Simple XQuartz build instructions, for tweakers or potential contributors:

[kencu]

1. clone the XQuartz repo https://github.com/XQuartz/XQuartz
2. run ./clean.sh
3. run ./install-or-update-macports.sh (about 6 hours on an M1 Mac)
4. run ./compile.sh (about 1 hour on an M1 Mac)

Installing all the MacPorts-provided build tools will take a few hours. It builds rust from source, etc. Don’t use the installed macports build tools for anything else on your own, pkgconfig and other things are specially handled for xquartz to build properly. For future builds, no need to update the macports build tools frequently. I do it every few months. When Jeremy is actively working on XQuartz it may be necessary to update the build tools more frequently, as he pushes tool fixes to upstream and macports as he finds and repairs them.

The last command will install everything into your system into /opt/X11 and /Applications/Utilities, and then stop, saying something about not having the codesigning credentials to sign and upload a package. This is of no matter, everything you built will work on your system.

For rebuilds of XQuartz, probably best to ./clean.sh before rebuilding. Macports build tools will not be touched.