TuxKit

TuxKit is Wallzer's Linux desktop integration layer. It is designed to be open sourced as its own project while remaining easy for Wallzer to vendor or link as a module.

The first backend targets GNOME because GNOME Wayland needs compositor-aware integration for live wallpapers. Static wallpapers can be applied through GNOME settings from C++; live video, GIF, web, and interactive wallpapers require a GNOME Shell extension plus a renderer process.

Components

• libtuxkit - C++20 library for environment detection, capabilities, and wallpaper requests.
• tuxkitctl - CLI for testing and scripting.
• extensions/gnome-shell/tuxkit@emagenware.com - GJS GNOME Shell extension scaffold for the desktop layer.
• share/dbus/com.emagenware.TuxKit.xml - D-Bus contract for a future tuxkitd service.

Build

cmake -S tuxkit -B build/tuxkit
cmake --build build/tuxkit
ctest --test-dir build/tuxkit --output-on-failure

Linux root builds also include TuxKit by default:

cmake -S . -B build-linux
cmake --build build-linux --target tuxkitctl

CLI

tuxkitctl detect
tuxkitctl capabilities
tuxkitctl status
tuxkitctl set --image ~/Pictures/wallpaper.png --fit fill

Required Linux Stack

• C++20 compiler and CMake 3.21+ for libtuxkit.
• GLib/GIO gsettings for GNOME static wallpaper writes.
• GJS for the GNOME Shell extension.
• GStreamer or libmpv for the renderer process that will decode video/GIF/audio-backed wallpapers.
• D-Bus for the stable service API between Wallzer, tuxkitd, and the Shell extension.

Wallzer Integration Model

Wallzer should talk to TuxKit through the public C++ API or the future D-Bus service:

1. Detect the desktop.
2. Read capabilities.
3. Apply static images directly when possible.
4. Route live/video/interactive wallpapers through tuxkitd.
5. Let the GNOME extension own the compositor layer on Wayland.

This keeps Wallzer cross-platform and keeps Linux-specific behavior inside TuxKit.

Consuming From CMake

After installing TuxKit:

find_package(TuxKit CONFIG REQUIRED)
target_link_libraries(my_app PRIVATE TuxKit::tuxkit)