Editing Xfce (section)

== History ==
[[Olivier Fourdan]] started the Xfce project in late 1996 as a [[Linux]] version of the [[Common Desktop Environment]] (CDE),<ref name="Then">{{cite web |url=http://www.slashgear.com/xfce-creator-talks-linux-moblin-netbooks-and-open-source-0633329/ |title=Xfce creator talks Linux, Moblin, netbooks and open-source |last=Then |first=Ewdison |date=6 February 2009 |website=[[SlashGear]] |access-date=5 February 2011 |archive-date=16 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716084231/http://www.slashgear.com/xfce-creator-talks-linux-moblin-netbooks-and-open-source-0633329/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.linuxjournal.com/magazine/xfce-third-man |title=Xfce: the third man |last=Kereki |first=Federico |date=March 2009 |journal=Linux Journal |issue=179 |via=[[Association for Computing Machinery|ACM]] Digital Library |access-date=15 August 2022 |archive-date=15 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815170358/https://www.linuxjournal.com/magazine/xfce-third-man |url-status=live }}</ref> a [[Unix]] [[desktop environment]] that was initially [[proprietary software|proprietary]] and later released as [[free software]].<ref name=osnews2012-08-06>{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.osnews.com/story/26247/CDE_released_as_open_source
 |title        = CDE released as open source
 |website      = OSNews
 |first        = Thom
 |last         = Holwerda
 |date         = 6 August 2012
 |access-date  = 6 October 2015
 |archive-date = 8 August 2012
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120808184128/http://www.osnews.com/story/26247/CDE_released_as_open_source
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref>  

The name was originally an abbreviation of XForms Common Environment, which referred to the [[XForms (toolkit)|XForms library]], however, Xfce has been transformed and is now based entirely on the Xfce Toolkit (GTK).<ref name=":0" />  

The first Xfce release was in early 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.linux.co.cr/desktops/window-managers.html|title=Linux – Desktops - Window Managers|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220905214325/https://www.linux.co.cr/desktops/window-managers.html|archive-date=2022-09-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/g/comp.os.linux.misc/c/OGTNX40MxG8/|title=May I create a toolbar like CDE ?|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410171257/https://groups.google.com/g/comp.os.linux.misc/c/OGTNX40MxG8/|archive-date=2022-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/jmontleon/xfce-historical|title=GitHub - jmontleon/xfce-historical|website=[[GitHub]] |access-date=7 September 2022|archive-date=7 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907012338/https://github.com/jmontleon/xfce-historical|url-status=live}}</ref> However, over time, Xfce diverged from CDE and now stands on its own. {{quote|The name Xfce originally stood for “XForms Common Environment”, but since then Xfce has been rewritten twice and doesn't use the XForms toolkit anymore. The name survived, but it is no longer capitalized as “XFCE” and is no longer an abbreviation for anything (although suggestions have been made, such as “X Freakin' Cool Environment”).|source=Frequently Asked Questions, Xfce Wiki<ref name=FAQ>{{cite web |url=https://wiki.xfce.org/faq/ |title=FAQ |website=wiki.xfce.org |date=2017-03-11 |access-date=2017-09-11 |archive-date=6 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006191536/https://wiki.xfce.org/faq |url-status=live }}</ref>}} The [[Slackware]] Linux distribution has nicknamed Xfce the "Cholesterol Free Desktop Environment", a loose interpretation of the initialism.

=== Mascot ===
{{see also|List of computing mascots}}

Per the FAQ, the logo of Xfce is "a mouse, obviously, for all kinds of reasons like world domination and monsters and such."<ref name=FAQ /> In the ''[[SuperTuxKart]]'' game, in which various open source mascots race against each other, the mouse is said to be a female named "Xue".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://supertuxkart.net/Discover |title=Discover - SuperTuxKart |author=SuperTuxKart Team |website=supertuxkart.net |date=2017-03-15 |access-date=2017-09-11 |archive-date=1 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201033526/https://supertuxkart.net/Discover |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Early versions ===
[[File:Xfce3.jpg|thumb|Xfce 3]]

