Is Wayland Ready? Debunking the Myths and Challenges

Is Wayland Ready? Debunking the Myths and Challenges

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. What is Wayland?
3. The Differences between Wayland and X11
4. Issues with Wayland 4.1. Multi-monitor support 4.2. Video support 4.3. Gaming on Wayland
5. Pros and Cons of Wayland
6. Conclusion

Introduction

In today's video, we are going to discuss Wayland and its potential as a replacement for Xorg. Wayland has been hailed as the future of display servers on Linux, but is it really ready to take over? In this article, we will dive into some of the issues I have personally encountered with Wayland, as well as the fundamental problems that need to be addressed for it to become a viable alternative. So, let's not waste any time and get right into it!

What is Wayland?

Before we delve into the problems, let's first understand what Wayland is. In Linux, a display server is required to handle graphical output from a desktop environment. This server communicates with the kernel, which provides data such as mouse movement, keyboard clicks, and monitor resolutions. The display server then calculates the output and sends it to the client, which is typically the shell of a desktop environment like GNOME or KDE. Wayland and X11 are two protocols that enable this communication between the display server and client.

The Differences between Wayland and X11

While both Wayland and X11 serve the same purpose, there are some key differences between them. One notable difference is the requirement of a compositor in Wayland. Unlike X11, which does not handle animations, resizing, or transparency effects, Wayland relies on compositors provided by desktop environments like GNOME or KDE to enhance the visual experience. This compositor requirement is one of the major distinctions between Wayland and X11.

Issues with Wayland

Despite its aim to be a lighter and faster protocol, Wayland is not without its flaws. Let's explore some of the prominent issues that need to be addressed for Wayland to truly shine.

4.1 Multi-monitor support

One area where Wayland is expected to excel is multi-monitor support. In theory, Wayland should handle multi-monitor setups better than X11 by addressing each monitor separately instead of merging them into one big screen. However, in practice, I have found that Wayland struggles with monitors of different resolutions. Broken extensions and scaling issues are quite common when using Wayland with such setups. It's unclear why this is the case, but it's a noteworthy issue that needs attention.

4.2 Video support

When it comes to video support, both Wayland and Nvidia have their fair share of problems. While Nvidia has been known to cause issues with Wayland, the protocol itself also has its limitations. Wayland lacks capture APIs, making it challenging for applications like OBS to capture the screen without relying on external tools like PipeWire. This limitation can result in subpar performance and visual quality, as demonstrated in live streams and gameplay recordings.

4.3 Gaming on Wayland

Gaming on Wayland is another area where it falls short. Despite its supposed lightweight nature and better hardware integration, Wayland presents several issues for gamers. Many games do not officially support Wayland and require the use of XWayland for backward compatibility. Additionally, Wayland's frame syncing and forced V-sync introduce input lag, making it less than ideal for competitive gaming. The inability to disable V-sync further hampers the overall gaming experience. Wayland has a long way to go before it can compete with X11 in the gaming realm.

Pros and Cons of Wayland

As with any technology, Wayland has its advantages and disadvantages. Let's take a look at a brief overview of the pros and cons:

Pros:

• Lighter and faster protocol
• Better hardware integration
• Potential for improved multi-monitor support
• Enhanced visual effects through compositors

Cons:

• Incompatibility issues with Nvidia
• Scaling and broken extensions with multi-monitor setups
• Limited video capture support
• Forced V-sync causing input lag in gaming

Conclusion

While Wayland holds promise as a future replacement for Xorg, it still has a long way to go in terms of stability, compatibility, and feature support. Issues with multi-monitor setups, video support, and gaming limitations currently hinder its widespread adoption. Until these problems are resolved, I would not recommend Wayland to users who value gaming performance, utilize monitors with different resolutions, or require extensive screen sharing capabilities. Wayland may have the potential to be the future, but it is not the Present. For now, X11 remains the go-to choice for a reliable and versatile display server.

Highlights:

• Wayland, touted as the future of display servers on Linux, faces several challenges.
• Multi-monitor support in Wayland is plagued by scaling issues and broken extensions.
• Video support in Wayland lacks capture APIs, impacting performance and visual quality.
• Gaming on Wayland is hindered by limited support and forced V-sync causing input lag.
• Wayland has the potential for a lighter and faster protocol, better hardware integration, and enhanced visual effects.
• However, compatibility issues with Nvidia, scaling problems, and restricted video capture hinder its progress.
• Ultimately, Wayland is not currently recommended for gamers or users with specific display requirements.

FAQ:

Q: Is Wayland faster than X11? A: Wayland aims to be a lighter and faster protocol, but it still faces performance challenges, particularly in gaming.

Q: Can Wayland handle multi-monitor setups? A: Wayland is designed to address each monitor separately, but it has difficulties with monitors of different resolutions, resulting in scaling issues and broken extensions.

Q: Does Wayland support video capture? A: Wayland lacks capture APIs, requiring applications like OBS to rely on external tools like PipeWire for screen capture.

Q: Can I Game on Wayland? A: Gaming on Wayland presents issues such as limited game support, forced V-sync causing input lag, and lack of performance optimization for competitive gaming.

Q: Should I switch to Wayland? A: Unless you have specific requirements that Wayland addresses and are willing to tolerate its current limitations, X11 remains the more reliable and versatile choice for most users.