TightVNC is cross-compatible with other client and server implementations of VNC however, tight encoding is not supported by most other implementations, so it is necessary to use TightVNC at both ends to gain the full advantage of its enhancements. TightVNC includes many other common features of VNC derivatives, such as file transfer capability. It is possible to watch videos and play DirectX games through TightVNC over a broadband connection, albeit at a low frame rate.

It is effectively a combination of the JPEG and zlib compression mechanisms. TightVNC uses so-called 'tight encoding' of areas, which improves performance over low bandwidth connection. Constantin Kaplinsky developed TightVNC, using and extending the RFB protocol of Virtual Network Computing (VNC) to allow end-users to control another computer's screen remotely.

A server for macOS is available under a commercial source code license only, without SDK or binary version provided. TightVNC is a free and open-source remote desktop software server and client application for Linux and Windows.

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