htop displays and manages running processes in an interactive terminal interface.
ly
Log in to Linux or BSD with Ly, a display manager controlled through a text interface.
About ly
Ly is a display manager for Linux and BSD that presents a text-based login screen. It is described as lightweight and portable, and it does not require systemd to run. The project is developed on Codeberg, with a mirror on GitHub.
Setup involves compiling with Zig (a release version, not a -dev build) and installing dependencies such as PAM, libc, and optionally xcb for X11 support. The default configuration also relies on xorg, xorg-xauth, and brightnessctl. Distribution-specific install commands are given for Debian, Fedora, and FreeBSD, and a Nix development shell is available. Users on SELinux-based systems such as Fedora and openSUSE Tumbleweed may see session launch failures, and the README gives an audit-based fix.
Key features
- Text-based login screen (TUI) built for Linux and BSD
- Runs without systemd
- Optional X11 support through xcb
- Custom session entries via .desktop files in /etc/ly/custom-sessions
- Supports xinitrc and shell entries
- Configuration through /etc/ly/config.lua or /etc/ly/config.ini, with separate session and system logs
Best for: Linux or BSD users who want a lightweight login manager that does not depend on systemd and who are comfortable with manual installation and configuration.
Good for
- Lightweight and designed with portability in mind
- Does not require systemd to run
- Custom sessions and xinitrc or shell entries can be added for environments that are not detected automatically
Watch out for
- Requires compiling with a release version of Zig and installing several dependencies
- Distributions using SELinux, such as Fedora and openSUSE Tumbleweed, may encounter session launch failures
- Newly installed environments do not appear until the Ly service is restarted or the system is rebooted
ly at a glance
- Website
- github.com/fairyglade/ly
- Category
- Software & Utilities › Linux Apps
- Type
- Open-source project
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Platforms
- Linux
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 6, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
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ly FAQ
Why doesn't my newly installed desktop environment appear in Ly?
Ly does not refresh itself automatically. Restart the Ly service (the method depends on your init system), or reboot the system. If the environment is still missing, check /usr/share/xsessions or /usr/share/wayland-sessions for a .desktop file, or create one in /etc/ly/custom-sessions.
Where are Ly's logs stored?
The session log is at ~/.local/state/ly-session.log by default. The system log is at /var/log/ly.log by default.
Can I test Ly without rebooting?
You can run Ly in a terminal emulator with zig build run to test configuration changes, but authentication will not work in that mode. Exit with Ctrl+C. Running Ly as root in a terminal is not recommended; the README suggests enabling the service and rebooting instead.
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