Using Wayland: Difference between revisions

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=== [https://swaywm.org/ Sway] ===
=== [https://swaywm.org/ Sway] ===
(updated for 1.6)
(updated for 1.8)


Status: very active project, created a wlroots framework to share with other compositors, version 1.1+ is usable with some glitches, seamless xwayland integration
Status: very active project, created a wlroots framework to share with other compositors, version 1.1+ is usable with some glitches, seamless xwayland integration
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Notable problems:
Notable problems:
* <del>copy-paste problems between Wayland and XWayland ([https://github.com/swaywm/sway/issues/5852 segfaults], [https://github.com/swaywm/wlroots/issues/2425 freezes], or [https://github.com/swaywm/sway/issues/4007 simply stops working])</del> mostly fixed in 1.6, experiencing hangs while pasting into certain apps (FF, Thunderbird, maybe Signal-desktop)
* games under Wine may hang if run fullscreen and switching workspace (but windowed using the full screen size often works; using a virtual desktop is also a working option)
* games under Wine may hang if run fullscreen and switching workspace (but windowed using the full screen size often works; using a virtual desktop is also a working option)
* [https://github.com/swaywm/sway/issues/2425 dialogs hidden under their parent] (annoying with specific applications relying on child windows but most don't and there is a workaround)
* [https://github.com/swaywm/sway/issues/2425 dialogs hidden under their parent] (annoying with specific applications relying on child windows but most don't and there is a workaround)
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=== Display Manager ===
=== Display Manager ===


* [https://sr.ht/~kennylevinsen/greetd/ greetd]: {{wayland}}
** packaged in Debian, wlgreet packaging is WIP
**: Status: tested with wlgreet and works fine. Auth keyboard input stops working if switching VT back and forth; need restart if that happens.
* lightdm: {{x11}}
* lightdm: {{x11}}
** packaged in Debian
** packaged in Debian
** Status: works fine to run Wayland sessions but runs on X11 itself. [https://github.com/canonical/lightdm/issues/63 Input devices might be missing in the Wayland session] but switching VT back and forth fixes the situation.
** Status: works fine to run Wayland sessions but runs on X11 itself. [https://github.com/canonical/lightdm/issues/63 Input devices might be missing in the Wayland session] but switching VT back and forth fixes the situation. [https://github.com/swaywm/sway/issues/6655 Problems with libseat >= 0.5], possibly fixed in version >=1.28 but did not test it (now using greetd).
* [https://sr.ht/~kennylevinsen/greetd/ greetd]: {{wayland}}
** not packaged in Debian
**: Status: unknown, in the TODOLIST


=== Bars ===
=== Bars ===
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** has Wayland support
** has Wayland support
** packaged in Debian (now includes the [https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=974894 mozc binding] patch)
** packaged in Debian (now includes the [https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=974894 mozc binding] patch)
** Status: works fine with both Wayland and X11 applications but selection popup does not show up ([https://github.com/swaywm/wlroots/pull/2550 input_method_v2 popups] support is WIP)
** Status: works fine with both Wayland and X11 applications
* fcitx4: {{x11}}
* fcitx4: {{x11}}
** packaged in Debian
** packaged in Debian
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=== Terminal ===
=== Terminal ===


* alacritty: {{x11}} {{wayland}}
** [https://salsa.debian.org/rust-team/debcargo-conf/-/tree/master/src/alacritty-terminal packaging in Debian is WIP]
** Status: works fine but [https://github.com/alacritty/alacritty/issues/1101 lacks IME support]
* foot: {{wayland}}
** packaged in Debian
** Status: works fine but lacked IME support; it was [https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/134 recently fixed upstream], now waiting for a release and new package
* termite: {{warning}} [https://github.com/thestinger/termite/#termite-is-obsoleted-by-alacritty abandoned in favor of alacritty]
** not packaged in Debian and requires a patched libvte
** Status: works fine
* xfce4-terminal: {{x11}} {{wayland}}
* xfce4-terminal: {{x11}} {{wayland}}
** packaged in Debian
** packaged in Debian
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** packaged in Debian
** packaged in Debian
** Status: works fine (with Sway >=1.1)
** Status: works fine (with Sway >=1.1)
* foot: {{wayland}}
** packaged in Debian
** Status: works fine
* sakura: {{x11}} {{wayland}}
** packaged in Debian
** Status: works fine
* alacritty: {{x11}} {{wayland}}
** packaged in Debian
** Status: works fine but IME completion popup not working [https://github.com/alacritty/alacritty/issues/1101 despite support being implemented] (setting ''WINIT_UNIX_BACKEND=x11'' is a workaround)
* terminology: {{x11}} {{wayland}}
** packaged in Debian
** Status: works fine but could not make IME support work despite the recommended ''ECORE_IMF_MODULE'' and ''XMODIFIERS'' settings
* termite: {{warning}} [https://github.com/thestinger/termite/#termite-is-obsoleted-by-alacritty abandoned in favor of alacritty]
** not packaged in Debian and requires a patched libvte
** Status: works fine


