Editing Windowing system (section)

== Technical details ==
The main component of any windowing system is usually called the ''display server'', although alternative terms such as ''window server'' or ''compositor'' are also in use. Any application that runs and presents its GUI in a window, is a client of the display server. The display server and its clients communicate with each other over an [[application programming interface]] (API) or a [[communications protocol]], which is usually called display server protocol, the display server being the mediator between the clients and the user. It receives all the input from the [[kernel (operating system)|kernel]], that the kernel receives from all attached [[input device]]s, such as [[Computer keyboard|keyboard]], [[pointing device]]s, or [[touchscreen]] and transmits it to the correct client. The display server is also responsible for the output of the clients to the [[computer monitor]]. The output of sound is usually not managed by the display server, but the sound volume is usually handled through GUI applets and it is the display server who decides which applications are on top. A windowing system enables the computer user to work with several programs at the same time. Each program presents its GUI in its own window, which is generally a rectangular area of the screen.{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}

From a [[programmer]]'s point of view, a windowing system implements graphical primitives. For example: rendering [[typeface|fonts]] or drawing a line on the screen. It provides an abstraction of the graphics hardware for use by higher-level elements of the graphical interface such as a window manager.{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}

A display server protocol can be network capable or even [[network transparency|network transparent]], facilitating the implementation of [[thin client]]s.{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}