Git Repository

https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-session

Session Management

Session management in GNOME is handled by gnome-session. The default session on GNOME uses GNOME Shell, but gnome-session is also able to start other sessions with different desktop environments. The gnome-session script is usually started by the display manager (such as GDM3) after a user has entered the correct credentials on the login screen. If gnome-session is invoked with the --systemd option (available since GNOME 3.34), then gnome-session will use systemd to create a user slice and start the required services.

Session Manager

/GnomeSession /NewGnomeSession

LucasRocha is currently hacking on this, for GNOME 2.24 (See Todo)

SM Client

/EggSMClient

Thoughts on /SavingState

Session capplet

/Capplet

Alternate Designs

ColinWalters' proposal for /AutoSession

Relevant Art

Windows Vista

• Application Shutdown Changes in Windows Vista

• Handling OS Shut Down in Windows Vista

Links

• /NotesOnXSMP

• Initial proposal on desktop-devel-list.

• XSMP, libSM, ICE, and libICE docs (PDF only)

• GNOME/KDE consensus on what some parts of the XSMP spec mean (summary of this thread)

• ICCCM Session Management conventions (mostly only relevant to having the WM remember window positions, which never really worked right, as discussed at the end of this message and in other places)

• Obsolete X11R5 SM spec (WM_SAVE_YOURSELF; we most likely want nothing to do with this)

• freedesktop autostart spec

• freedesktop desktop file spec (used by autostart)

• Havoc's list of session management issues from 2003

• halfline's session management proposal from later in 2003

• markmc's session management proposal from last summer. This proposal involved a whole new architecture, but much of the argument is still relevant.