A list based tiling window manager in the vein of dwm, bspwm, and xmonad.

Some basics:

• Heavily scriptable and tinker friendly.
• Dynamic workspaces, any workspace on any monitor.
• More dynamic tile layout with multiple stacks and window resizing.
• Gaps, double borders, additional layouts, padding and more.
• Better support for mouse and floating windows, resize tiles with mouse.
• Startup script for configuration and running programs.
• Status info can be output to a file or piped for use in bars or scripts.
• No built-in extras (bar, font drawing, or key bindings).
• Sane support for icccm, ewmh, and motif.

Installation

You need the xcb headers

Arch

xcb-proto xcb-util xcb-util-wm xcb-util-cursor xcb-util-keysyms

Void

libxcb-devel xcb-proto xcb-util-devel xcb-util-wm-devel xcb-util-cursor-devel xcb-util-keysyms-devel

Debian/Ubuntu

libxcb-randr0-dev libxcb-util-dev libxcb-icccm4-dev libxcb-cursor-dev libxcb-keysyms1-dev libxcb-res0-dev

Other systems should have packages with similar names.

To compile run

make

Edit config.h if needed, then run (as root if needed)

make install

If at any time you want to uninstall, run

make uninstall

Updating

In order to update dk when built from source you can run

cd dk
git fetch
git reset --hard HEAD
git merge '@{u}'
make
sudo make install

Keybinds

As mentioned above dk has no keybind support so you'll need a program like
sxhkd, xbindkeys, etc. to launch programs and control the window manager.
We'll install sxhkd because the example config uses it.

Arch/Debian/Ubuntu/Void/etc.

sxhkd

Usage

To start dk you can add the following to your ~/.xinitrc

exec dk

Optionally copy the example dkrc and/or sxhkdrc to ~/.config/dk/

mkdir -p ~/.config/dk
cp /usr/local/share/doc/dk/dkrc ~/.config/dk/
cp /usr/local/share/doc/dk/sxhkdrc ~/.config/dk/

Configuration

There are example dkrc and sxhkdrc files in doc/ or
/usr/local/share/doc/dk after installation.

dk looks for an rc file in the following order

$DKRC                     # user specified location
$HOME/.config/dk/dkrc     # default location

and tries to run it, it must be executable in order for this to happen.

Advanced changes and configuration like new layouts, callbacks, or commands
can be done by copying the default config header config.def.h to config.h,
editing it and recompiling. This file isn't tracked by git so you can keep your
configuration and avoid conflicts when pulling new updates.

dkcmd

Most of your interaction with the window manager will be using dkcmd
which writes one or more commands into the socket where it is then read
and parsed by the window manager (see Commands section below).

dkcmd accepts one flag with an optional file argument

• -p Pretty format JSON input from passed file or STDIN and print on STDOUT.

dkcmd status type=bar num=1 | dkcmd -p

# or
dkcmd -p output.json

Syntax Outline

The commands have a very basic syntax and parsing, the input is broken
down into smaller pieces (tokens) which are then passed to the matching
keyword function, otherwise an error is returned.

Tokens are delimited by one or more:

• whitespace (space or tab)

• quotation mark (' or ")

• equal sign (=)

This means the following inputs are all equivalent.

setting=value
setting value
setting="value"
setting = 'value'
setting "value"
setting		"value"

and result in two tokens: setting and value

---

Quotation exists as a way to preserve whitespace and avoid interpretation by the shell,
otherwise we have no way of determining whether an argument is a continuation of the
previous or the beginning of the next. Consider the following

title="^open files$"

If the value being matched has quotes in it, they can be escaped or strong quoted

title="^\"preserved quotes\"$"
title='^"preserved quotes"$'

---

For various commands dk will expect a certain data type or format to be given.

• string: normal plain text, must be less than 256 characters.

• boolean: true, false, 1, or 0.

• hex: (0x/#)XXXXXXXX, used for window ids

• integer: (+/-)1, if it is preceded by a sign it is considered relative.

• float: (+/-)0.1, same as integer but must contain a decimal value.

• colour: (0x/#)[AA]RRGGBB, hex value, if no alpha channel is given the colour is opaque.

---

Commands

dkcmd COMMAND

WM

• exit exit dk.
• restart re-execute dk.

Ws and Mon

mon and ws operate on monitors and workspaces respectively.

• CLIENT (hex/string) The window id in hex or class string, if unspecified the active window is used.
• TARGET (integer/string) Name or number of the workspace or monitor to target or strings
  • next relative forward
  • prev relative backward
  • last last viewed
  • nextne next non-empty
  • prevne previous non-empty

ws  [SUBCOMMAND] [CLIENT] TARGET
mon [SUBCOMMAND] [CLIENT] TARGET

Subcommands

view View the TARGET, default if no subcommand is given.

ws view TARGET
ws TARGET

---

send Send CLIENT to the TARGET.

mon send [CLIENT] TARGET

---

follow Follow CLIENT to the TARGET.

ws follow [CLIENT] TARGET

Rule

rule operates on window rules.

