GDM

GDM (short for GNOME Display Manager) is an open source graphical login manager specifically designed to be used as a display manager for the GNOME desktop environment. It is used in many well known Linux distributions. It’s comprised of a system service responsible for providing graphical log-ins, as well as for managing both local and remote displays, and the graphical login part that features a face browser, a language/session type selector and an optional logo.

Protects your computer from pesky people

There’s not much to say about a login manager, because it runs at boot time and you interact with it maybe a few times a day, when you login and when you lock your screen. But it’s there, it protects your computer from intruders or pesky people.

Helps you easily switch between multiple desktop sessions

In addition, the login manager usually allows a Linux user to switch between different desktop environment that are installed in the respective operating system. It also lets you to quickly login as a different user, use a guest account or the remote login function.

Looks very professional

When compared with other similar products, we can immediately notice that this project looks very professional, and provides users with state-of-the-art functionality. In our opinion, LightDM can be made to look even more professional than GDM, and provides some extra functionality.

Designed for GNOME

By default, GDM (GNOME Display Manager) is distributed as part of the GNOME desktop environment, but it can also be used as a standalone application that provides login capabilities for other desktop environments or Linux operating systems. However, GDM supports any Linux-based operating system and several desktop environments, including Xfce, Cinnamon, MATE, Openbox, Fluxbox, KDE, LXDE, and others.

Bottom line

We suggest GDM if you want a mature and full-featured login manager for your Linux distribution. But, if you operating system supports LightDM, we feel obliged to urge users to stick with it because it's much more powerful and provides state-of-the-art and modern functionality.

What is new in this release:

• CVE-2018-14424 - double free fix
• lifecycle fixes to libgdm/GdmClient
• follow up fixes dealing with login screen reaping form last release
• allow pam modules to use SIGUSR1
• set PWD for user session
• tell cirrus not to use wayland
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.28.2:

• Reference counting fixes for GdmClient- ensure plymouth is quit properly even when local greeter is disabled
• make sure GDM doesn't hang when called with unknown command line arguments
• Translation updates

What is new in version :

• don't call gdm_session_defaults_changed from setup
• Add dependency to .pc file
• code clean ups

What is new in version 3.26.2:

• Use dconf to force vitruvian man on panel
• hide -xorg sessions under X11
• don't add bogus wtmp entries
• wait for X server to die before respawning
• misc
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.26.1:

• Check for Xwayland before agreeing to do wayland
• misc wayland fixes
• xdmcp fixes
• minor clean ups
• allow gnome initial-setup to be forced from kernel command line
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.26.0:

• Fix for unauthenticated unlock when autologin is enabled (CVE-2017-12164)
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.25.3:

• crasher fix
• x11/wayland selection fix
• greeter lifecycle fix
• systemd unit installation fix
• drop lock down of non-existent setting
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.24.2:

• Update session type when we know username (and user's session)
• Fix bug leading to reauthentication happening outside the session
• Make sure greeter is killed and reaped when gdm is restarted

What is new in version 3.24.0:

• Make X11DisplayName property accurate
• Fix bug that forced wayland on second logins even if user didn't pick it
• kill clients from display on logout (multiseat and xdmcp only)
• send hangup to process group when session exits
• allow specifying pam_gdm install location to configure

What is new in version 3.23.4:

• Make X11DisplayName property accurate
• Fix bug that forced wayland on second logins even if user didn't pick it
• kill clients from display on logout (multiseat and xdmcp only)
• send hangup to process group when session exits
• allow specifying pam_gdm install location to configure

What is new in version 3.22.1:

• Fix wayland login after Xorg logout for a user
• Prefer /usr/bin/X to /usr/bin/Xorg

What is new in version 3.21.4:

• Small crasher fix
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.21.3:

• Translation updates.

What is new in version 3.19.2:

• Get rid of "custom" session
• Separate X sessions and Wayland sessions
• Hide Wayland sessions if the login screen is on X
• Pass session mode to the shell via environment
• Rename gnome-wayland session to gnome
• Use -listen instead of -nolisten for new Xorg
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.18.2:

• CVE-2015-7496 - lock screen bypass when holding escape key
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.16.2 / 3.18 Beta 1:

• Fix GDM_LANG corruption that sometimes fails login
• Rework wtmp handling
• Code clean ups
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.16.2:

• Add support for env.d directory (useful for xdg-app)
• BSD fix ups
• Don't start dbus-daemon if kdbus is in charge
• Various crash fixes
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.16.0.1:

• Fix plymouth quitting that broke in 3.15.92

What is new in version 3.15.3.1:

• Actually set XDG_SESSION_TYPE in user sessions
• Don't require plymouth if using systemd
• require --without-plymouth to disable plymouth support

What is new in version 3.15.3:

• set XDG_SESSION_TYPE in user sessions
• propagate XDG_CONFIG_DIRS and XCURSOR_PATH into login sessions
• Require plymouth if using systemd
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.15.2:

• Fix session selection for smartcard users
• Don't warp pointer anymore
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.14.1:

• Update fedora PAM config to be more tolerant of /etc/nologin
• Leak fixes in libgdm
• Fix spew on console generated from conversations that get cancelled when they're closing
• Drop some lingering fallback greeter cruft
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.14.0:

• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.14 RC:

• Compat fixes to work with latest caribou
• Minor code clean up
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.14 Beta 2:

• Fix crash when typing password at screen lock
• Fix default signal mask of session to not block SIGUSR1
• Memory leak fixes
• Fix for when building without consolekit
• Fix autologin pam config on GNOME Continuous
• Fix timed login race
• Again read LANG from accountsservice
• misc fixes
• Translation updates

What is new in version 3.12.2:

• Work around ugly "Last Login" messages in fedora
• Fix PATH variable
• Fix undead worker processes
• Fix crash on logout after user switching

What is new in version 3.12.1:

• Drop dead code
• Support XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP
• Fix PID file in build goo
• Doap file fix ups
• Improve Fedora PAM config with regard to gnome-kerying
• Small wayland fixes
• ConsoleKit fixes
• Fixes to non-GDM session unlock corner cases
• Translation updates

Requirements:

• gtk+
• GNOME