TigerVNC vs x11vnc
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | TigerVNC | x11vnc |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 22 · At risk |
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,504 | ★ 857 |
| First released | 2009 | 2002 |
| Replaces | RealVNC | TightVNC, RealVNC |
What are TigerVNC and x11vnc?
TigerVNC
TigerVNC is a high-performance, open-source implementation of VNC for remote desktop access. It offers server and client components for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
- High-performance VNC
- Cross-platform server and client
- TLS encryption
- Per-user virtual desktops
x11vnc
x11vnc is a VNC server that allows remote access to an existing X11 display, letting you view and control a physical desktop session over the network. It is a long-standing tool for remote Linux desktops.
- Access existing X11 sessions
- View physical desktops
- SSH tunneling support
- Lightweight
TigerVNC vs x11vnc: key differences
TigerVNC is written in C++, while x11vnc is built with C. X11vnc is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for TigerVNC. X11vnc is the more established project (first released 2002), while TigerVNC arrived in 2009. TigerVNC has the considerably larger community, at 7,504 GitHub stars versus 857.
Why pick each one
Choose TigerVNC if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Mature project with 7.5k GitHub stars
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Choose x11vnc if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is TigerVNC or x11vnc better?
Neither is universally better. TigerVNC has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are TigerVNC and x11vnc free and open-source?
Yes. TigerVNC is licensed under GPL-2.0 and x11vnc under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run TigerVNC and x11vnc with Docker?
TigerVNC: check the project docs for container support. x11vnc: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, TigerVNC or x11vnc?
x11vnc has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for TigerVNC. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.