=== Screen Capture ===
=== Screen Capture ===
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=== Electron Apps ===
=== Electron Apps ===


The [https://www.electronjs.org/ Electron]framework is based on Chromium/Ozone which now has a Wayland backend. [https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/10915 Support in Electron] came in version 12 which enables Ozone. Detection of Wayland environment is not automatic yet. Currently [https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/27522 Electron does not support client-side decorations] at the moment, but on tiling compositors like Sway that's not a problem though. Moreover IME are not working yet.
The [https://www.electronjs.org/ Electron]framework is based on Chromium/Ozone which now has a Wayland backend. [https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/10915 Support in Electron] came in version 12 which enables Ozone. Detection of Wayland environment is not automatic yet but on recent builds there is the `--ozone-platform-hint=auto` option to enable autodetection (I could not make it work yet though). Currently [https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/27522 Electron now supports client-side decorations] (but on tiling compositors like Sway you won't see them by default though). Unfortunately [https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/33662 IME are not working yet].


To enable Wayland on the following applications you need to add the following options on the command line (or edit you .desktop file): --enable-features=UseOzonePlatform --ozone-platform=wayland
To enable Wayland on the following applications you need to add the following options on the command line (or edit you .desktop file): --enable-features=WaylandWindowDecorations --ozone-platform=wayland


* signal-desktop: {{x11}}
* signal-desktop: {{x11}} {{wayland}}
** not packaged in Debian but upstream provides a package for Ubuntu that works on Debian
** not packaged in Debian but upstream provides a package for Ubuntu that works on Debian
** Status: works fine on XWayland, [https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Desktop/issues/3411 native Wayland support is WIP] and working fine so far
** Status: works fine but IME support missing on Wayland
* [https://vscodium.com/ VSCodium]: {{x11}} (OpenSource distribution of Visual Studio Code without telemetry and tracking)
* [https://vscodium.com/ VSCodium]: {{x11}} {{wayland}} (OpenSource distribution of Visual Studio Code without telemetry and tracking)
** not packaged in Debian but upstream provides a working package
** not packaged in Debian but upstream provides a working package
** Status: works fine on XWayland, [https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/109176 native Wayland support is WIP] and working fine so far
** Status: works fine but IME support missing on Wayland


=== Misc Apps ===
=== Misc Apps ===
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GTK uses GDK to draw and support for Wayland exists but [https://wiki.gnome.org/Initiatives/Wayland/GTK%2B a few things are missing] thus it is not enabled by default. Other frameworks do not always enable Wayland by default depending on distro and version.
GTK uses GDK to draw and support for Wayland exists but [https://wiki.gnome.org/Initiatives/Wayland/GTK%2B a few things are missing] thus it is not enabled by default. Other frameworks do not always enable Wayland by default depending on distro and version.


Currently this works fine (in ''~/.xsessionrc''):
Currently this works fine:
# ensure GUI frameworks use Wayland
# ensure GUI frameworks use Wayland
# breaks a few apps or behaviors (Chromium, Emacs…)
# breaks a few apps or behaviors (Chromium, Emacs…)
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export MOZ_ENABLE_WAYLAND=1
export MOZ_ENABLE_WAYLAND=1
export MOZ_WEBRENDER=1
export MOZ_WEBRENDER=1

=== IME Settings ===

''im-config'' sets various environment variable for various frameworks and X11 compat. You may also wish to set the ''GLFW_IM_MODULE'' too as a few applications use this framework.

