What are the best Linux platforms/tools for virtualizing GUI apps and viewing them remotely?

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DevelopmentLinux

What are the best Linux platforms/tools for virtualizing GUI apps and viewing them remotely?

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11

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Jun 5, 2020

Last
Updated

3 Options Considered

Best Linux platforms/tools for virtualizing GUI apps and viewing them remotely	Price	Platforms	Last Updated
-- ssh -X or ssh -Y	-	-	Jan 12, 2016
-- TightVNC	-	Windows, Linux, Mac, BSD	Jun 5, 2020
-- guacamole	-	-	Jan 9, 2016

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score 6 · Answer 1

ssh -X or ssh -Y

Top Con

Needs a working X server on the local end

This only works through X11, so you need to have X installed on the local end. If you use something else, like Wayland you need to install X. See More

Top Pro

Pretty much everywhere available

In the parts of the world that are relevant to me, anyway, which is GNU/Linux and BSDs. On Windows you can use it with putty and Xming, on Mac there's also an Xserver which you can definitely use for this... Though I don't know whether these would also work for a server, but who wants non-*NIX on a server anyway. See More

Top Pro

Low-level transmission of GUI I/O

Makes things run pretty smoothly in a LAN. And it's not even that bad over internet. See More

Top Pro

Combined with other tools can let you continue developing from anywhere right where you left off

SSH by itself allows you to run commands on another machine. Together with Vim (or a good console text editor) and Tmux (for window management), you can just connect to your development machine, code and test. This allows to continue where you left off and instantly work. See More

Top Pro

Supports side-channel tunneling of other services

SSH has the ability to create forwarded port mappings, SOCKS5-compatible proxies and perform file transfers, without the need for additional tools or permissions. See More

See All

score 2 · Answer 2

TightVNC

Top Pro

File transfer capability

TightVNC has some good file transfer capability with which you can transfer files back and forth with your remote system. See More

Top Con

Needs port forwarding activated

In order to use TightVNC you need to have port forwarding activated within your router. See More

Specs

Platforms:Windows, Linux, Mac, BSD

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score 2 · Answer 3

guacamole

Top Pro

Support for many clients

Using standard web application protocols supports many clients See More

Top Con

Missing support for several keyboard layouts

It doesn't have support for some keyboard layouts (French and Japanese for example). See More

Top Pro

Supports both VNC or RDP

supports multiple target desktop protocols See More

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What are the best Linux platforms/tools for virtualizing GUI apps and viewing them remotely?

3 Options Considered

ssh -X or ssh -Y

My Recommendation for ssh -X or ssh -Y

My Recommendation for ssh -X or ssh -Y

Needs a working X server on the local end

Pretty much everywhere available

Low-level transmission of GUI I/O

Combined with other tools can let you continue developing from anywhere right where you left off

Supports side-channel tunneling of other services

TightVNC

My Recommendation for TightVNC

My Recommendation for TightVNC

File transfer capability

Needs port forwarding activated

guacamole

My Recommendation for guacamole

My Recommendation for guacamole

Support for many clients

Missing support for several keyboard layouts

Supports both VNC or RDP

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