# Testing with GLMakie

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/testing-with-glmakie/136404>\
**Category:** General Usage\
**Tags:** makie\
**Created:** [March 26, 2026, 10:40am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/testing-with-glmakie/136404 "2026-03-26T10:40:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ohmsweetohm1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/ohmsweetohm1/32/49126_2.png) [@ohmsweetohm1](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ohmsweetohm1)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 10:40am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/testing-with-glmakie/136404/1 "2026-03-26T10:40:59Z")

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I have a package that produces a plot for a type. The package also has a GLMakie extension, but when I run the CI tests I get this:

```julia
┌ Warning: OpenGL/GLFW wasn't loaded correctly or couldn't be initialized.
│ This likely means, you're on a headless server without having OpenGL support setup correctly.
│ Have a look at the troubleshooting section in the readme:
│ https://github.com/MakieOrg/Makie.jl/tree/master/GLMakie#troubleshooting-opengl.
└ @ GLMakie /usr/share/julia/packages/GLMakie/jOD8L/src/gl_backend.jl:4
ERROR: LoadError: InitError: Exception[GLFW.GLFWError(65550, "X11: The DISPLAY environment variable is missing"), ErrorException("glfwInit failed")]

```

I cannot precompile GLMakie and hence the extension.

How do I do that correctly?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sdanisch](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/sdanisch/32/1406_2.png) [@sdanisch](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/sdanisch)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 10:45am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/testing-with-glmakie/136404/2 "2026-03-26T10:45:07Z")

</div>

You need to nistall xvfb and use it to start the julia process:

> <https://github.com/MakieOrg/Makie.jl/blob/master/.github/workflows/Docs.yml#L32-L47>