The complete set with the recommended ''fcitx'' method (version 5 is better but the config is unchanged) (you might do without ''im-config'' altogether):
export XMODIFIERS="@im=fcitx"
export GTK_IM_MODULE="fcitx"
export QT_IM_MODULE="fcitx"
export CLUTTER_IM_MODULE="xim"
export GLFW_IM_MODULE="fcitx"



=== Java Applications ===
=== Java Applications ===


Set ''_JAVA_AWT_WM_NONREPARENTING=1'' in your environment (in ''~/.xsessionrc'') to fix behavior with menus and ''always on top'' issues (and maybe others).
Set ''_JAVA_AWT_WM_NONREPARENTING=1'' in your environment to fix behavior with menus and ''always on top'' issues (and maybe others).


== Readings ==
== Readings ==

Revision as of 06:32, 28 January 2023

Introduction

The goal of this page is to relate experiences using Wayland working implementations, software replacement from the X11 world and so on.

Duck: please note I'm a former AwesomeWM user thus I'm not looking into major desktop implementations like GNOME or KDE but I'm trying to mix interesting pieces to fit my needs better. You can have a look at my configuration in my repository (Ansible rules).

Compositors

There's many Wayland compositor projects around but a lot are very experimental and many even already abandoned.

Working or prospective compositors follows.

Sway

(updated for 1.8)

Status: very active project, created a wlroots framework to share with other compositors, version 1.1+ is usable with some glitches, seamless xwayland integration

Packaging: in Debian with wlroots and swaybg

Notable problems:

  • games under Wine may hang if run fullscreen and switching workspace (but windowed using the full screen size often works; using a virtual desktop is also a working option)
  • dialogs hidden under their parent (annoying with specific applications relying on child windows but most don't and there is a workaround)
  • contextual popup or menu not working yet (affects tray and IME completion selection, see below for IME solutions)

Way Cooler (spiritual successor of AwesomeWM)

Status: was being rewritten on top of wlroots but was unfortunately abandoned at the beginning of 2020. I need some time to cope with the sadness and remove this entry.

Tools

Display Manager

  • greetd: Wayland
    • packaged in Debian, wlgreet packaging is WIP
      Status: tested with wlgreet and works fine. Auth keyboard input stops working if switching VT back and forth; need restart if that happens.
  • lightdm: X11

Bars

  • swaybar: Wayland (display workspaces, current window title, tray, time, CPU infos…)
    • integrated with sway, can use various commands to display stuff (i3status works fine and is packaged in Debian)
    • Status: works fine but tray support is limited (icon may be missing, contextual menu not working, WIP)
  • Waybar: Wayland (more fancy bar)

Session

  • swaylock: Wayland (lock screen)
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine
  • swayidle: Wayland (run custom actions on idle and back from idle)
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine and handle various events

Application Menu Runner

  • wofi: Wayland
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine
    • Usage: wofi --term=x-terminal-emulator
  • j4-dmenu-desktop + bemenu: X11 Wayland
    • j4-dmenu-desktop only is packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine
    • Usage: j4-dmenu-desktop --dmenu='bemenu --list 10 --wrap --ignorecase --no-overlap --prompt "Run:" --fn "pango:DejaVu Sans Mono 12"' --term=x-terminal-emulator
  • dmenu: X11
    • packaged in Debian (suckless-tools)
    • Status: works fine but impossible to switch back to it if you loose focus (need to kill it in a term)
    • Usage: dmenu_path | dmenu -p "Run:" -l 10 | xargs swaymsg exec

Notifications / Screen Overlay

  • mako: Wayland (notifications):
    • packaged in Debian (mako-notifier)
    • works fine
  • wob: Wayland (progressbar)
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine
  • xfce4-notifyd: X11 (notifications):
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine but display in the middle of the screen thus not very practical

Input Method

  • fcitx5: X11 Wayland
    • has Wayland support
    • packaged in Debian (now includes the mozc binding patch)
    • Status: works fine with both Wayland and X11 applications
  • fcitx4: X11
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: untouched config from X11 works but completion menu may not be displayed; running fcitx-autostart fixed it (you may need to killall fcitx first)
  • ibus: X11 Wayland
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: ibus-wayland is available and was switched to using a newer version of the wayland input protocol (see Debian#905001 and linked upstream BR) but Sway use an even newer version (and this one only); I was not able to make completion work at the time but the bug is closed and I guess it's working now but I have not tested it.

