The Joy of X: The Architecture of the X Window System

This is a facsimile reprint of the much cited 1993 classic. It describes the X window system - the de facto standard windowing system for Linux, UNIX and many other operating systems. It covers the whole system, so you gain a complete understanding of X. You learn how the various components relate to one another - essential for programming or administering a system, and for troubleshooting in particular.

The book has three sections:

1. X in a nutshell - a quick overview.

2. How X works, in detail, and how the user sees it.

3. Using the system, system administration, performance and programming.

While this is a technical book, it doesn't assume advanced programming or sysadmin experience. It is written in a clear, uncomplicated style, with over 200 illustrations. For maximum accessibility, it has a modular structure that makes it easy to skip to the sections you want.