Xfce began as a simple project created with XForms. [[Olivier Fourdan]] released the program, which was just a simple [[taskbar]], on [[ibiblio|SunSITE]].<ref name="gazette">{{cite magazine |last=Jacobowitz |first=Norman |title=Interview with Olivier Fourdan |magazine=[[Linux Gazette]] |date=1 July 1999 |issue=43 |url=http://linuxgazette.net/issue43/jacobowitz.xfce.html |access-date=31 March 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070116201506/http://linuxgazette.net/issue43/jacobowitz.xfce.html |archive-date=16 January 2007 }}</ref>

Fourdan continued developing the project and in 1998, Xfce 2 was released with the first version of Xfce's window manager, Xfwm. He requested the project be included in [[Red Hat Linux]], but it was refused due to its XForms basis. Red Hat accepted only open-source software released under a [[GNU General Public License|GPL]]- or BSD-compatible license, whereas, at the time, XForms was closed-source and free only for personal use.<ref name="gazette"/> For the same reason, Xfce was not in [[Debian]] before version 3, and Xfce 2 was  distributed only in Debian's contrib [[software repository|repository]].<ref>Debian xfce source package 3.4.0.20000513-1 changelog</ref>

In March 1999, Fourdan began a complete rewrite of the project based on [[GTK]], a non-proprietary toolkit then rising in popularity. The result was Xfce 3.0, licensed under the GPL. As well as being based completely on [[free software]], it gained GTK [[drag-and-drop]] support, native language support, and improved configurability. Xfce was uploaded to [[SourceForge.net]] in February 2001, starting with version 3.8.1.<ref>{{cite web |title=Project Page |url=http://sourceforge.net/projects/xfce/ |website=SourceForge.net |access-date=31 January 2007 |archive-date=11 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070211103100/http://sourceforge.net/projects/xfce |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Modern Xfce ===
{{Primary sources|date=November 2024|segment}}
[[File:Xfce-4.4.png|right|thumb|An Xfce 4.4 desktop showcasing various Xfwm effects: [[drop shadow]]s behind windows, [[Alpha blending|alpha-blended]] windows and panel]]

