Sway is a
tiling window manager and
Wayland compositor, inspired by
i3, and written in
C.
Sway is designed as a drop-in replacement for i3 using the more modern
Wayland display server protocol and
wlroots compositor library.
Sway works with existing i3
configuration file
A configuration file, a.k.a. config file, is a computer file, file that stores computer data, data used to configure a software system such as an application software, application, a server (computing), server or an operating system.
Some applic ...
s and supports most of i3's features while providing several new features of its own.
Sway's default controls for manipulating windows are similar to
vi. Window focus is controlled by a combination of the
Super key and one of the
arrow keys or h, j, k, and l.
Window movement is performed by the same combination of keys with the addition of the
shift key
The Shift key is a modifier key on a alphanumeric keyboard, keyboard, used to type majuscule, capital letters and other alternate "upper" characters. There are typically two Shift keys, on the left and right sides of the row below the home row. T ...
.
Like i3, Sway can be extended and manipulated using its
Unix domain socket
A Unix domain socket (UDS), a.k.a. local socket, a.k.a. inter-process communication (IPC) socket, is a communication endpoint for exchanging data between processes executing in the same Unix or Unix-like operating system.
The name, ''Unix domain ...
and
JSON
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation, pronounced or ) is an open standard file format and electronic data interchange, data interchange format that uses Human-readable medium and data, human-readable text to store and transmit data objects consi ...
-based
IPC interface from many programming languages.
Sway's first stable release was on March 11, 2019, after 3.6 years of development.
Features
Sway replicates several of i3's features:
* Configuration is performed via a
plain text
In computing, plain text is a loose term for data (e.g. file contents) that represent only characters of readable material but not its graphical representation nor other objects ( floating-point numbers, images, etc.). It may also include a lim ...
file.
* Window tiling is handled manually, rather than
dynamically.
* Windows can be split horizontally or vertically.
* Windows can be arranged in a tabbed (horizontal listing like that found in web browsers) or stacked (vertical listing) layout.
* Windows can be floated similar to a
floating window manager.
* Tiled and floated windows can be resized or moved using both the mouse and keyboard.
* Sway can be completely driven from the keyboard.
Sway also provides several unique features:
* Supports multiple non-modifier keys when assigning
key bindings.
* Windows on the same workspace can be split into multiple containers, such that one set of windows might be arranged in a tabbed layout while the other windows on the workspace might be tiled normally, floating, or arranged in a stacked layout.
* Handles input, output, and wallpaper configurations instead of relying on separate programs.
* Has its own ecosystem of utilities such as swaybg, swaybar, and swayidle.
*
Gestures
A gesture is a form of nonverbal communication or non-vocal communication in which visible bodily actions communicate particular messages, either in place of, or in conjunction with, speech. Gestures include movement of the hands, face, or othe ...
.
References
External links
*
Official Github
{{Desktop environments and window managers for X11 and Wayland
Free software programmed in C
Software using the MIT license
Wayland compositors
Tiling window managers
Unix windowing system-related software