• MATCH one or more regex strings to be used when matching window properties.
• SETTING one or more window setting to be applied when a matched window is encountered.

rule [SUBCOMMAND] MATCH SETTING

Subcommands

apply applies RULE to all matching windows, if RULE is * apply all rules and MATCH is ignored.

rule apply RULE [MATCH]

---

remove removes RULE, if RULE is * remove all rules and MATCH is ignored.

rule remove RULE [MATCH]

Settings

class instance title type (string) regex to match the window class, instance, title, and
type respectively (may be prefixed with match_ for clarity). Regex matching is always done case insensitive
with extended regex mode enabled.

rule [SUBCOMMAND] class="^firefox$" instance="^navigator$" title="^mozilla firefox$" type=dialog [SETTING]

type currently only supports dialog and splash windows, all others are treated as normal windows.

---

ws (integer/string) determine what workspace the window should be on.

rule MATCH ws=1      # using index
rule MATCH ws=term   # using name

---

mon (integer/string) determine what monitor the window should be on.

rule MATCH mon=1          # using index
rule MATCH mon=HDMI-A-0   # using name

---

x y w width h height bw border_width (integer/string) determine the window location and size.

• x change the x coordinate, can be an integer or one of the following.

  • center left and right gravitate on the x coordinate.

• y change the y coordinate, can be an integer or one of the following.

  • center top and bottom gravitate on the y coordinate.

• w width change the window width.

• h height change the window height.

• bw border_width change the window border width.

rule MATCH x=20 y=100 w=1280 h=720 bw=0         # using absolute values
rule MATCH x=center y=center w=1280 h=720 bw=0  # using gravities

---

callback (string) determine a callback function to be invoked on window open and close. These are defined in the config header and compiled into the source, one example is provided.

rule MATCH callback=albumart

---

float stick (boolean) determine if the window should be floating or stick respectively.

rule MATCH float=true stick=true

---

ignore_cfg (boolean) determine if the window should ignore configure request
events (size or location changes).

rule MATCH ignore_cfg=true

---

ignore_msg (boolean) determine if the window should ignore client message
window activation events (grabbing focus).

rule MATCH ignore_msg=true

---

focus (boolean) determine if the window should be focused and view it's workspace.
If mon is also set it will be activated first before viewing the workspace.

rule MATCH focus=true

---

terminal (boolean) determine if the window should be considered a terminal for
absorbing other windows and not being absorbed itself.

rule MATCH terminal=true

---

no_absorb (boolean) determine if the window should never absorb other windows.

rule MATCH no_absorb=true

---

scratch (boolean) determine if the window should be in the scratchpad.

rule MATCH scratch=true

---

Set

set operates on workspace or global configuration settings.

• SETTING one or more settings to be changed.
• WS the workspace which subcommand should apply to, if unspecified the current is used.
  _ is a special workspace used to define default values for new workspaces which
  haven't been created yet.

set [WS] SETTING
set ws=_ [apply] SETTING

Settings

numws (integer) change the number of workspaces to allocate.

set numws=10

---

name (string) change the WS name.

set ws=1 name="term"

---

static_ws (boolean) disable dynamic workspaces for multi-head systems.

set static_ws=false

---

mon (integer/string) change which monitor WS should be on (requires static_ws=true).

set ws=1 mon=HDMI-A-0
set ws=1 mon=1

---

master stack (integer) change the number of windows to occupy the master area (tile layout).

set [WS] stack  3            # absolute values have no signs
set [WS] master +1 stack -1  # relative change with signed integers (+/-)

---

msplit ssplit (float) change the workspace master or stack split ratios respectively.

set [WS] msplit +0.1
set [WS] ssplit 0.55

---

gap (integer) change the workspace gap width.

set [WS] gap 10

---

tile_hints (boolean) obey size hints in tiled layouts.

set tile_hints=true

---

tile_tohead (boolean) place new windows at the head of the list in tiled layouts.

set tile_tohead=true

---

smart_gap (boolean) whether gaps are disabled on workspaces with only one tiled window.

set smart_gap=true

---

smart_border (boolean) whether borders are disabled on workspaces with only one tiled window.

set smart_border=true

---

focus_urgent (boolean) focus windows that request it.

set focus_urgent=true

---

focus_open (boolean) whether windows are focused when opened.

set focus_open=false

---

focus_mouse (boolean) whether window focus follows the mouse.

set focus_mouse=false

---

obey_motif (boolean) whether to obey motif hints for borders.

set obey_motif=false

---

win_minxy (integer) amount of window (in pixels) to be kept on the screen when moving.

set win_minxy=20

---

win_minwh (integer) minimum window size.

set win_minwh=50

---

apply when changing the default _ workspace apply settings to existing real workspaces.

set ws=_ apply SETTING

---

layout (string) change the workspace window layout.

• tile default tile layout
• rtile tile layout with master area on the right
• mono windows arranged maximized and stacked
• grid all windows try to occupy equal space
• spiral windows shrink by 1/2 towards the center of the screen
• dwindle windows shrink by 1/2 towards the bottom right of the screen
• tstack windows are grouped into a master area on the bottom and one horizontal stack area on top.
• none floating layout, windows can be freely moved and resized.
• cycle switch between available layouts.

set [WS] layout mono

---

border change the window border sizes and colours.

