Installing Compton on Debian
Before configuring Compton, ensure it’s installed on your Debian system. Use the following command to install the latest version via APT:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install compton
This installs Compton and its dependencies, making it ready for configuration.
Configuring Compton for Display Effects
The primary configuration file for Compton is located at ~/.config/compton.conf (create it if it doesn’t exist). Below are key tweaks to enhance display quality and performance:
Backend Selection: The backend parameter determines how Compton renders graphics. For better performance on modern systems, set it to glx (OpenGL) instead of the default xrender:
backend = "glx";
This leverages GPU acceleration to reduce lag and improve frame rates.
Shadows: Window shadows add depth but can consume significant resources. Disable them if performance is a concern:
shadow = false;
Alternatively, keep them enabled (shadow = true) for a more polished look, but expect a slight performance hit.
Window Transparency: Control transparency with the opacity rule. For example, to make all windows 80% opaque by default:
opacity = 0.8;
For more granular control, use opacity-rule to target specific applications (e.g., make Firefox 90% opaque):
opacity-rule = ["CLASS = 'Firefox', opacity = 0.9"];
This balances aesthetics with performance.
Background Blur: Enable background blur for a modern, frosted-glass effect. Set blur-background to true and specify a blur kernel (e.g., 3x3box for a subtle blur):
blur-background = true;
blur-kern = "3x3box";
Note: Background blur is GPU-intensive and may not work well on older hardware.
Vertical Sync (VSync): Enable VSync to eliminate screen tearing by synchronizing frame updates with your monitor’s refresh rate:
vsync = true;
If you experience input lag, try disabling it (vsync = false)—this trades tear-free visuals for smoother responsiveness.
Performance Optimization Tips
Compton can strain older or low-end systems. Use these tips to balance visuals and performance:
Disable Unnecessary Effects: Turn off shadows (shadow = false) and transparency (opacity = false) if you don’t need them. These are the most resource-heavy features.
Use GPU Acceleration: Ensure your GPU drivers are up to date and set backend = "glx" (as mentioned earlier). This offloads rendering tasks to the GPU, significantly improving performance.
Limit CPU Usage: Use tools like cpulimit to cap Compton’s CPU usage. For example, to restrict it to 50%:
cpulimit -l 50 -p $(pgrep compton)
Replace $(pgrep compton) with the actual process ID if needed. This prevents Compton from hogging system resources.
Starting Compton Automatically
To ensure Compton launches on boot, create a Systemd service file:
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/compton.service
Add the following content (adjust the config path if needed):
[Unit]
Description=Compton Window Composer
After=xorg.service
[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/bin/compton --config /etc/compton.conf
Restart=always
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
Save the file, then enable and start the service:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable compton
sudo systemctl start compton
This ensures Compton runs automatically after login.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Conflicts with Desktop Environments: If Compton causes flickering or crashes, try disabling desktop-specific effects (e.g., in GNOME, turn off “Animations” in Settings > Appearance). You can also add your window manager to Compton’s ignore list (e.g., wm = "i3"; for i3).
Black Screen on Startup: This often indicates a misconfigured backend. Revert to backend = "xrender" temporarily to isolate the issue, then experiment with glx once the problem is resolved.
High CPU Usage: Lower the vsync interval (e.g., vsync = 1) or disable it entirely. Additionally, limit Compton’s CPU usage with cpulimit as described above.