Using mir-kiosk

Graphics on Ubuntu Core

On Ubuntu Core a recommended way to get graphical applications running is to use mir-kiosk:

snap install mir-kiosk

https://snapcraft.io/mir-kiosk/

Running mir-kiosk on your desktop is convenient for experimentation and testing snaps under development:

https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/running-mir-kiosk-on-your-desktop/12148


Applications on mir-kiosk

Mir supports applications using the Wayland protocol. That means applications using many of the popular toolkits including GTK3, Qt5 and SDL2.

There are some “kiosk” snaps in the store, the ones I’ve tried and can recommend are:

A web-based kiosk

If you want to power a kiosk from your website:

snap install wpe-webkit-mir-kiosk
snap set wpe-webkit-mir-kiosk url=https://mir-server.io

https://snapcraft.io/wpe-webkit-mir-kiosk

Kodi entertainment center

An entertaiment center (currently not available for arm based systems)

snap install mir-kiosk-kodi

https://snapcraft.io/mir-kiosk-kodi/

An (SDL2 based) Golf game

snap install mir-kiosk-neverputt

https://snapcraft.io/mir-kiosk-neverputt/

Some more SDL2 based games

snap install mir-kiosk-scummvm

https://snapcraft.io/mir-kiosk-scummvm/


Packaging new applications for use with mir-kiosk

If you are familiar with packaging Snaps, then the following is likely all you need:

https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/kiosk-snaps-made-easy/12621

If you need a bit more detail there are tutorials to walk you through the process:

https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/mir-kiosk-tutorials-updated/11639

2 Likes

Just wanted to add some details about resource consumption:

  1. Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, Ubuntu Core 18, mir-kiosk and wpe-webkit-mir-kiosk configured as above:

    $ free -m
                  total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
    Mem:            922         225         259          15         438         669
    

    Showing just 250MB memory used.

  2. Same as above, but with mir-kiosk-apps using the RSS demo:

    $ free -m
                  total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
    Mem:            922         252         300          15         369         642
    

    Only 280MB used here :slight_smile:

A post was split to a new topic: Browser on Pi3B+