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Xfce 4.20: A Leap Forward in Customization and Features

Soumya

Xfce 4.20

Xfce 4.20: A New Chapter for Lightweight Desktops

After two years of anticipation, Xfce 4.20 arrives as the latest stable release of the renowned lightweight desktop environment. This update doesn’t just polish what’s already great — it lays the groundwork for the future. Here’s what makes Xfce 4.20 stand out:

1. Packed with New Features: From visual enhancements to foundational updates, this release redefines user experience without sacrificing familiarity.

2. Wayland Preparations: Major groundwork has been done to future-proof Xfce with improved Wayland support.

3. Bug Fixes & Performance Tweaks: Expect a smoother, faster desktop environment with numerous under-the-hood improvements.

4. Code Cleanup: Developers have focused on streamlining the system, ensuring efficiency and reliability.

5. Continuing the Legacy: Xfce sticks to its core principles — reliability, simplicity, and user-focused functionality.

While Xfce 4.20 might not be revolutionary, it delivers a well-rounded upgrade that reinforces why this environment remains a favorite for millions. Dive into what makes this release special and why it’s worth upgrading.

Xfce 4.20: New Features

Wayland Readying

Xfce 4.20: Pioneering Experimental Wayland Support

Xfce 4.20 takes a significant step forward with experimental Wayland support across almost all its components. Xfce developer Alexander Schwinn highlights this as a major milestone for the project. Here’s how Wayland integration unfolds in this release:

1. Abstracted Windowing System: Developers streamlined X11 and Wayland calls by abstracting them and leveraging Wayland/Wlroots protocols.

2. Introduction of libxfce4windowing: A new Xfce library, libxfce4windowing, was created specifically to manage this transition and enable smoother support for Wayland.

3. Compositor Alternatives: Since Xfce doesn’t yet have a native Wayland compositor, users are encouraged to use labwc or Wayfire for optimal performance when running Xfce on Wayland.

4. Future Plans for Xfwm4: Adding Wayland support to Xfwm4 is on the roadmap, but the developers acknowledge it as a challenging endeavor that will require substantial effort.

With this groundwork laid, Xfce 4.20 paves the way for Wayland adoption while staying true to its principles of reliability and user-focused development.

Thunar File Manager

Thunar 4.20: A Feature-Rich Upgrade for Xfce’s File Manager

The latest release of Thunar 4.20 delivers a suite of exciting updates, enhancing usability, aesthetics, and functionality. Here’s a breakdown of what makes this update noteworthy:

1. Smarter Navigation and Interactions

Folders now open automatically when dragging files onto them, mirroring Nautilus’ spring-loaded folder feature.
Users can create symbolic links on remote locations, a game-changer for those managing remote file systems.
File searches are now more user-friendly, allowing right-click actions on results without waiting for the search to finish.

2. Toolbar Enhancements

New toolbar buttons include New Tab, New Window, and a unified view switcher menu for streamlined navigation.
A hamburger menu button appears when the menu bar is hidden, improving access to commands.
Adaptive toolbar behavior automatically moves overflow buttons to a dedicated menu when the Thunar window is resized.

3. Visual Customizations

Users can now opt for client-side decorations for a modern look.
Symbolic icons can be displayed in the sidebar independently of toolbar icons, offering more visual flexibility.
The status bar now shows the number of hidden files, adding transparency to file management.

4. Improved Performance and Accessibility

The file transfer dialog is more streamlined for smoother operations.
In-tree folder expansion is now supported in the main list view.
The ‘Recent’ folder displays only successfully opened files for a cleaner experience.
Split-view panes feature a lighter background for better visual clarity.

5. Additional Upgrades

Thunar now shows emblems and descriptions of mount points for better context.
It supports IPv6 remote URLs, broadening compatibility for remote workflows.

Why It Matters:
Thunar 4.20 balances innovation and reliability, making file management in Xfce more intuitive and efficient than ever. Whether you’re managing local files or working with remote systems, this release caters to both casual users and power users alike.

Application Finder

Xfce’s keyboard-friendly Application Finder tool is now even more keyboard friendly. You can navigate the list using ctrl + n or p keys, whilst ctrl + enter can be used to run command immediately when selecting entries from the dropdown.

Other changes:

App specific actions can be accessed using right click
Can be launched as a daemon for faster response times
Option to auto close window if focus is lost
Option to display generic names of launchers
Option to launch items with a single click

A nice uplift.

Panel & Applets

Xfce 4.20: Panel Applets Get Smarter and More Flexible

Xfce 4.20 introduces several enhancements to its panel applets, making them more functional and user-friendly. Here’s what’s new:

1. Clock Applet Enhancements

The analog clock now offers an optional 24-hour mode.
The digital clock includes week numbers for better time management.
The LCD clock features inactive segment visualization for improved readability.

2. Show Desktop Applet

Hovering the mouse over the Show Desktop applet now instantly shows the desktop, streamlining multitasking.

3. Simplified Applet Management

Pressing the Del key removes selected panel applets quickly and easily.
Users can remove multiple applets simultaneously, saving time during panel customization.
The configuration list now displays the same icons for applets as seen on the panel, improving consistency.

4. Configurable Panel Borders

Users can now adjust the panel border width, allowing for a thicker or thinner panel appearance to suit personal preferences.

Why It Stands Out:
These small but meaningful updates enhance the overall usability and customization of Xfce’s panels, giving users greater control and a more polished experience.

Settings Tweaks

Xfce 4.20: Enhanced Settings and Desktop Management

Xfce 4.20 introduces a host of thoughtful updates across display, input, power, and desktop management settings, making it more intuitive and efficient. Here’s a strategic breakdown of key improvements:

1. Display Settings

Profile-related improvements make managing display configurations easier.
Scaling previews are now more accurate, ensuring better adjustments.
Mirror state management no longer requires refresh rates to match, improving flexibility.

2. Mouse and Touchpad Settings

A new checkbox allows users to enable/disable adaptive pointer acceleration (switching to a flat profile if disabled).
High-resolution scrolling is supported for compatible devices, ensuring smoother navigation.

3. Power Settings

Users can now change power modes via power-profiles-daemon integration.
Hybrid sleep mode is supported for devices that allow it.
The device details tab now displays energy rate information on devices with built-in batteries.

4. Desktop Background Enhancements

Random wallpaper cycling avoids repetition until all images are shown.
Gradients are now gamma-correctly rendered, improving visual quality.

5. Desktop Icon Management

Preferences panel has been reworked for better usability.
Users can disable the confirmation prompt when arranging desktop icons.
Custom colors can be set for icon text labels and backgrounds.
Folders can now be sorted before files for better organization.
Icons for fixed disks and drives can be toggled off.
All Xfdesktop shortcuts are now fully editable.

6. Other Improvements

Icons and thumbnails scale more effectively for better visuals.
Shortcut Editor now accepts multiple actions unless they conflict.
The “About” dialog displays distro logo, windowing system, and active GPU.
New libxfce4windowing library streamlines Xfce’s codebase.
Appearance settings load icon themes in a separate thread for faster performance.
Lock screen management has been simplified with the removal of “light locker.”
The logout dialog no longer shows the session-saving checkbox.
Xfdesktop supports opening multiple selected folders simultaneously.

Why It Matters:
Xfce 4.20 refines core settings and desktop functionalities while improving visual coherence and performance. These updates strengthen Xfce’s appeal as a lightweight, customizable, and user-friendly desktop environment.