Is Linux About SysTray?

No.

Popular desktop environments have dropped the legacy concept of a SysTray (system tray, notification area, status icons, app indicators, tray icons, etc.). However, there are many newer, more capable, and cross-desktop APIs that replace the functionality previously provided by these icons.

Here you can find a list of replacement APIs and see how well-supported they are.

Additional Resources

• “Growing Beyond the System Tray” talk by Daniel Foré at Linux App Summit (2019)
• “Developer Tips: Backgrounding & System Integration” by Cassidy James Blaede for elementary (2018)
• “Status Icons and GNOME” by Allan Day for GNOME (2017)
• “Farewell to the notification area” by Matthew Paul Thomas for Ubuntu (2010)

I want to…

• Convey sync status or provide actions related to cloud storage
• Provide quick access to my app’s commonly used actions
• Convey progress for long-running tasks
• Display how many items need action (such as unread messages)
• Provide media player controls or now playing info
• Alert the user that something has changed in my app
• Inform the user that my app is accessing system functions in the background (like screen recording)

CloudProviders

If you want to communicate synchronization status or provide actions related to cloud storage devices, you can use the CloudProviders DBus API

Desktop Actions

If you want to provide quick access to common actions, you can add them to your .desktop file

Launcher Entry

If you want to communicate progress information for long-running background tasks or the number of items needing action in your app (such as tasks or messages) you can use the LauncherEntry DBus API

MPRIS

If you want the user to be able to access media player controls for you app, you can listen to and supply information to MPRIS

Notifications

If you want to alert the user that something has changed in your app, you can send a notification bubble

Portals

XDG Desktop Portals are sandbox-compatible DBus APIs for accessing system functions. Desktop environments can use these portals to request consent from users and provide an ongoing visual indication of portal usage.

Location

The Location Portal is responsible for providing apps with the device’s current physical location.

Screencast/Recording

The Screencast Portal is responsible for providing apps with the display’s or a window’s visible content i.e. for recording, streaming, or remote viewing.