# TigerVNC: a high-performance VNC client and server for remote desktops > TigerVNC is a cross-platform VNC implementation for remote desktop access, based on RealVNC and X.org. It includes vncviewer (client) and platform-specific servers (winvnc for Windows, Xvnc for Unix/Linux) optimized with libjpeg-turbo acceleration. **TigerVNC/tigervnc** — High performance, multi-platform VNC client and server - Repository: https://github.com/TigerVNC/tigervnc - Website: https://tigervnc.org - Stars: 7,520 · Forks: 1,202 - Language: C++ - License: GPL-2.0 - Published: 2026-09-22 · Updated: 2026-09-22 · Language: en - Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/tigervnc-tigervnc ## A high-performance remote desktop system TigerVNC is a cross-platform implementation of VNC (Virtual Network Computing), a system for viewing and controlling a desktop computer remotely over a network. The README describes it as a high-speed version of VNC based on RealVNC 4 and X.org codebases. TigerVNC began as a next-generation development effort for TightVNC on Unix and Linux platforms, but split from TightVNC in early 2009 so that TightVNC could focus on Windows platforms. TigerVNC distinguishes itself through accelerated Tight encoding using the libjpeg-turbo JPEG codec, delivering faster display updates than standard VNC implementations. The project is licensed under GPL-2.0. Latest release is v1.16.2 from 2026-03-26, about six months old. The last push was on 2026-09-25, indicating ongoing maintenance. The homepage is https://tigervnc.org. The repository is written in C++ and includes build files for compilation on Unix, Windows, and other platforms. ## Cross-platform vncviewer and platform-specific servers TigerVNC is divided into components. The vncviewer is a cross-platform client written using FLTK (Fast Light Toolkit), a lightweight UI framework that compiles to multiple platforms. vncviewer allows you to connect to a VNC server from Windows, macOS, Linux, or other platforms and display the remote desktop. The client handles keyboard and mouse input, sending user actions back to the server. Platform-specific servers handle local display sharing. On Windows, winvnc shares the Windows desktop, but the README explicitly warns that winvnc is currently unmaintained and may not function correctly. It may not work if Fast user switching or Remote Desktop features are in use, and such incompatibilities will likely persist without maintenance. On Unix and Linux, Xvnc is a VNC server and an X server with a virtual framebuffer. You typically start Xvnc via the vncserver service rather than directly. The repository includes platform-specific directories (win/ and unix/) for these server implementations. ## Unix/Linux tools and services TigerVNC for Unix/Linux includes several command-line tools and services. vncpasswd sets or changes the VNC password for authentication before using the server. vncconfig configures and controls a running Xvnc instance, allowing you to change settings without restarting. x0vncserver is an inefficient VNC server that polls an existing X display, intended mainly as a demonstration or fallback for sharing a running X session. w0vncserver shares a Wayland compositor's session via VNC, which is useful on modern Linux desktops using Wayland instead of X11. The package includes a systemd service, vncserver@.service, that starts a user session with Xvnc and a chosen desktop environment. This service-based startup simplifies administration compared to manual daemon management and integrates well with systemd-based Linux systems. ## Tight encoding and performance optimization TigerVNC supports a variant of Tight encoding greatly accelerated by libjpeg-turbo, a high-speed JPEG library optimized for fast compression and decompression. Tight encoding achieves good compression for bitmap updates, reducing bandwidth on slow networks. The libjpeg-turbo optimization makes Tight encoding much faster to encode and decode than the reference libjpeg implementation, which translates to less CPU usage on both server and client. This is especially valuable for remote desktops with lots of color changes, such as video playback, animations, or image editing. The README emphasizes that TigerVNC is a high-speed version of VNC, and the encoder acceleration is a key technical differentiator from standard VNC implementations. The build system is based on CMake, documented in CMakeLists.txt and the cmake/ directory. ## Windows server unmaintained, sparse release updates The Windows server component (winvnc) is unmaintained and not recommended for production use. The README explicitly warns that winvnc may not function correctly and may not work if Fast user switching or Remote Desktop features are enabled. This limits TigerVNC's utility for Windows server remote access scenarios. For Windows, alternative remote desktop solutions like Windows' own Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or third-party tools may be more suitable. The repository includes a BUILDING.txt file documenting compilation, and tests/ and contrib/ directories suggest testing infrastructure and community contributions. However, the release history shows v1.16.0 from January 2026, and the three most recent releases came in late March 2026 within two days, then development went quiet for six months. This suggests the project is maintained but not frequently updated with new features. ## Free software and licensing heritage TigerVNC is free software under GPL-2.0, allowing anyone to use, modify, and distribute the software under the terms of the license. The README lists an extensive copyright history, acknowledging contributions from AT&T Laboratories, RealVNC, TightVNC, X.org, and many other projects spanning decades. The code incorporates public-domain DES software and X Window System code, all under compatible free licenses. The LICENCE.TXT file documents the specific conditions and source attributions. This heritage reflects VNC's long history in academia and open-source communities, with TigerVNC continuing that tradition. The project is suitable for users and organizations that value open-source software and may wish to modify the source code for specific needs. ## Conclusion Adopt TigerVNC if you need remote desktop access on Unix/Linux systems or if you want a lightweight VNC viewer for Windows or macOS. Skip it if you need an actively maintained Windows server (winvnc is unmaintained) or if you require modern remote desktop features like sound or folder redirection. To verify functionality, download vncviewer on your client machine and test with a publicly available VNC server, or set up Xvnc on a spare Linux machine. ## FAQ ### What is TigerVNC used for? TigerVNC provides remote desktop access. The vncviewer client connects to a VNC server running on another machine, displaying and controlling the remote desktop locally. ### Is TigerVNC free? Yes. TigerVNC is distributed under GPL-2.0, free and open-source software. The vncviewer and servers are free to download and use. ### How do I install TigerVNC? Download vncviewer from tigervnc.org or your Linux distribution's package manager. On Linux, install Xvnc the same way. The README documents building from source with CMake. ## Sources - [License: GPL-2.0](https://github.com/TigerVNC/tigervnc/blob/master/LICENSE) - [Project website](https://tigervnc.org) - [README](https://github.com/TigerVNC/tigervnc/blob/master/README.md) - [Releases](https://github.com/TigerVNC/tigervnc/releases) - [TigerVNC/tigervnc on GitHub](https://github.com/TigerVNC/tigervnc) --- Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/tigervnc-tigervnc