---
name: "xwfb-run"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "xwayland-run"
version: "0.0.4-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xwfb-run"
---

# xwfb-run(1)

Run X11 clients on a dedicated Xwayland server headless.

## NAME

xwfb-run - Run X11 clients on a dedicated *Xwayland* server headless.

## SYNOPSIS

**xwfb-run** \[option ...\] -- COMMAND

## DESCRIPTION

*xwfb-run* is intended as a replacement utility for *xvfb-run*, using rootful *Xwayland* running fullscreen on a headless compositor instead of *Xvfb*.

## OPTIONS

- **-a AUTO\_SERVERNUM, --auto-servernum AUTO\_SERVERNUM**

  Unused, kept for backward compatibility only.

- **-c COMPOSITOR, --compositor COMPOSITOR**

  Use the compositor class implementation.

- **-d AUTO\_DISPLAY, --auto-display AUTO\_DISPLAY**

  Unused, kept for backward compatibility only.

- **-e ERROR\_FILE, --error-file ERROR\_FILE**

  File used to store xauth and X server errors.

- **-f AUTH\_FILE, --auth-file AUTH\_FILE**

  File used to store auth cookie.

- **-n SERVER\_NUM, --server-num SERVER\_NUM**

   Xserver number to use.

- **-l, --listen-tcp**

  Enable TCP port listening in the X server.

- **-p XAUTH\_PROTO, --xauth-proto XAUTH\_PROTO**

  Xauthority protocol name to use.

- **-s SERVER\_ARGS, --server-args SERVER\_ARGS**

  Arguments to pass to the X server. Xserver arguments must be escaped with two backslash characters, e.g. *-s \\\\-ac*.

- **-w WAIT, --wait WAIT**

  Delay in seconds to wait for the X server to start before running COMMAND.

- **-z COMPOSITOR\_ARGS, --compositor-args COMPOSITOR\_ARGS**

  Arguments to pass to the Wayland compositor. Arguments intended to the Wayland compositor must be escaped with two backslash characters, e.g. *-z \\\\--renderer -z gl*.

## FILES

- *wlheadless.conf*

  Sets the default compositor to use.

The file is searched in **wlheadless** directory relative to the paths specified in the standard environment variables **XDG\_DATA\_HOME** and **XDG\_DATA\_DIRS**.

\[DEFAULT\]\
     Compositor = weston

## SEE ALSO

[*wlheadless-run*(1)](/wlheadless-run/1.md), [*xwayland-run*(1)](/xwayland-run/1.md), [*Xwayland*(1)](/Xwayland/1.md), [*Xvfb*(1)](/Xvfb/1.md)