So here are the various protocols:

Terminal

  • xfce4-terminal: X11 Wayland
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine
  • terminator: X11 Wayland
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine (with Sway >=1.1)
  • foot: Wayland
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine
  • sakura: X11 Wayland
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine
  • alacritty: X11 Wayland
  • terminology: X11 Wayland
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine but could not make IME support work despite the recommended ECORE_IMF_MODULE and XMODIFIERS settings
  • termite: Warning! abandoned in favor of alacritty
    • not packaged in Debian and requires a patched libvte
    • Status: works fine

Screen Capture

  • grim: Wayland (screenshot)
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine
  • wf-recorder: Wayland (screen recorder)
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine
  • xdg-desktop-portal-wlr: Wayland (screenshot, screencast, and possibly remote-desktop)
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: experimental, requires pipewire >=0.3 and FF >=84; tested screencast with FF and GMeet, it worked but takes a few seconds to initialize and sometimes hang and it may not be possible to get it to work again withotu restarting Sway; currently sharing a specific window or output is not yet possible.

Screen Brightness

  • light:
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine
  • brightnessctl:
    • packaged in Debian (brightness-udev is needed to be usable as non-root)
    • Status: works fine

Browser

Electron Apps

The Electronframework is based on Chromium/Ozone which now has a Wayland backend. Support in Electron came in version 12 which enables Ozone. Detection of Wayland environment is not automatic yet but on recent builds there is the `--ozone-platform-hint=auto` option to enable autodetection (I could not make it work yet though). Currently Electron now supports client-side decorations (but on tiling compositors like Sway you won't see them by default though). Unfortunately IME are not working yet.

To enable Wayland on the following applications you need to add the following options on the command line (or edit you .desktop file): --enable-features=WaylandWindowDecorations --ozone-platform=wayland

  • signal-desktop: X11 Wayland
    • not packaged in Debian but upstream provides a package for Ubuntu that works on Debian
    • Status: works fine but IME support missing on Wayland
  • VSCodium: X11 Wayland (OpenSource distribution of Visual Studio Code without telemetry and tracking)
    • not packaged in Debian but upstream provides a working package
    • Status: works fine but IME support missing on Wayland

Misc Apps

  • Emacs: X11
  • libreoffice: X11 Wayland
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine on XWayland, native Wayland support if using the GTK3 backend (with the extra libreoffice-gtk3 package) and working well too
  • netevent: (Input-Event device cloning utility)
    • use case: if you wish to control several machines with the same keyboard and mouse, like with a KVM switch, then you can use devices from one to control others and switch machine using a special key
    • not packaged in Debian but materials provided upstream (needs this update though)
    • Status: works fine
  • thunderbird: X11 Wayland
  • wl-gammactl: Wayland
    • not packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine
  • wl-clipboard: Wayland
    • packaged in Debian
    • Status: works fine

Workarounds

GUI Frameworks

GTK uses GDK to draw and support for Wayland exists but a few things are missing thus it is not enabled by default. Other frameworks do not always enable Wayland by default depending on distro and version.

Currently this works fine:

# ensure GUI frameworks use Wayland
# breaks a few apps or behaviors (Chromium, Emacs…)
export GDK_BACKEND=wayland
export CLUTTER_BACKEND=wayland
export QT_QPA_PLATFORM=wayland-egl
# breaks a few apps or behaviors (Unity…)
#export SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland
export ELM_DISPLAY=wl
# enable Wayland on Mozilla apps
export MOZ_ENABLE_WAYLAND=1
export MOZ_WEBRENDER=1

IME Settings

im-config sets various environment variable for various frameworks and X11 compat. You may also wish to set the GLFW_IM_MODULE too as a few applications use this framework.

The complete set with the recommended fcitx method (version 5 is better but the config is unchanged) (you might do without im-config altogether):

export XMODIFIERS="@im=fcitx"
export GTK_IM_MODULE="fcitx"
export QT_IM_MODULE="fcitx"
export CLUTTER_IM_MODULE="xim"
export GLFW_IM_MODULE="fcitx"


Java Applications

Set _JAVA_AWT_WM_NONREPARENTING=1 in your environment to fix behavior with menus and always on top issues (and maybe others).

Readings