weston

weston [OPTIONS]

--backend=
    Specifies the display backend to use (e.g., drm, x11, wayland, rdp, headless).

--display=
    Sets the name of the Wayland display socket.

--width=, --height=
    Sets the desired width and height for the output in pixels.

--scale=
    Sets the output scaling factor for high-DPI displays (e.g., 2 for retina displays).

--fullscreen
    Starts Weston in fullscreen mode, typically on the first connected output.

--config=
    Specifies an alternative configuration file to load instead of the default weston.ini.

--tty=
    Starts Weston on the specified virtual terminal (requires drm backend).

--xwayland
    Enables the XWayland compatibility layer, allowing X11 applications to run under Wayland.

--idle-time=
    Sets the idle time in seconds before the screen turns off or a screensaver activates.

--version
    Prints the Weston version and exits.

--help
    Shows a summary of command-line options.

Weston is the reference implementation of a Wayland compositor, acting as a display server that implements the Wayland protocol. It serves as a testbed for new Wayland features and a valuable example for other compositors to build upon.

As a display server, Weston manages graphical output, input devices (keyboard, mouse, touch), and window placement for client applications. It can run on various backends, including DRM (Direct Rendering Manager) for native hardware access, X11 (running within an X server), Wayland (nested compositor), RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol), and a headless mode for testing without a display.

While often used for development and debugging, Weston is a fully functional compositor capable of providing a complete desktop environment. It also includes several demo Wayland clients to showcase its capabilities.

Although a functional desktop environment, Weston is primarily designed as a reference and development tool for the Wayland protocol. Its default configuration might be minimal, requiring manual setup via weston.ini for advanced features. Performance and stability can vary depending on the chosen backend and hardware.

Most of Weston's behavior, including outputs, input devices, desktop shell, and various modules, is configured through the weston.ini file, typically located in $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/weston.ini or ~/.config/weston.ini. This file allows fine-grained control over the compositor's operation beyond command-line options.

Weston supports multiple "backends" which determine how it interacts with the underlying system for graphics and input. The choice of backend (e.g., DRM for native GPU access, X11 for running in an existing X session, Wayland for nesting, or RDP for remote access) dictates its operational environment and capabilities.

Weston was developed alongside the Wayland protocol itself, serving as its foundational reference implementation. Initiated by the original Wayland developers, it has continuously evolved to demonstrate the protocol's capabilities and serve as a crucial tool for testing new features, extensions, and hardware drivers within the Wayland ecosystem. Its development directly tracks the progress and adoption of Wayland as a modern display server.

weston.ini(5): The configuration file for the Weston compositor., wayland(7): An overview of the Wayland display server protocol., Xorg(1): The traditional X Window System display server, which Wayland aims to supersede., gnome-shell(1): A popular desktop environment that can run as a Wayland compositor.