LightDM Display Manager 2022 Status Update: Not Much Going On

From 2011 to 2017 while Ubuntu had been using the LightDM display manager developed by Canonical, their engineers were actively supporting it and making new releases to coincide with new Ubuntu Linux updates. But with Ubuntu now using GDM as its default desktop display manager, there hasn't been a new LightDM release in three years and not much in the way of upstream activity. Today Canonical's lead LightDM maintainer issued a status update for the project.

Canonical's Robert Ancell of the Ubuntu desktop team issued a status update concerning LightDM. Ancell previously managed new LightDM releases and being heavily involved in its development.

Ancell acknowledges that while Ubuntu development resources have been reduced for LightDM, the display manager continues to work but with some bit rot. Their mailing list has shutdown but they encourage discussion via GitHub and the Ubuntu Discourse. LightDM is expected to still work for other Linux distributions for those interested.

LightDM back during the days of Ubuntu 12.04.

There hasn't been a new LightDM release since 2019 but those interested are encouraged to use the main Git branch. The status update can be found via Ubuntu Discourse.

Basically, not much is happening these days to LightDM for this once widely used cross-desktop display manager. Canonical understandably isn't investing much at all into it with it no longer being used by default on the Ubuntu desktop and so far no major community efforts have been trying to pick up the slack.