Before full virtual desktops and containerized GUI environments, there was Xnest. It let you run an entire nested X session inside your existing one, effectively a desktop within a desktop. Developers could test window managers, experiment with X resources, or isolate misbehaving apps without ever logging out. It was lightweight, fast, and didn't require any virtualization. For those working deep in X11 internals, it was like a GUI sandbox in a terminal world. Still available in many repos today, Xnest remains a brilliant but mostly forgotten tool in the Linux toolbox.

#X11Tricks #LinuxHistory #DeveloperTools #UnixNesting #OldSchoolLinux