vnc-options
VNC/Remote Desktop Gateway Options
Section titled “VNC/Remote Desktop Gateway Options”Comparison of browser-based remote desktop solutions for Layer 1.
Current Status: Evaluating
Section titled “Current Status: Evaluating”Need to select between Kasm, Guacamole, or Selkies for production. POC uses docker-compose with linuxserver/obsidian.
Options
Section titled “Options”Kasm Workspaces
Section titled “Kasm Workspaces”Website: https://kasmweb.com/
Type: Enterprise VDI platform
Pros:
- Enterprise-ready with SSO integration
- Session management and persistence
- Container-based isolation
- Scaling and load balancing
- Good documentation
Cons:
- Licensing cost (enterprise features)
- Requires VM or bare metal (not LXC/WSL)
- More complex to set up
Best For: Enterprise deployments with budget for licensing.
Notes:
- Can use linuxserver single-container version for POC
- Full version needs dedicated infrastructure
- Supports OIDC, SAML, LDAP
Apache Guacamole
Section titled “Apache Guacamole”Website: https://guacamole.apache.org/
Type: Open source clientless remote desktop gateway
Pros:
- Completely free and open source
- Simple to deploy
- Supports VNC, RDP, SSH
- Well-documented
- Active community
Cons:
- Less enterprise features (session management)
- Manual scaling
- UI less polished than Kasm
Best For: POC, small teams, budget-conscious deployments.
Notes:
- Uses guacd daemon + web frontend
- Can add SSO with OIDC extension
- Docker images available
Selkies / GStreamer
Section titled “Selkies / GStreamer”Website: https://github.com/selkies-project/selkies-gstreamer
Type: WebRTC-based remote desktop
Pros:
- WebRTC = lower latency than VNC
- GPU acceleration support
- Modern architecture
Cons:
- Newer, less mature
- More complex setup
- Fewer enterprise features
Best For: Performance-critical, low-latency requirements.
Notes:
- Used by Google for cloud gaming
- Requires GPU for best performance
- Can be combined with other solutions
noVNC + Custom Orchestration
Section titled “noVNC + Custom Orchestration”Website: https://novnc.com/
Type: HTML5 VNC client
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Open source
- Can build custom solution
Cons:
- DIY orchestration needed
- No built-in session management
- More development work
Best For: Custom implementations, learning.
Comparison Matrix
Section titled “Comparison Matrix”| Feature | Kasm | Guacamole | Selkies | noVNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSO Integration | Built-in | Extension | Manual | Manual |
| Session Management | Yes | Basic | No | No |
| Scaling | Built-in | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| Latency | Good (VNC) | Good (VNC) | Best (WebRTC) | Good |
| Cost | Licensing | Free | Free | Free |
| Setup Complexity | Medium | Low | High | Medium |
| Documentation | Excellent | Good | Fair | Good |
Recommendation
Section titled “Recommendation”For POC: Apache Guacamole (free, simple, proven)
For Enterprise: Kasm Workspaces (SSO, session management, scaling)
For Low-Latency: Selkies (WebRTC, but more complex)