I am an Arch Linux user. I recently switched from the Cinnamon Desktop Environment to KDE Plasma and noticed that Wayland and X11 have different customization limits.
X11 is better for gaming but offers fewer customization options, while Wayland is more customizable but has lower FPS in games.
Is there any way to make Wayland use X11 for certain applications?
You cannot instruct Wayland to use X11 as a backend, it is an emulation layer, not a dual operation system.
Wayland cannot directly use X11, but there is a compatibility layer called XWayland, which is specifically designed for this purpose.
XWayland is an X server that allows X11 applications to run under Wayland.
It acts as a bridge between X11 clients and the Wayland compositor, enabling applications without native Wayland support to still launch under Wayland.
When you start an app that was written only for X11 and you are in a Wayland session (KDE Plasma Wayland, etc..), it will launch via XWayland.
XWayland may be slightly less performant than native X11, which you might notice as an FPS drop.
For maximum compatibility and performance, it is still worthwhile to use both X11 and Wayland in parallel.
For gaming, continue using an X11 session (select Plasma X11 at login), and use Wayland for normal usage, where you can benefit from modern features.
X.Org and Xwayland: Security Vulnerabilities Allow Code Injection
Multiple security flaws in X.Org and Xwayland could allow attackers to smuggle and execute malicious code. Updates are already partially available.
Several vulnerabilities have been discovered in the X.org X11 server and Xwayland, potentially enabling attackers to inject and run malicious code. Major Linux distributions have already begun rolling out updated packages.
