Xfce 4.20 released with Wayland support, HiDPI fixes, and Thunar performance boost

Xfce has released version 4.20 of its lightweight desktop environment after nearly two years of development. This update introduces experimental support for the Wayland windowing system, allowing most Xfce components to run on it. However, certain features like workspace management and system tray icons for some applications do not function on Wayland yet.

The update addresses issues with icon and thumbnail scaling, adding missing icons for larger scales to eliminate blurriness on HiDPI displays. Thunar, the default file manager, has undergone significant performance enhancements. It now handles large directories with over 100,000 files without freezing, thanks to redesigned container structures and improved background task management. Users will also experience smoother navigation and faster response times.

Xfce 4.20 also offers numerous enhancements across various components, including the Xfce Panel, application finder, power management settings, and session management. Improvements have been made to settings for appearance, display, mouse, and mime types. Additionally, the desktop experience and window management have also seen notable enhancements.