Xfconf

Xfconf is the configuration management system used by the XFCE desktop environment. It provides a centralized, lightweight database for storing application preferences and system settings, accessible through a stable API to clients and utilities.

Architecturally, Xfconf consists of a small daemon called xfconfd, a client library known as libxfconf, and user-facing tools such as the xfconf-query command-line utility. Applications access settings through the API or via the library, reading and writing values organized in a channel-based hierarchy. When a value changes, the daemon can notify interested clients to allow dynamic reconfiguration without restarting applications.

Settings in Xfconf are organized into channels, each containing a tree of properties. Values are stored in a per-user database, with optional system-wide defaults provided by the distribution. Xfconf caches values to minimize disk I/O and to enable fast access, while still supporting changes reflected across the desktop environment.

Commonly used channels pertain to components such as the window manager, panel, file manager, and other XFCE components. The xfconf-query tool enables users and scripts to list channels and properties, read current values, set new values, or reset them to defaults. Applications can subscribe to channel changes to react automatically, supporting a more responsive user experience.

Xfconf is part of the XFCE project and is designed to be lightweight, robust, and portable. It aims to provide a consistent configuration interface across XFCE components while remaining accessible to third-party applications and scripts, contributing to a coherent user experience on compatible systems.