Weylus: Transform Your Tablet into a Graphic Tablet/Touch Screen

Summary

Weylus is an open-source project written in Rust that allows you to use your tablet or smartphone as a graphic tablet or touch screen for your computer. It provides features like mouse control, screen mirroring, and keyboard input, with enhanced capabilities for Linux users including stylus pressure and multi-touch support. This versatile tool offers a cost-effective way to expand your digital workspace and creativity.

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Introduction

Weylus is a powerful open-source application that bridges the gap between your tablet or smartphone and your computer, effectively turning your mobile device into a versatile graphic tablet or touch screen. Developed in Rust, Weylus offers a seamless experience for artists, designers, and anyone looking to extend their desktop functionality. It supports various operating systems, with a particularly rich feature set on Linux, including advanced stylus and multi-touch capabilities.

Installation

Getting started with Weylus is straightforward. You can download the latest release for your operating system directly from the official releases page. No special apps are required on your tablet, just a modern web browser (Firefox 80+, iOS/iPadOS 13+).

For Linux users, it's crucial to follow specific instructions to enable uinput for full stylus and multi-touch support. This involves making /dev/uinput writable by Weylus, typically by adding your user to the uinput group and applying a udev rule. AUR packages are also available for Arch Linux users:

From source: weylus
Prebuilt binary: weylus-bin

Examples

Once installed, running Weylus is simple. Start the application, optionally set an access code, and press "Start" to launch a web server on your computer. Then, open the displayed URL, typically http://<address of your computer>:<port, default 1701>, in your tablet's browser. Weylus can even display a QR code for easy connection.

Weylus shines when used with creative applications like Xournal++, allowing you to draw, annotate, and interact with your desktop using your tablet's pen or touch input. It supports physical keyboards connected to your tablet, enabling full text input. Additionally, Weylus offers experimental Wayland support and various options for hardware-accelerated video encoding to ensure a smooth, low-latency experience.

Why Use It

Weylus provides an excellent solution for anyone needing a graphic tablet or an additional touch screen without investing in dedicated hardware. Its key advantages include:

Cost-Effectiveness: Leverage existing tablets or smartphones, saving money on specialized equipment.
Versatility: Use your device for drawing, note-taking, presentations, or as a secondary display.
Cross-Platform Support: Works on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with robust features tailored for Linux environments.
Open Source: Benefit from community-driven development, transparency, and the ability to customize or inspect the code.
Performance: Utilizes hardware acceleration and optimized streaming techniques for a responsive experience.

Whether you're a digital artist, a student, or a professional, Weylus offers a flexible and powerful way to enhance your interaction with your computer.