ThinLinc is Linux Native virtual desktop infrastructure. Centralize Linux workstations in the data center, keep IP on the server, and give users a full desktop from Windows, macOS, Linux, or a browser.

Download ThinLinc free (10 concurrent users) · Talk to sales

HPC, semiconductor, media, education, and defense teams already run ThinLinc, from small labs to multi-thousand concurrent sessions.

Most Linux remote desktop tools solve a single admin’s SSH problem. Linux VDI solves an infrastructure problem:

• Hundreds or thousands of concurrent Linux users
• Data and IP that must never leave the server room (encrypted pixels to the client)
• GPU-heavy apps (CAD, CAE, EDA, visualization) that still need a real desktop
• Windows and Mac endpoints connecting into a Linux estate
• A session broker, not a pile of one-off VNC servers

ThinLinc is that broker. We also call this Server-Based Computing (SBC) for Linux: users get a persistent graphical desktop; the compute and the files stay where your security team wants them.

Less desktop sprawl

One Linux image and policy in the data center instead of imaging every lab PC and engineer laptop.

IP stays put

Source, models, and datasets never leave the server room. Users get a desktop session, not a copy of the files.

Scale without a Windows VDI tax

Concurrent-user licensing and a Linux Native broker. No requirement to wrap Linux in a Windows-centric VDI stack.

• Session broker: login, reconnect, and load-balance across servers. Designed for thousands of concurrent users. Concurrent-user licensing, not named-seat sprawl.
• Any client: native clients for Windows, macOS, and Linux, plus a browser client over TLS. No fat agent on every laptop. Clients are free.
• Security that matches how Linux shops work: native client over SSH; web access over TLS. Desktops run on the server; users get encrypted pixels. Fits beside existing HPC login-node SSH practice.
• GPU-friendly Linux: optimized for GPU acceleration and demanding 3D (ParaView, MATLAB, CAD/EDA, VFX). Wayland-ready path, not office apps over RDP.
• Open foundations you can trust: Cendio is the primary maintainer of TigerVNC and noVNC. ThinLinc wraps them into a supported enterprise product with clustering, HA, and upgrades. Same software on free and paid.
• Fast to stand up: proof of concept in about 15 minutes. Free for 10 concurrent users so you can prove it on your own hardware.

HPC centers

Replace SSH plus X11 forwarding, ad-hoc VNC, and overloaded login nodes. Pair ThinLinc with Slurm or Open OnDemand. Read the HPC use case

Engineering and semiconductor

Replace scattered Linux workstations, VPN-into-the-lab setups, and IP sitting on laptops.

Education

Identical Linux desktops for every student, without imaging every lab PC.

Media and VFX

Artist workstations that keep project files on the farm, not on local disks.

Windows and Mac IT with a Linux island

Give Windows and Mac users a real Linux desktop without dual-boot or a second laptop.

Category placement only. Full compare pages come later.

• vs Citrix Linux VDA: Citrix is a Windows VDI platform that can also deliver Linux desktops. ThinLinc is Linux Native when your users and apps are already Linux.
• vs StarNet FastX: Both deliver remote Linux desktops. ThinLinc is built around concurrent-user licensing, an open VNC lineage, and a session broker you can download and try the same day.
• vs NoMachine: Same broad Linux terminal server category. ThinLinc is aimed at multi-server enterprise and HPC deployments with Standard and Premium support tiers.
• vs Amazon DCV / NICE DCV: Often used in AWS and many HPC centers. ThinLinc is an on-prem and hybrid option for graphical Linux desktops when you do not want the protocol tied to one cloud.
• vs HP Anyware (PCoIP): Common on Windows and cloud estates. ThinLinc is for when the desktop itself must be Linux.

For deeper product discussions, see the ThinLinc blog.

ThinLinc is used across industrial, education, healthcare, semiconductor and EDA, media and VFX, automotive, defense, and life science. Designed for thousands of concurrent users, customer deployments range from a handful of seats to several thousand concurrent sessions.

See who uses ThinLinc

Dollar amounts change, so this page does not list list prices.

• Free: up to 10 concurrent users, same software as paid. The server defaults to 3; raise to 10 with a community license from the Customer Portal. Community support.
• Standard and Premium: paid concurrent-user subscriptions with defined support response times. Current prices, volume tiers, and term options are on the pricing page.

Paid licenses replace the free count from zero when you scale past 10. Non-profit discount available after an eligibility check. Temporary POC licenses via sales.

See pricing · Buy · sales@cendio.com

What is Linux VDI?

Linux VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) delivers full Linux desktops from centralized servers to any endpoint. Users see a normal desktop; apps and data stay in the data center.

Is ThinLinc the same as VNC?

ThinLinc uses and maintains open VNC technology (TigerVNC and noVNC), then adds a session broker, authentication, web client, clustering, and commercial support. It is VDI and SBC on top of that foundation, not a raw VNC server.

How is this different from Linux remote desktop?

Remote desktop tools often mean one user on one server. ThinLinc is built for many concurrent users, reconnectable sessions, and enterprise operations (identity provider, high availability, and support).

Does ThinLinc work for HPC and GPU apps?

Yes. It is used for graphical access to HPC login and visualization nodes and for GPU-backed Linux desktops (CAD, CAE, visualization, VFX).

Can we try before buying?

Yes. Same product as paid, free for up to 10 concurrent users with a community license. Proof of concept in about 15 minutes on your own hardware. Need more than 10 for a trial? Ask sales for a temporary POC license.

Where do we get support?

Community forum for the free tier. Standard and Premium subscriptions include Cendio support with defined response times.