KMS/DRM based System Console

Overview

• kmscon is a system console for linux. It does not depend on any graphics-server on your system (like X.org), but instead provides a raw console layer that can be used independently. It can replace the linux kernel console entirely but was designed to work well side-by-side, too. Even though initially targeted at providing internationalization to the system-console, it has grown into a fully modularized console layer including features like multi-head support, internationalized font rendering, XKB-compatible keyboard handling, hardware-accelerated graphics access and more. Why the name?

• kmscon uses the Direct-Rendering-Manager (DRM) of the linux kernel to access graphics devices. The API that performs mode-setting on displays/monitors is called Kernel-Mode-Setting (KMS). Hence its name kmscon. Today, kmscon can also make use of other graphics-APIs. But these were mainly introduced for backwards-compatibility. KMS/DRM is the way to go! Mailing Lists:

• General Development and Discussion Bug Reports:

• Existing Bug Reports File a New Bug Report Download:

• Tarball Releases Git:

• developer repository (David Herrmann) old github repository Documentation for Users:

• TODO Documentation for Developers:

• TODO Distribution Packages:

• Arch Linux (Wiki)