kwin_wayland
also: KWin (Wayland mode), kwin, KDE Window Manager
A Wayland display server implementation for the KDE Plasma desktop environment that manages windows, rendering, and input handling on modern graphics hardware.
kwin_wayland is KDE's window manager and compositor built to work with the Wayland protocol instead of the older X11 system. It handles window placement, decoration, effects, and routes keyboard and mouse input to applications.
Unlike X11, Wayland is a more modern protocol that gives individual applications direct access to the graphics hardware, reducing complexity and improving security. kwin_wayland acts as the Wayland server (compositor) for KDE Plasma, replacing kwin_x11.
You'll typically run kwin_wayland automatically when you select KDE Plasma with Wayland at login, rather than launching it manually. It manages the visual shell of your desktop—window borders, animations, multi-monitor layout, virtual desktops, and input device handling.