• w width (integer) change the overall window border width.
• ow outer outer_width (integer) change the outer border width (greater than 0 makes double borders).
• colour color (string) change the border (overall and outer) colour for various window states.
  • f focus (colour) the active window border overall colour.
  • r urgent (colour) urgent window border overall colour.
  • u unfocus (colour) normal window border overall colour.
  • of outer_focus (colour) the active window outer border colour.
  • or outer_urgent (colour) urgent window outer border colour.
  • ou outer_unfocus (colour) normal window outer border colour.

set border w=5 ow=3 colour f='#6699cc' u='#444444' r='#ee5555' of='#222222' ou='#222222' or='#222222'

---

pad change the workspace padding.

• l left (integer) change the workspace left side padding.
• r right (integer) change the workspace right side padding.
• t top (integer) change the workspace top padding.
• b bottom (integer) change the workspace bottom padding.

set [WS] pad l=50 r=50 t=50 b=50

---

mouse change the mouse binds for move and resize (global, does not take a workspace).

• mod (string) change the modifier used in combination with move resize buttons.

  • alt mod1 Alt key (default).
  • super mod4 Win key.
  • ctrl control Ctrl key.

• move resize (string) change the button used for move and resize respectively.

  • button1 left mouse button.
  • button2 right mouse button.
  • button3 middle mouse button.

set mouse move=button1 resize=button2 mod=mod1

---

Win

win operates on windows.

• CLIENT (hex/string) the window id in hex or class string, if unspecified the current window is used.

win [CLIENT] ACTION

Settings

cycle cycle windows in place.

win cycle

---

float change the window floating state.

win [CLIENT] float
win [CLIENT] float=false

---

full change the window fullscreen state.

win [CLIENT] full

---

fakefull change the window fake fullscreen state (allow moving, resizing, and tiling when fullscreen).

win [CLIENT] fakefull

---

stick change the window sticky state.

win [CLIENT] stick

---

swap change the window between it's current location and master.

win [CLIENT] swap

---

kill close the window.

win [CLIENT] kill

---

focus (integer/string) change the focused window.

• next focus the next window.
• prev focus the previous window.

win CLIENT focus  # focus window by id
win focus next    # focus the next window
win focus +2      # focus two windows ahead

---

scratch view or hide a scratchpad window.

• pop show a window in the scratch.
• push hide a window in the scratch.

With no other arguments

• If there are window(s) in the scratch it will continue to pop them out until empty.
• If there is a window on any workspace (other than the current workspace) that has been recently popped, it will be brought to the current workspace. If it's on the current workspace it is instead pushed.
• If there are no window(s) in the scratch and no windows that have been there previously it will push the active window into the scratch.

win scratch
win [CLIENT] scratch # same toggle behaviour but on the passed window
win [CLIENT] scratch push # push the given window or the active window.

---

mvstack (integer/string) move a tiled window around the stack.

• up move the tiled window up the stack.
• down move the tiled window down the stack.

win [CLIENT] mvstack up

---

resize change the window size, location, and border width.

• x change the x coordinate, can be an integer or one of the following.

  • center left and right gravitate on the x coordinate.

• y change the y coordinate, can be an integer or one of the following.

  • center top and bottom gravitate on the y coordinate.

• w width change the window width.

• h height change the window height.

• bw border_width change the window border width.

win [CLIENT] resize x=100 y=100 w=1280 h=720 bw=1
win [CLIENT] resize x=center y=center w=1280 h=720 bw=1

---

Status

status print status information as JSON to a file or stdout.

status [TYPE] [FILE] [NUM]

Subcommands

type (string) the type of status info to output and when to trigger.

• ws output full workspace info - triggers on workspace change.
• win output current window title - triggers on window or title change.
• layout output current layout name - triggers on layout change.
• bar identical output to ws except - triggers on all changes.
• full output full wm and client state - triggers on all changes.

status type=ws [FILE] [NUM]

---

file (string) the location of the status file.

status file=/tmp/dk.status [TYPE] [NUM]

---

num (integer) the number of times to output, -1 is infinite and default if not specified.

status [TYPE] [FILE]        # output forever
status num=1 [TYPE] [FILE]  # output once

Todo

• Simplification and code quality improvement.
• See ISSSUE.md for current problems and possible additions.
• grep -n 'TODO' src/* will give some code I'm not happy with.

Contributing

I'm very open to contributions or ideas, please feel free to email me or open an issue/PR. For myself I have various builds that can help finding issues or provide some insight. These include:

stderr debug output

make debug

debug output and function calls

make fdebug

don't strip debug symbols (for gdb, valgrind, etc.).

make nostrip

Credits

See the LICENSE file for a list of authors/contributors.

Huge thanks to Kjetil Molteberg (@badkarma) for the logo.

Non contributors that I owe a huge thanks to:

• dwm
• bspwm
• xmonad
• evilwm
• monsterwm-xcb
• frankenwm.