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Micron Document

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The `F33f`_`[framebuffer`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Framebuffer]`_`f subsystem in the `F33f`_`[Linux kernel`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Linux_kernel]`_`f `!fbdev`! is used to show `F33f`_`[graphics`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Computer_graphics]`_`f on a `F33f`_`[computer monitor`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Computer_monitor]`_`f, typically on the `F33f`_`[system console`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=System_console]`_`f.`:cite-ref-1[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-1]`_`f]

It was designed as a hardware-independent `F33f`_`[API`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=API]`_`f to give `F33f`_`[user space`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=User_space_and_kernel_space]`_`f software access to the `F33f`_`[framebuffer`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Framebuffer]`_`f (the part of a computer's `F33f`_`[video memory`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Video_random-access_memory]`_`f containing a current `F33f`_`[video frame`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Film_frame]`_`f) using only the `F33f`_`[Linux kernel`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Linux_kernel]`_`f's own basic facilities and its `F33f`_`[device file`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Device_file]`_`f system interface, avoiding the need for libraries like `F33f`_`[SVGAlib`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=SVGALib]`_`f which effectively implemented video drivers in user space.

In most applications, fbdev has been superseded by the Linux `F33f`_`[Direct Rendering Manager`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Direct_Rendering_Manager]`_`f (DRM) subsystem, but as of 2022, several `F33f`_`[drivers`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Device_driver]`_`f provide both DRM and fbdev APIs for backwards compatibility with software that has not been updated to use the DRM system, and there are still fbdev drivers for older (mostly embedded) hardware that does not have a DRM driver.`:cite-ref-2[`F5bf`_`[2`#cite-note-2]`_`f]

>>Contents

• `F0af`_`[Applications`#applications]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[History`#history]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[See also`#see-also]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[References`#references]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[External links`#external-links]`_`f

-─

>>Applications

There are three applications of the Linux framebuffer:

• An implementation of text `F33f`_`[Linux console`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Linux_console]`_`f that doesn't use hardware `F33f`_`[text mode`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Text_mode]`_`f (useful when that mode is unavailable, or to overcome its restrictions on glyph size, number of code points, etc.). One popular aspect of this is the ability to have console show the `F33f`_`[Tux`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Tux_(mascot)]`_`f logo at boot up.

• A graphic output method for a `F33f`_`[display server`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Display_server]`_`f, independent of `F33f`_`[video adapter`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Video_adapter]`_`f hardware and its drivers.

• Graphic programs avoiding the `F33f`_`[overhead`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Computational_overhead]`_`f of the `F33f`_`[X Window System`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=X_Window_System]`_`f.

Examples of the third application include Linux programs such as `F33f`_`[MPlayer`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=MPlayer]`_`f, `F33f`_`[links2`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Links2]`_`f, `F33f`_`[NetSurf`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=NetSurf]`_`f, `F33f`_`[w3m`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=W3m]`_`f, fbff,`:cite-ref-3[`F5bf`_`[3`#cite-note-3]`_`f] fbida,`:cite-ref-4[`F5bf`_`[4`#cite-note-4]`_`f] and fim,`:cite-ref-5[`F5bf`_`[5`#cite-note-5]`_`f] and libraries such as `F33f`_`[GLUT`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=OpenGL_Utility_Toolkit]`_`f, `F33f`_`[SDL`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Simple_DirectMedia_Layer]`_`f (version 1.2), `F33f`_`[GTK`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=GTK]`_`f, and `F33f`_`[Qt`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Qt_(software)]`_`f, which can all use the framebuffer directly.`:cite-ref-6[`F5bf`_`[6`#cite-note-6]`_`f] This use case is particularly popular in `F33f`_`[embedded systems`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Embedded_system]`_`f.

The now defunct`:cite-ref-7[`F5bf`_`[7`#cite-note-7]`_`f] `F33f`_`[DirectFB`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=DirectFB]`_`f is another project aimed at providing a framework for hardware acceleration of the Linux framebuffer.

There was also a windowing system called FramebufferUI (fbui) implemented in kernel space that provided a basic two-dimensional windowing experience with very little memory use.`:cite-ref-8[`F5bf`_`[8`#cite-note-8]`_`f]

>>History

Linux has had generic framebuffer support since the 2.1.109 kernel.`:cite-ref-9[`F5bf`_`[9`#cite-note-9]`_`f]

It was originally implemented to allow the kernel to emulate a text console on systems such as the `F33f`_`[Apple Macintosh`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Mac_(computer)]`_`f that do not have a `F33f`_`[text-mode display`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Text_mode]`_`f, and was later expanded to the `F33f`_`[IBM PC compatible`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=IBM_PC_compatible]`_`f platform.

>>See also

• `F33f`_`[Direct Rendering Infrastructure`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Direct_Rendering_Infrastructure]`_`f

• `F33f`_`[Kernel mode setting`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Kernel_mode_setting]`_`f

>>References

`:cite-note-1`!1.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-1]`_`f The Frame Buffer Device, Linux Kernel Documentation

`:cite-note-2`!2.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-2]`_`f "Developer Steps up Wanting to Maintain Linux's FBDEV Subsystem".

`:cite-note-3`!3.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-3]`_`f fbff media player repository, `F33f`_`[GitHub`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=GitHub]`_`f

`:cite-note-4`!4.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-4]`_`f fbi/fbida image viewer homepage

`:cite-note-5`!5.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-5]`_`f FIM (Fbi IMproved) image viewer homepage

`:cite-note-6`!6.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-6]`_`f HiGFXback (History of graphics backends) project with the Linux Framebuffer graphics backend, `F33f`_`[GitHub`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=GitHub]`_`f

`:cite-note-7`!7.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-7]`_`f "DirectFB Is Back To Being Dormant". `*www.phoronix.com`*. Retrieved 2024-01-01.

`:cite-note-8`!8.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-8]`_`f Framebuffer UI (fbui) in-kernel Linux windowing system, `F33f`_`[GitHub`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=GitHub]`_`f

`:cite-note-9`!9.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-9]`_`f `:citerefbuell2010`aBuell, Alex (5 August 2010). "Framebuffer HOWTO". `*tldp.org`*. Archived from the original on 10 December 2023 – via Internet Archive.

>>External links

• Linux framebuffer on `F33f`_`[SourceForge`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=SourceForge]`_`f

• XFree86 doc

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