XCreateWindow

XCreateWindow is a fundamental function in the X Window System, a graphical user interface protocol used primarily on Unix-like operating systems. It is responsible for creating a new window within the X server, which orchestrates graphical display operations. The function establishes the attributes and properties of the window, such as size, position, visual type, border, and event masks.

The typical usage of XCreateWindow involves specifying parameters including the display connection, parent window, coordinates, dimensions, border width, depth, class, visual type, and various attributes. These attributes are passed as a structure, allowing the developer to define detailed behaviors and visual characteristics of the window.

XCreateWindow does not make the window visible immediately; instead, it creates the window in an off-screen buffer. To display the window, an explicit call to MapWindow is required. This two-step process allows for further configuration before making the window visible to users.

The function is part of the Xlib library, which provides the programming interface for applications to interact with the X server. It is widely used in window management, graphical applications, and toolkit implementations.

Since its introduction, XCreateWindow has played a central role in the development of graphical interfaces on Unix-like systems, enabling flexible and customizable window creation. Despite the evolution of newer graphical systems, such as Wayland, XCreateWindow remains relevant in legacy and certain modern implementations of the X Window System.

References:

- "The X Window System Protocol," MIT X Consortium

- "Xlib - the X Window System Protocol Client Library," John T. Artwork