X server

The X.Org server, part of the X.Org releases, is desktop environments or window managers, and their applications.]]

Installation
This page will provide you with useful information but the Xorg guide details the installation of Xorg in a more convenient manner.

Installing xorg-server is much lighter than emerging the entire xorg package, and has all the necessary components to have a fully functional gui such as plasma for example.

USE flags
Portage knows the  USE flag for enabling support for X in other packages (default in all desktop profiles). Make sure this USE flag is added to the USE flag list to ensure X compatibility system wide:

xorg-drivers
is a meta package to pull in the wanted drivers (note that these driver can be automatically pulled in if your graphics card/drivers info is set in and you are using a graphical profile) Issue the command   to see if xorg-drivers is already installed prior to emerging.


 * Graphics adapters, see VIDEO_CARDS
 * Input devices and INPUT_DEVICES

Follow the links for information how to set up these devices.

It is recommended that you issue the --verbose option when emerging xorg-server because xorg-drivers or mesa may be pulled in as dependencies if they are not already installed. Using --verbose option will show the dependencies use flags that will be set to give you more information on what is being pulled in. Due note that if you emerge xorg-drivers and mesa they will be recorded in the world file and could cause future package upgrade conflicts when portage is upgrading dependencies; That is why it is a best practice to allow them to be pulled in by setting use flags, using a graphical profile and as dependencies.

mesa
(see Wikipedia) is a graphic library that provides a generic OpenGL implementation. Mesa may already be automatically pulled in by graphics card/driver settings in and if a graphical profile is set. Issue the command  to see if mesa is already installed prior to emerging.

xorg-server
Now install.

Alternatively you can install the meta package, which installs the full X.Org release with additional fonts and utilities. They're not necessary for a working desktop.

xorg.conf
The X server is designed to work out-of-the-box, with no need to manually edit Xorg's configuration files. It should detect and configure devices such as displays, keyboards, and mice.

However, the main configuration file of the X server is the xorg.conf.

Boot service
Usually the X server is started by starting a display manager automatically on boot.

x11 ebuild repository
The Gentoo X11 team maintains the x11 ebuild repository. It contains X.Org versions in preparation to be moved to the portage tree, pre versions of the next main version and live versions for trunk. Use layman or eselect repository to setup the repository.