Cocoa-Way
A native macOS Wayland compositor written in Rust that enables seamless Linux app streaming without XQuartz.
What is Cocoa-Way?
Cocoa-Way is a native Wayland compositor for macOS, built with Rust and Smithay, that allows users to run Linux applications directly on macOS with native window integration. It provides a modern alternative to XQuartz by using the Wayland protocol for lower latency and better HiDPI support, connecting directly to Linux via Unix sockets or SSH without requiring a virtual machine.
macOS developers and users who need to run Linux GUI applications natively on their Mac, particularly those seeking a low-latency, HiDPI-optimized alternative to XQuartz or VNC solutions.
Developers choose Cocoa-Way for its zero VM overhead and native macOS window integration, offering lower latency and better Retina display support compared to legacy X11 solutions like XQuartz, while being easier to set up than full virtual machine GUI environments.
Overview
Run Linux desktops and apps on macOS with a native Metal Wayland compositor, Apple Container GUI, Waypipe, Docker/OrbStack, and rootless windows.
Use Cases
Best For
- Running Linux GUI applications like Firefox on macOS with native window management and server-side decorations.
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