X.Org Developers Conference 2026 to Take Place in Toronto, Hosted by Arm

The X.Org Foundation has officially announced that the X.Org Developers Conference (XDC) 2026 will be held in Toronto, Canada from September 28th through 30th. This year's event will take place at the Daniels Spectrum cultural hub in Toronto's Regent Park neighborhood, marking a return to in-person gatherings for the Linux graphics community after several years of hybrid and virtual formats.

Arm has stepped up as the primary organizer for XDC2026, taking over coordination responsibilities from previous hosts. The company's involvement signals continued investment in open-source graphics infrastructure, particularly as Arm-based systems become increasingly prominent in both mobile and desktop computing environments. The Daniels Spectrum venue, known for its community-focused programming and modern facilities, should provide an appropriate setting for technical discussions and collaboration.

While the initial announcement provides limited details about the conference program, the X.Org Foundation has confirmed that XDC remains focused on the broader ecosystem of Linux graphics technologies. Though historically centered on the X.Org Server, the conference has evolved significantly in recent years to encompass the full stack of open-source graphics infrastructure.

The technical scope of XDC2026 will include Mesa graphics drivers, which form the foundation of Linux graphics acceleration across multiple hardware platforms. Wayland, the modern display server protocol designed to replace the aging X11 architecture, will feature prominently given its growing adoption across major Linux distributions. The conference will also cover libinput, the library for handling input device events, and the Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) kernel drivers that provide the critical interface between graphics hardware and the operating system.

This year's conference comes at a pivotal time for Linux graphics development. The community continues to make significant strides in areas like Vulkan support, hybrid graphics switching, and improved power management. With Arm hosting the event, there may be particular emphasis on graphics performance and optimization for Arm-based systems, which are seeing increased deployment in everything from single-board computers to high-performance servers.

The choice of Toronto as the host city provides convenient access for North American developers while remaining accessible to international attendees. The September timing allows for comfortable weather and avoids conflicts with other major technology conferences in the region. For developers working on graphics drivers, windowing systems, or related infrastructure, XDC2026 offers a valuable opportunity for face-to-face collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Registration details, call for presentations, and sponsorship opportunities are expected to be announced in the coming months through the X.Org Foundation's mailing lists and website. The conference typically attracts a mix of hardware vendors, distribution maintainers, independent developers, and academic researchers, creating a diverse environment for technical discussion and problem-solving.

Those interested in attending or contributing to XDC2026 should monitor the X.Org Foundation's official channels for updates as the event planning progresses. The conference continues to serve as a crucial gathering point for the Linux graphics community, facilitating the collaboration necessary to advance open-source graphics technology across multiple hardware architectures and use cases.