--- name: "gdm" section: "8" platform: "linux" package: "gdm" version: "2.20.11-4" release: "Debian 6.0 (Squeeze)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/gdm/8" --- # gdm(8) GNOME Display Manager ## NAME gdm - GNOME Display Manager ## SYNOPSIS gdm ## DESCRIPTION **gdm** is the equivalent of [*xdm*(1x)](/xdm/1x.md) or [*wdm*(1x)](/wdm/1x.md), but uses the GNOME libraries to provide a GNOME look-and-feel. It provides the GNOME equivalent of a "login:" prompt. **gdm** reads */etc/gdm/gdm.conf* for its configuration. For each local display, gdm starts an X server and runs *gdmlogin*(8x) on that display. The main gdm process also listens for XDMCP requests from remote displays. These requests can either be direct, causing **gdm** to start a *gdmlogin*(8x) on the remote display, or indirect, causing a *gdmchooser*(8x) to be opened. When managing a display, **gdm** attempts to execute */etc/gdm/Init/display*, or */etc/gdm/Init/Default* if that does not exist. When a user logs in, **gdm** first attempts */etc/gdm/PreSession/display* (or */etc/gdm/PreSession/Default*), and then one of the sessions in */etc/gdm/Sessions*. When the session has completed, **gdm** attempts to run */etc/gdm/PostSession/display*, or */etc/gdm/PostSession/Default*. Of all these files, only the */etc/gdm/Sessions* one is required to exist. **gdm** maintains information about the displays it is managing in */var/lib/gdm*. This includes xauth information, so this directory is not readable to normal users. **gdm** uses PAM to perform authentication using the config file */etc/pam.d/gdm*. ## AUTHOR Martin Kasper Petersen \ This manual page written by Steve Haslam \ for Debian GNU/Linux. Updated by RaphaA~Xl Hertzog \. Updated by Ryan Murray \.