Xgl is an X server architecture, started by David Reveman, layered on top of OpenGL via glitz. As of February 2005, it is at an early stage in development and a number of important pieces are still missing.

=Xglx=

Xglx was the first X server to implement this architecture. It requires an already existing X server with GLX to run on top of, and is only intended for testing and development. In the future, Xgl is not intended to be run on top of an existing X server.

=Xegl=

Xegl is the future of Xgl and the long term goal of X server development. Xegl is a server that implements the Native Platform Graphics Interface and uses Mesa 3D to provide OpenGL rendering directly to the Linux framebuffer. As of August 2005 Xegl can only be run using Radeon R200 graphics hardware and is still in development.

Structuring all rendering on top of OpenGL should simplify modern video driver development and not have the separation of 2D acceleration and 3D acceleration. It has been reported that affiliates from NVIDIA and ATI Technologies are willing to release binary-only drivers for an OpenGL-based X server once a defined API has been established.

Some see this as Linux keeping up with the times to compete with the graphics systems of Mac OS X and the upcoming Windows Vista.

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