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xfce:building [2021/04/22 17:46] – [Package specific dependencies] ochosixfce:building [2026/02/11 15:49] (current) – Add build instructions for meson andreldm
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 First you will need to decide on which version of Xfce that you want to compile. Xfce version numbers are constructed like this: 1.2.3 => major.minor.micro. If the minor version is an even number, this means that it is a stable release. An odd numbered minor version indicate a development, or testing snapshots. The micro number increases with each release. Also, it is recommended to keep the major.minor version the same for the core components (some packages don't follow those numbers) or there will most likely be dependency version problems during compilation. First you will need to decide on which version of Xfce that you want to compile. Xfce version numbers are constructed like this: 1.2.3 => major.minor.micro. If the minor version is an even number, this means that it is a stable release. An odd numbered minor version indicate a development, or testing snapshots. The micro number increases with each release. Also, it is recommended to keep the major.minor version the same for the core components (some packages don't follow those numbers) or there will most likely be dependency version problems during compilation.
  
-The latest releases available can be found on the [[http://xfce.org/download|download]] page. You can also build from the source repositories if you have enough experience. Additional information about this is provided below.+The latest releases available can be found on the [[https://www.xfce.org/download|download]] page. You can also build from the source repositories if you have enough experience. Additional information about this is provided below.
  
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 Xfce packages have two types of releases: collection releases and individual releases. Click the links below to open the relevant download location. Xfce packages have two types of releases: collection releases and individual releases. Click the links below to open the relevant download location.
  
-  * [[http://archive.xfce.org/xfce/|Collection releases of the core modules]]\\ From time to time a new collection release of Xfce is made. A collection release consists of a number of individual tarballs and a fat-tarball that contains all of the individual tarballs.\\ The collection releases always contains the correct versions needed to build the other packages in the release. If you want the latest version of each package, you can start with a collection release and then look for individual bug fix releases, explained in the item below.  +  * [[https://archive.xfce.org/xfce/|Collection releases of the core modules]]\\ From time to time a new collection release of Xfce is made. A collection release consists of a number of individual tarballs and a fat-tarball that contains all of the individual tarballs.\\ The collection releases always contains the correct versions needed to build the other packages in the release. If you want the latest version of each package, you can start with a collection release and then look for individual bug fix releases, explained in the item below.  
-  * [[http://archive.xfce.org/src/xfce/|Individual releases]]\\ Each package in Xfce is allowed to make development and stable releases at any time, see the [[http://xfce.org/about/releasemodel|release model]] documentation for more information. +  * [[https://archive.xfce.org/src/xfce/|Individual releases]]\\ Each package in Xfce is allowed to make development and stable releases at any time, see the [[http://xfce.org/about/releasemodel|release model]] documentation for more information. 
  
 ==== From the code repository ==== ==== From the code repository ====
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   git clone https://gitlab.xfce.org/$category/$module   git clone https://gitlab.xfce.org/$category/$module
  
-After the repository is cloned, you will need to choose which branch you want to compile. By default, the ''master'' branch is selected, but there are also branches for stable releases like ''xfce-4.14''. The stable branches contain the latest bug fixes without any major new features, the master branch is the development version for the next release of Xfce. Both should not be used in a production environment.+After the repository is cloned, you will need to choose which branch you want to compile. By default, the ''master'' branch is selected, but there are also branches for stable releases like ''xfce-4.20''. The stable branches contain the latest bug fixes without any major new features, the master branch is the development version for the next release of Xfce. Both should not be used in a production environment.
  
-To switch to another branch (''git branch -a'' lists all available branches) run the following command inside the cloned directory to switch to, for example, the ''xfce-4.14'' branch:+To switch to another branch (''git branch -a'' lists all available branches) run the following command inside the cloned directory to switch to, for example, the ''xfce-4.20'' branch:
  
