ModuleDescriptions

The X11R7.0 release split the X Window System source tree into many different modules for each application, library, major protocol extensions, and so on. This page lists what all those modules are.

The categories I've broken them into are:

Core X11 runtime
Things every basic desktop system should have to run. You could run specialized/embedded environments with less, but a general purpose desktop should probably have them all.
Core X11 build/development/install
Things you don't need for running X, but need to build the Xorg modular tree, or to build/install additional X software or fonts.
Extended X11 platform
Additional useful utilities that many general purpose desktops will want to have installed, but not everyone will.
Legacy X11 platform
Utilities used in classic X desktops, but which desktops like GNOME and KDE generally provide their own versions of, so you may not need if you plan to exclusively use/support one of those desktops, but would want for users with existing desktop environments. Also, software you may need to build and/or run legacy third-party apps, like apps using Xt-based toolkits like Motif/Xaw or software built with Imakefiles.
Experimental
Stuff which will likely become part of the X Core in the future but isn't quite there yet.
Obsolete/deprecated
Things we shipped in this release to complete the monolith -> modular transition, but don't recommend most people use and which will probably not be included in the future. Suggested replacements are shown for each of these.
Sample/demo/test apps
Primarily useful to developers or people needing to test that various extensions are working properly.

Core X11 runtime

Platform specific:


Core X11 build/development/install

Platform specific:


Extended X11 platform

Platform specific:


Legacy X11 platform

X Network Proxies & Remote Start:

(Preferred replacements: ssh and/or NX)

Imake build system:


Experimental


Obsolete/Deprecated

Additionally, several components of X11R6 were deprecated and not brought into the X11R7 modular tree.


Sample/demo/test applications