GTK Developers Target Session Saving and Accessibility Improvements in 2026

GTK toolkit developers have outlined their roadmap for 2026 following their annual hackfest in Brussels during FOSDEM week. The meeting, which brought together key contributors to the popular GNOME toolkit, focused on several critical improvements planned for the GTK 4.x series, with particular emphasis on session management and accessibility features.

Session Saving Support on Track for GTK 4.24

The most significant announcement from the hackfest is the progress on session saving support, which developers now hope to include in the GTK 4.24 release cycle. This feature was previously deemed not ready for the upcoming GTK 4.22 release but has been prioritized for the next major version.

Session saving in GTK will leverage the save/restore portal, providing several key advantages:

• Cross-desktop compatibility: The portal-based approach ensures session saving works consistently across different desktop environments
• Flatpak sandbox support: Applications running in sandboxed environments will be able to save and restore their state properly
• Standardized implementation: Using the portal API provides a unified way to handle session state across the Linux desktop ecosystem

The portal-based approach represents a significant improvement over previous session management implementations, as it provides a more robust and standardized way to handle application state across different desktop environments and security contexts.

Accessibility Improvements in Focus

Accessibility received substantial attention during the hackfest, with developers dedicating considerable time to improving GTK's support for assistive technologies. The team is particularly focused on implementing support for the AT-SPI collection interface, which would enhance how applications expose their UI structure to accessibility tools.

Key accessibility initiatives include:

• AT-SPI collection interface: Providing applications with better ways to support assistive technology tools
• Enhanced accessibility APIs: Improving the toolkit's ability to work with screen readers and other accessibility software
• Better widget exposure: Making it easier for assistive technologies to understand and navigate GTK applications

These improvements are crucial for ensuring that GTK-based applications remain accessible to all users, including those who rely on assistive technologies for daily computing tasks.

Technical Decisions and API Planning

The hackfest also addressed several technical decisions that will shape GTK's development in the coming months:

C Runtime Requirement Bump

Developers have decided to increase the C runtime requirement to C11 for the GTK 4.24 cycle. This change will allow the toolkit to take advantage of modern C language features and improvements, potentially leading to more efficient and maintainable code.

libadwaita Integration

Another significant decision involves bringing some general-purpose APIs from libadwaita back into GTK proper. libadwaita, which provides additional widgets and behaviors for modern GNOME applications, has proven popular among developers. By incorporating some of its most useful APIs into the core GTK toolkit, developers hope to reduce fragmentation and make modern UI patterns more accessible to all GTK application developers.

Unstable API Considerations

While there was previous discussion about introducing an opt-in unstable API for GTK to allow developers to test experimental features, no firm decision has been reached on this front. The developers appear to be weighing the benefits of early feedback against the potential for API instability and developer confusion.

Development Timeline and Release Planning

The GTK development team is following a structured release schedule:

• GTK 4.22: Currently in development, scheduled for release in the near term
• GTK 4.24: Targeted for later in 2026, with session saving support as a key feature
• Ongoing development: Continuous improvements to accessibility and other core features

The decision to target session saving for GTK 4.24 rather than rushing it into 4.22 demonstrates the team's commitment to quality and stability over arbitrary release deadlines.

Implications for Developers and Users

These developments have several important implications for both GTK application developers and end users:

For Developers

• New session management APIs: Developers will gain standardized tools for saving and restoring application state
• Enhanced accessibility support: Easier implementation of accessibility features in GTK applications
• Modern C requirements: Need to ensure development environments support C11
• libadwaita integration: Access to modern UI patterns without additional dependencies

For Users

• Better session persistence: Applications will be able to restore their state more reliably across reboots
• Improved accessibility: GTK applications will work better with assistive technologies
• More consistent behavior: Cross-desktop compatibility improvements will lead to a more uniform experience

Community Engagement and Future Directions

The hackfest results demonstrate GTK's ongoing commitment to community engagement and responsive development. By holding regular hackfests during major events like FOSDEM, the GTK team maintains strong connections with the broader open source community and ensures that development priorities align with user needs.

Looking ahead, the focus on accessibility and session management suggests that GTK is prioritizing both developer experience and end-user functionality. The careful approach to API changes and the emphasis on cross-desktop compatibility indicate a mature project that's thinking strategically about its role in the broader Linux desktop ecosystem.

For developers interested in following GTK's progress, the official GTK blog provides detailed updates on development activities and release planning. The community can also engage through the usual channels, including the GTK mailing lists, IRC channels, and GitHub repositories.

The 2026 roadmap for GTK reflects a project that's balancing innovation with stability, accessibility with performance, and developer needs with user experience. As GTK continues to evolve, these priorities will likely shape the toolkit's development for years to come.