---
name: "xmms2d"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "xmms2"
version: "0.9.7-4"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xmms2d"
---

# xmms2d(1)

XMMS2 daemon which handles the playback of music and storage of music metadata

## NAME

xmms2d - XMMS2 daemon which handles the playback of music and storage of music metadata

## SYNOPSIS

**xmms2d** \[**-v**\|**-q**\] \[**-p** *dir*\] \[**-o** *plugin*\] \[**-i** *url*\] \[**-c** *file*\] \[**-s** *fd*\] \[**--yes-run-as-root**\]\
 **xmms2d -?**\
 **xmms2d -V**

## DESCRIPTION

XMMS2 is a redesign of the XMMS (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XMMS) music player. It features a client-server model, allowing multiple (even simultaneous!) user interfaces, both textual and graphical. All common audio formats are supported using plugins. On top of this, there is a flexible media library to organise your music.

**xmms2d** is the daemon through which XMMS2 clients playback and manage music. A client library provided allows third parties to easily write XMMS2 clients, especially using the Python and Ruby bindings.

**xmms2d** uses a three part method to playback music. Music is accessed from disk or network using a transport plugin, the data is then passed on to a decoder plugin which decodes the audio into a form that can be played back by an output plugin.

## OPTIONS

### General options

- **-v, --verbose**

  Increase verbosity.

- **-q, --quiet**

  Decrease verbosity.

- **-p** *dir***, --plugindir=***dir*

  Use plugin directory *dir*.

- **-o** *plugin***, --output=***plugin*

  Use output plugin *plugin*.

- **-i** *url***, --ipc-socket=***url*

  Listen to socket at *url*. Multiple sockets can be specified separated by **;**-characters. See section **IPC SOCKET**.

- **-c** *file***, --conf=***file*

  Use configuration file *file*.

- **-s** *fd***, --status-fd=***fd*

  Write to filedescriptor *fd* when started. This can be used to wait until inter-process communication (IPC) is up, as for instance [**xmms2-launcher**(1)](/xmms2-launcher/1.md) does.

- **--yes-run-as-root**

  Allow **xmms2d** to be run as root.

### Getting help

- **-h, -?, --help**

  Display basic help information and exit.

- **-V, --version**

  Display version information.

## IPC SOCKET

XMMS2 clients use IPC sockets to communicate with **xmms2d**. These IPC sockets are specified in an URL based format with three possible transport methods: unix, tcp, and tcp6.

The TCP methods allow clients to connect over IPv4 and IPv6 to **xmms2d** and therefore allow remote control of XMMS2. A typical IPC socket url using TCP is *tcp://127.0.0.1:9667*.

The UNIX transport method is for local clients only and creates a file through which XMMS2 clients can access **xmms2d**. A typical IPC socket path using the UNIX transport is *unix:///tmp/xmms-ipc-foobar*.

## FILES

Below *CONFDIR* is *$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/xmms2* on UNIX if the **XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME**-environment variable is set. Otherwise it is *$HOME/.config/xmms2* (UNIX except Darwin), or *$HOME/Library/xmms2* (Darwin). On Win32 it is *%APPDATA%/xmms2*.

- *CONFDIR/xmms2.conf*

  An XML formatted configuration file that allows changing the settings of **xmms2d**.

- *CONFDIR/startup.d/*

  A directory populated with programs that are run when **xmms2d** is executed. An alternative location can be specified in the configuration file.

- *CONFDIR/shutdown.d/*

  A directory populated with programs that are run when **xmms2d** is shutdown correctly. An alternative location can be specified in the configuration file.

- *CONFDIR/medialib.db*

  An [**sqlite3**(1)](/sqlite3/1.md) database that includes information about each song that has been added the the XMMS2 media library. An alternative location can be specified in the configuration file.

- *CONFDIR/bindata/*

  A directory that contains files with binary data entrusted to the XMMS2 media library, such as cover art. An alternative location can be specified in the configuration file.

- */tmp/xmms-ipc-USER*

  The typical location for the UNIX IPC Socket. Here *USER* is the name of the user that executed **xmms2d**.

## ENVIRONMENT

- **XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME**

  The path where the XMMS2 configuration files and resources are located.

- **XMMS\_PATH**

  The url of the first socket that **xmms2d** listens to. This environment variable is set for programs in the startup and shutdown directories.

- **XMMS\_PATH\_FULL**

  A **;**-separated list of paths to which **xmms2d** listens. This environment variable is set for programs in the startup and shutdown directories.

## SEE ALSO

[**xmms2**(1)](/xmms2/1.md), [**xmms2-launcher**(1)](/xmms2-launcher/1.md), **https://github.com/xmms2**.

## HISTORY

The XMMS2 Project was started by Tobias Rundström and Anders Waldenborg. It is developed by a small group of contributers from all over the world.

## AUTHOR

This manual page was originally written by Alexander Botero-Lowry \<alex@foxybanana.com\>. It was reformatted and slightly extended by Erik Massop \<e.massop@hccnet.nl\>.