-  git checkout --track origin/xfce-4.14+  git checkout --track origin/xfce-4.20
  
 After this, you can update your local copy of the repository with git pull and switch to another branch with ''git checkout $branchname''. Read the [[http://git-scm.com/documentation|GIT manuals]] for more information about using GIT. After this, you can update your local copy of the repository with git pull and switch to another branch with ''git checkout $branchname''. Read the [[http://git-scm.com/documentation|GIT manuals]] for more information about using GIT.
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   * [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_toolchain|A working GNU toolchain]]   * [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_toolchain|A working GNU toolchain]]
   * Gtk+ and Glib headers, in some distributions called the -devel packages    * Gtk+ and Glib headers, in some distributions called the -devel packages 
-    * Xfce 4.14 requires Gtk+ 3.22 and Glib 2.42 +    * Xfce 4.20 requires Gtk+ 3.24 and Glib-2.0 >= 2.72 (See also: [[https://wiki.xfce.org/releng/4.20/roadmap#changes_in_dependencies|4.20 dependencies]]) 
-    * Xfce 4.12 requires Gtk+ 2.24 and Glib +      * Same version for gmodule-2.0, gobject-2.0, gthread-2.0, gio-2.0 and gdbus 
 +    * gdk-pixbuf-2.0 >= 2.42.8 
 +    * gobject-introspection >= 1.72 
 +    * wayland 1.20 
 +    * wayland-protocols 1.25 
 +    * gtk-layer-shell 0.7.0
     * pkgconfig     * pkgconfig
 +    * meson (Xfce 4.21+)
     * Coffee or tea     * Coffee or tea
  
  
-For history, here are the versions needed for older xfce releases, which are not supported anymore+For history, here are the versions needed for older Xfce releases: 
 +    * Xfce 4.18 requires Gtk+ 3.24 and Glib 2.66 
 +    * Xfce 4.16 requires Gtk+ 3.22 and Glib 2.50 
 +    * Xfce 4.14 requires Gtk+ 3.22 and Glib 2.42 
 +    * Xfce 4.12 requires Gtk+ 2.24 and Glib 
     * Xfce 4.10 requires Gtk+ 2.20 and Glib 2.24     * Xfce 4.10 requires Gtk+ 2.20 and Glib 2.24
     * Xfce 4.8 requires Gtk+ 2.14 and Glib 2.20     * Xfce 4.8 requires Gtk+ 2.14 and Glib 2.20
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 The Xfce packages need to be built in a specific order. If you don't follow this, compile options might not be available or the configure stage will abort because of missing dependencies. The Xfce packages need to be built in a specific order. If you don't follow this, compile options might not be available or the configure stage will abort because of missing dependencies.
  
-  * xfce4-dev-tools (only required if you build from GIT)+  * xfce4-dev-tools (only required if you build with autotools and from GIT)
   * libxfce4util   * libxfce4util
   * xfconf   * xfconf
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 ---- ----
  
-===== Building the packages =====+ 
 +===== Building the packages (meson) ===== 
 + 
 +<note important>This section is working in progress, it applies for building from git master and Xfce 4.21</note> 
 + 
 +Now it is finally time to start compiling the Xfce desktop. Last remaining thing is to choose an installation location. Possible examples are ''/usr'', ''/usr/local'' and ''/opt/xfce4'' for a system-wide installation or ''$HOME/local'' if you want to install in your home directory (whatever you choose, never put spaces in the name). We will refer to this location as ${PREFIX} in the code examples below! 
 + 
 +==== Compiling and installing ==== 
 + 
 +Next step is compiling the various packages following the dependency chain above. If you have downloaded the tarballs, you will need to unpack them before going on. Inside each package directory you should run the following command: 
 + 
 +  meson setup --prefix=${PREFIX} build && meson compile -C build && meson install -C build 
 + 
 +Specific setup options for each package can be shown with ''%%meson configure%%''. Note that most packages will see a performance benefit if passed the setup option ''%%-Ddebug=false%%''. 
 + 
 +However, if you want to provide backtraces or test new code, no binary stripping, no optimizations and leaving debug enabled are recommended. 
 + 
 +If you install the package in a public prefix, for example ''/usr'' or ''/usr/local'', ''meson install'' will attempt to use sudo. This way, you will be asked for the system administrator password and will have write permissions to install in those locations. 
 + 
 +[[|Back To Top]] 
 +---- 
 + 
 +===== Building the packages (autotools) ===== 
 + 
 +<note important>This section is deprecated, autotools support was removed after Xfce 4.20</note> 
 ==== Installation location and variables ==== ==== Installation location and variables ====
  
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 ===== Finding additional Help ===== ===== Finding additional Help =====
  
-Hopefully everything went fine after reading this guide. If you still have problems or questions you can ask on the [[http://xfce.org/community#mail|Xfce users mailing list]], the [[http://forum.xfce.org|forum]] or ask distribution related questions on their forums and mailing lists.+Hopefully everything went fine after reading this guide. If you still have problems or questions you can ask on the [[https://www.xfce.org/community#mail|Xfce users mailing list]], the [[https://forum.xfce.org|forum]] or ask distribution related questions on their forums and mailing lists.
  
 Have fun building Xfce! Have fun building Xfce!
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 [[|Back To Top]] [[|Back To Top]]
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-[[:start|Back to main Xfce documentation page]]+[[:start|Back to Xfce Main Documentation Page]]