After nearly two years of development, the Xfce team has proudly unveiled Xfce 4.20, bringing a host of exciting features, bug fixes, and performance improvements. This lightweight desktop environment continues to focus on simplicity, resource efficiency, and user-friendly design. Let’s dive into the highlights of this major release, including experimental Wayland support, enhancements to Thunar, and more.
What’s New in Xfce 4.20?
1. Wayland Support (Experimental)
The most anticipated feature in Xfce 4.20 is its experimental Wayland support, marking a significant step towards modernizing its graphical stack. This update introduces a new library, libxfce4windowing, which abstracts X11 and Wayland calls. Key highlights include:
- XWayland Independence: Most components no longer require XWayland for functionality.
- Supported Compositors: Labwc and Wayfire are recommended for running Xfce on Wayland.
- Limitations: Some features, like workspace handling and systray icons, are incomplete due to the lack of standardized Wayland protocols.
Author’s Take:
Wayland support is a game-changer, but the experimental tag suggests it’s still best suited for advanced users willing to troubleshoot potential issues.
2. Enhanced File Management with Thunar
The Thunar file manager receives multiple usability and performance improvements, including:
- New Toolbar Features: Buttons for view switching, new tabs, and new windows.
- Performance Boost: Improved handling of large file sets (100,000+ files) without freezing.
- Drag-and-Drop Improvements: Hovering over folders now opens them automatically.
- Custom Actions: Streamlined shortcuts for better productivity.
- Symbolic Icons: Added option for symbolic icons in the sidebar.
3. Scaling and HiDPI Enhancements
Icons and thumbnails now scale correctly, resolving past issues with blurred visuals on HiDPI displays.
4. Power Management Updates
The power management tool gets an overhaul with features such as:
- Hybrid Sleep Support: New hybrid sleep mode for better battery management.
- Simplified Screen Locking: Integrated with
xfce4-screensaver. - Power Profiles: Support for
power-profiles-daemonto handle multiple power settings.
Why Upgrade to Xfce 4.20?
Xfce 4.20 is perfect for users seeking a modern, lightweight desktop environment with ongoing support for both X11 and Wayland. It bridges the gap between legacy systems and the future of Linux desktops with a balance of innovation and stability.
How to Install or Upgrade to Xfce 4.20
If you’re using Xfce 4.18, upgrading is straightforward:
- Update your package manager’s repositories to include the latest Xfce release.
bashsudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade - Install the updated packages:
bashsudo apt install xfce4 - For experimental Wayland support, install a Wayland compositor like Labwc or Wayfire.
FAQ: Xfce 4.20 Features
1. What is Wayland, and how does it impact Xfce 4.20?
Wayland is a modern display server protocol that replaces X11. In Xfce 4.20, Wayland support is experimental, offering advanced users an opportunity to test new graphical capabilities. However, not all features are fully functional yet.
2. Does Xfce 4.20 work on older hardware?
Yes! Xfce remains a lightweight environment, ensuring smooth performance on low-end and older hardware, even with the new features.
3. How does Thunar handle large files in Xfce 4.20?
Thunar now uses optimized container types and throttled view updates, enabling it to manage over 100,000 files without freezing, ensuring a smoother experience for file-intensive tasks.
Conclusion
Xfce 4.20 demonstrates the project’s commitment to innovation while maintaining its lightweight and user-friendly ethos. With Wayland support paving the way for the future and performance enhancements across the board, this release is a milestone for Xfce enthusiasts.
If you’re an Xfce user or interested in trying a robust, minimalist Linux desktop environment, Xfce 4.20 is a worthy upgrade. For more updates on Linux and open-source tools, visit Constellation Linux.
