The Xfce desktop environment has been successfully ported to the Rust-based Redox OS, aiming to deliver a better X11 experience compared to the GNOME2-derived MATE desktop on Redox [1, 2]. As of August 2026, Xfce runs more stably than MATE but still has several bugs needing resolution before it can be considered fully usable [1, 2].
Alongside the desktop environment improvements, Redox OS implemented the EEVDF scheduler in May 2026, which brought substantial gains in scheduling stability and overall system performance. This included a fourfold increase in performance when waiting on I/O events [1, 2].
Redox OS also introduced inode caching in its RedoxFS filesystem, significantly boosting file system operations and efficiency [1, 2]. Kernel-level enhancements, better device drivers, improvements to the relibc library, and an updated Rust compiler have further strengthened the OS’s foundation [1, 2].
As part of the COSMIC desktop environment progress, the COSMIC Monitor app was ported as Redox’s first graphical system monitor application, adding essential system monitoring capabilities to the platform [1, 2].
Since May 2026, these performance and stability upgrades have laid the groundwork for the recent desktop improvements. Continued bug fixing and optimizations are expected to follow to make Xfce on Redox fully production-ready [1, 2].