Switch to JXL format for Default Wallpaper
Summary
The default Fedora wallpaper will switch from PNG to JXL (JPEG XL) format.
Owner
- Name: Luya Tshimbalanga
- Email: luya@fedoraproject.org
Current status
- Targeted release: Fedora Linux 42
- Last updated: 2025-04-08
- Announced
- Discussion thread
- FESCo issue: #3376
- Tracker bug: #2357892
- Release notes tracker: #207
Detailed Description
Fedora's default wallpaper long relied on PNG to preserve design integrity, but its large file size increased packaging and animation costs. The Design team adopted JXL, slashing file sizes without compromising quality.
Feedback
Benefit to Fedora
- The default wallpaper’s file size is significantly smaller in JXL format compared to PNG, as demonstrated in this Fedora 42 ticket with a side-by-side comparison.
Scope
- Proposal owners:
The Fedora Design team has adopted JXL for the default wallpaper in Fedora Workstation and its Spin variants, replacing PNG while allowing Spins to retain custom backgrounds if preferred.
- Other developers: N/A
- Release engineering: N/A
- Policies and guidelines: N/A (not needed for this Change)
- Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)
- Alignment with the Fedora Strategy: Yes
Upgrade/compatibility impact
Implementing JXL in desktop environments poses negligible compatibility risks, with JPEG conversion available as a seamless fallback.
Early Testing (Optional)
Do you require 'QA Blueprint' support? Y/N
How To Test
- Recent updated Fedora 42 pre-release includes default wallpapers.
- For testing purpose, up to date Fedora Linux 41 Workstation and variants (spins included) with this following steps:
- Enable @design-suite/fxx-backgrounds COPR or download from the main repository.
- For Workstation Edition and variants like Cinammon spin and Design Suite Labs, install both f42-backgrounds-base and f42-background-gnome using the command sudo dnf install f42-backgrounds-{base,gnome}.
- For KDE Edition and variants, install both 'f42-backgrounds-base' and 'f42-background-kde' using the command sudo dnf install f42-backgrounds-{base,kde}
- For XFCE and variants, install both 'f42-backgrounds-base' and 'f42-background-xfce' using the command sudo dnf install f42-backgrounds-{base,xfce}
- For Budgie Edition, install both f42-backgrounds-base and f42-background-budgie using the command sudo dnf install f42-backgrounds-{base,budgie}
- For MATE and variants, install both f42-backgrounds-base and f42-background-mate using the command sudo dnf install f42-backgrounds-{base,mate}
User Experience
The transition maintains seamless performance in low-resource environments, ensuring no perceptible impact on systems with minimal overhead.
Dependencies
None.
Contingency Plan
Revert to PNG format.
- Contingency mechanism: (What to do? Who will do it?) N/A (not a System Wide Change)
- Contingency deadline: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
- Blocks release? N/A (not a System Wide Change), Yes/No
Documentation
N/A (not a System Wide Change)