In version 4.0.0, released 25 September 2003, Xfce was upgraded to use the [[GTK]] 2 libraries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://unixresources.net/linux/clf/software/archive/00/00/44/51/445169.html |title=XFce 4.0 release |website=UNIX Resources Network |date=25 September 2003 |access-date=25 February 2014 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192957/http://unixresources.net/linux/clf/software/archive/00/00/44/51/445169.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Changes in 4.2.0, released 16 January 2005, included a [[Compositing window manager|compositing manager]] for Xfwm which added built-in support for transparency and drop shadows, as well as a new default [[Scalable Vector Graphics|SVG]] icon set.<ref>{{cite web |title=Xfce 4.2.0 released! |date=16 January 2005 |url=https://mail.xfce.org/pipermail/xfce4-dev/2005-January/014403.html |access-date=23 February 2021 |archive-date=12 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512003250/https://mail.xfce.org/pipermail/xfce4-dev/2005-January/014403.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Xfce 4.2.0 Changelog |url=https://xfce.org/download/changelogs/4.2.0 |website=xfce.org |access-date=31 January 2007 |archive-date=28 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928025011/http://www.xfce.org/download/changelogs/4.2.0 |url-status=live }}</ref> In January 2007, Xfce 4.4.0 was released. This included the [[Thunar]] file manager, a replacement for Xffm. Support for desktop icons was added. Also, various improvements were made to the panel to prevent buggy plugins from crashing the whole panel.<ref>{{cite web |last=Meurer |first=Benedikt |title=A Visual Tour of Xfce 4.4.0 |date=21 January 2007 |url=http://foo-projects.org/~benny/articles/xfce44-visual-tour.html |website=foo-projects.org |access-date=31 January 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070221052843/http://foo-projects.org/%7Ebenny/articles/xfce44-visual-tour.html |archive-date=21 February 2007 }}</ref> In February 2009, Xfce 4.6.0 was released. This version had a new configuration backend, a new settings manager and a new sound mixer, as well as several significant improvements to the session manager and the rest of Xfce's core components.<ref>{{cite web |author=Xfce Development Team |title=Xfce 4.6.0 Changelog |url=http://www.xfce.org/download/changelogs/4.6.0/ |website=xfce.org |access-date=16 January 2011 |archive-date=22 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122093855/http://www.xfce.org/download/changelogs/4.6.0/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2011, Xfce 4.8.0 was released. This version included changes such as the replacement of ThunarVFS and [[HAL (software)|HAL]] with [[GIO (GNOME)|GIO]], [[udev]], ConsoleKit and [[PolicyKit]], and new utilities for browsing remote [[network share]]s using several protocols including [[SSH File Transfer Protocol|SFTP]], [[Server Message Block|SMB]], and [[File Transfer Protocol|FTP]]. Window clutter was reduced by merging all Thunar file progress [[dialog box]]es into a single dialog. The panel application was also rewritten for better positioning, transparency, and item and launcher management. 4.8 also introduced a new menu plugin to view directories. The 4.8 plugin framework remains compatible with 4.6 plugins. The display configuration dialog in 4.8 supports [[RandR]] 1.2, detecting screens automatically and allowing users to pick their preferred [[display resolution]], [[refresh rate]], and [[display rotation]]. Multiple displays can be configured to either work in [[Multi-monitor#Clone mode|clone mode]], or be placed next to each other. Keyboard selection was revamped to be easier and more user-friendly. Also, the manual settings editor was updated to be more functional.<ref>{{cite web |author=Xfce Development Team |title=Xfce 4.6.0 Changelog |url=http://www.xfce.org/download/changelogs/4.8.0/ |website=xfce.org |access-date=16 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120005100/http://www.xfce.org/download/changelogs/4.8.0 |archive-date=20 January 2011 }}</ref>

The 4.8 development cycle was the first to use the new release strategy formed after the "Xfce Release and Development Model" developed at the [[Ubuntu (operating system)|Ubuntu]] Desktop Summit in May 2009. A new web application was employed to make release management easier, and a dedicated [[Transifex]] server was set up for Xfce translators.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.xfce.org/category/transifex/ |title=The little mouse told me… |website=Blog.xfce.org |date=16 January 2011 |access-date=4 September 2012 |archive-date=22 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222082841/http://blog.xfce.org/category/transifex/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The project's server and mirroring infrastructure was also upgraded, partly to cope with anticipated demand following the release announcement for 4.8.{{fact|date=December 2023}}

Xfce 4.10, released 28 April 2012, introduced a vertical display mode for the panel and moved much of the [http://docs.xfce.org documentation] to an online [[wiki]]. The main focus of this release was on improving the user experience.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://xfce.org/about/news |title=Xfce 4.10 released |website=xfce.org |date=28 April 2012 |access-date=19 September 2012 |archive-date=7 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150307022948/http://www.xfce.org/about/news |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Xfce 4.12 on Fedora 22.png|thumb|An Xfce 4.12 example desktop running on Fedora 22; notice the file manager has been rewritten in GTK 3.]]
Xfce 4.12 was released on 28 February 2015,<ref>{{cite web |title=Xfce 4.12 released |url=http://www.xfce.org/about/news/?post=1425081600 |website=xfce.org |access-date=16 September 2015 |archive-date=8 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150308160906/http://www.xfce.org/about/news/?post=1425081600 |url-status=live }}</ref> two years and ten months later, contrary to mass Internet speculation about the project being "dead".<ref>{{cite web |title=Is XFCe still in development? (Page 1) |url=http://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=8781 |website=Xfce Forums |access-date=16 September 2015 |archive-date=30 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151030024834/http://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=8781 |url-status=live }}</ref> The target of 4.12 was to improve user experience and take advantage of technologies introduced in the interim. New window manager features include an [[Alt+Tab]] dialog, and smart multi-monitor handling. Also, a new power management plugin for the panel's [[notification area]] was introduced, as well as a re-written [[Mousepad (software)|text editor]] and an enhanced [[Thunar|file manager]]. Xfce 4.12 also started the transition to [[GTK]] 3 by porting application and supporting plugins and bookmarks. With 4.12, the project reiterated its commitment to [[Unix-like]] platforms other than Linux by featuring [[OpenBSD]] screenshots.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://xfce.org/about/tour412 |title=Xfce 4.12 tour |website=xfce.org |quote=All but one of those screenshots were taken on machines running OpenBSD -current, a good proof that Xfce is still portable and friendly to all Unix systems. |access-date=20 June 2024}}</ref>

