that directory. While less common now, customizing these files affected the login screen's appearance and behavior.

MDM (Mint Display Manager) and consequently mdmlogin, were developed as a customized display manager for Linux Mint to provide a specific user experience. It aimed to offer a balance between features and resource usage. However, due to maintenance burdens and the increasing popularity of LightDM, MDM was eventually replaced by LightDM in newer Linux Mint versions.

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