XOrgXFree86

XOrgXFree86 is not a single software product but a historical reference to the relationship between two major implementations of the X Window System used on Unix-like operating systems: the XFree86 Project and the X.Org Foundation’s X server. The X Window System provides a network-transparent graphical interface, coordinating display, input devices, and client applications.

Origins and history: XFree86 emerged in the early 1990s as the dominant free X implementation and was widely used across Unix-like platforms and Linux distributions. In the early 2000s, governance and licensing tensions within XFree86 led to a fork. Developers formed the X.Org Foundation and began work on the X.Org Server, based on the XFree86 codebase but under a new governance model and licensing structure. By the mid-2000s, most major distributions migrated to the X.Org Server, while the XFree86 project continued with limited activity on legacy lines.

Architecture and components: Both projects provide an X server that implements the X11 protocol, acting as the mediator between client applications and hardware. The server is modular, with drivers for video hardware and input devices and a client-side library stack (such as Xlib and XCB) used by X clients. The X.Org Server inherited its modular driver model from XFree86, and over time has incorporated a wide range of video and input drivers contributed by multiple vendors.

Legacy and current status: The X.Org Server remains the principal X server in many Linux and Unix-like environments. The XFree86 project persists mainly as a historical reference with limited ongoing development. In recent years, Wayland has emerged as a newer display server protocol in some ecosystems, with X.Org providing compatibility through the XWayland bridge to support legacy X clients.