Xfce 4.13 is the development release during the transition of porting components to be fully GTK3-compatible, including xfce-panel<ref>{{cite web |url=https://simon.shimmerproject.org/2017/05/24/the-first-gtk3-release-of-xfce4-panel-is-out/ |title=The first Gtk+3 release of xfce4-panel is out! – Simon's Secret |website=shimmerproject.org |date=24 May 2017 |access-date=11 July 2017 |archive-date=3 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803231041/https://simon.shimmerproject.org/2017/05/24/the-first-gtk3-release-of-xfce4-panel-is-out/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and xfce-settings.<ref>{{cite web |title=Xfce Settings 4.13.0 Released |url=https://smdavis.us/2016/11/09/xfce-settings-4-13-0-released/ |website=smdavis.us |date=9 November 2016 |access-date=19 November 2016 |archive-date=20 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120010010/https://smdavis.us/2016/11/09/xfce-settings-4-13-0-released/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The planned release of Xfce 4.14 was announced in April 2016 and was officially released on 12 August 2019.<ref>{{cite web|title=News - Xfce 4.14 released|url=https://xfce.org/about/news/?post=1565568000|access-date=2019-08-13|website=xfce.org|archive-date=12 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812161550/https://xfce.org/about/news/?post=1565568000|url-status=live}}</ref> The main goals of the release included porting the remaining core components from GTK 2 to GTK 3; replacing the dependency on {{mono|dbus-glib}} with [[GDBus]], GNOME's implementation of the D-Bus specification; and removing deprecated widgets. Major features were postponed for a later 4.16 release.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.alteroot.org/articles/2016-04-12/road-to-xfce-4.14.html |title=Road to Xfce 4.14 |work=alteroot.org |date=12 April 2016 |access-date=12 April 2016 |archive-date=13 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413011326/http://blog.alteroot.org/articles/2016-04-12/road-to-xfce-4.14.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The minimum GTK 3 version was bumped from 3.14 to 3.22.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://blog.alteroot.org/articles/2017-05-30/road-to-xfce-4.14-part-2.html |title=Road to Xfce 4.14, part 2 |website=blog.alteroot.org |access-date=11 July 2017 |archive-date=5 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805024643/http://blog.alteroot.org/articles/2017-05-30/road-to-xfce-4.14-part-2.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Xfce 4.16 was released on 22 December 2020.<ref>{{cite web|title=News – Xfce 4.16 released – Xfce|url=https://xfce.org/about/news/?post=1608595200|access-date=2021-01-26|website=xfce.org|archive-date=23 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223000401/https://xfce.org/about/news/?post=1608595200|url-status=live}}</ref> Some notable changes in this release include new icons with a more consistent color palette; improved interfaces for changing system settings; various panel improvements like animations for hiding, a new notification plugin with support for both legacy SysTray and modern StatusNotifier items, and better support for dark themes; and more information included in the About dialog.

Xfce 4.18 was released on 15 December 2022.<ref>{{cite web |title=Xfce 4.18 released |url=https://xfce.org/about/news/?post=1671062400 |website=xfce.org |access-date=28 March 2023}}</ref> This release mainly focused on new features and improvements to the Thunar file manager including an image preview sidebar, split view, recursive file searching, better mime type handling, per-file color highlighting, undoing up to 10 actions, a recently opened files location, restoring open tabs on startup, and a customizable toolbar. Other changes include a keyboard shortcut editor and merging the date and time plugins.