1.3 KiB
login-manager
A display manager, or login manager, is typically a graphical user interface that is displayed at the end of the boot process in place of the default shell. There are various implementations of display managers, just as there are various types of window managers and desktop environments. There is usually a certain amount of customization and themeability available with each one.
The responsibilities of a display manager are:
Starting and managing local instances of the x-server. Authenticating users. Starting and managing user sessions. Common use cases:
Starting a single X server on boot and starting a session (kiosk mode).
Starting a single X server instance on boot, displaying a greeter GUI (username and password), and starting the user session when connected (traditional). Supporting multiple simultaneous logins by exposing what users are logged in, and starting new X servers for each user (user switching). Running a thin-client server by allowing X servers to connect using XDMCP, and connecting greeters and sessions to those X servers.