From ad30ca910b9da45835523af5c24ac353b7d13e9f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: A Frederick Christensen Date: Tue, 16 Jul 2024 23:02:22 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] Documentation restructuring Modified documentation to make clear the change in development (main) branch versus releases. --- README.md | 236 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------------------- 1 file changed, 125 insertions(+), 111 deletions(-) diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 6161a53..cec84f5 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -5,21 +5,132 @@ Or on our [Discord server]. dwl is a compact, hackable compositor for [Wayland] based on [wlroots]. It is intended to fill the same space in the Wayland world that dwm does in X11, -primarily in terms of functionality, and secondarily in terms of philosophy. -Like dwm, dwl is: +primarily in terms of functionality, and secondarily in terms of +philosophy. Like dwm, dwl is: - Easy to understand, hack on, and extend with patches - One C source file (or a very small number) configurable via `config.h` - Tied to as few external dependencies as possible +## Getting Started: + +### Latest semi-stable [release] +This is probably where you want to start. This builds against the dependent +packages' versions currently shipping in major distributions. If your +distribution's wlroots version is older, use an earlier dwl [release] or [0.x +branch]. + +### Development branch [main] +Active development progresses on the `main` branch. The `main` branch is built +against a late (and often changing) git commit of wlroots. While the adventurous +are welcome to use `main`, it is a rocky road. Using `main` requires that the +user be willing to chase git commits of wlroots. Testing development pull +requests may involve merging unmerged pull requests in [wlroots]' git repository +and/or git commits of wayland. + +### Building dwl +dwl has the following dependencies: +- libinput +- wayland +- wlroots (compiled with the libinput backend) +- xkbcommon +- wayland-protocols (compile-time only) +- pkg-config (compile-time only) + +dwl has the following additional dependencies if XWayland support is enabled: +- libxcb +- libxcb-wm +- wlroots (compiled with X11 support) +- Xwayland (runtime only) + +Install these (and their `-devel` versions if your distro has separate +development packages) and run `make`. If you wish to build against a released +version of wlroots (*you probably do*), use a [release] or a [0.x branch]. If +you want to use the unstable development `main` branch, you need to use the git +version of [wlroots]. + +To enable XWayland, you should uncomment its flags in `config.mk`. + +## Configuration + +All configuration is done by editing `config.h` and recompiling, in the same +manner as dwm. There is no way to separately restart the window manager in +Wayland without restarting the entire display server, so any changes will take +effect the next time dwl is executed. + +As in the dwm community, we encourage users to share patches they have +created. Check out the [dwl-patches] repository! + +## Running dwl + +dwl can be run on any of the backends supported by wlroots. This means you can +run it as a separate window inside either an X11 or Wayland session, as well as +directly from a VT console. Depending on your distro's setup, you may need to +add your user to the `video` and `input` groups before you can run dwl on a +VT. If you are using `elogind` or `systemd-logind` you need to install polkit; +otherwise you need to add yourself in the `seat` group and enable/start the +seatd daemon. + +When dwl is run with no arguments, it will launch the server and begin handling +any shortcuts configured in `config.h`. There is no status bar or other +decoration initially; these are instead clients that can be run within the +Wayland session. Do note that the default background color is black. This can be +modified in `config.h`. + +If you would like to run a script or command automatically at startup, you can +specify the command using the `-s` option. This command will be executed as a +shell command using `/bin/sh -c`. It serves a similar function to `.xinitrc`, +but differs in that the display server will not shut down when this process +terminates. Instead, dwl will send this process a SIGTERM at shutdown and wait +for it to terminate (if it hasn't already). This makes it ideal for execing into +a user service manager like [s6], [anopa], [runit], [dinit], or [`systemd +--user`]. + +Note: The `-s` command is run as a *child process* of dwl, which means that it +does not have the ability to affect the environment of dwl or of any processes +that it spawns. If you need to set environment variables that affect the entire +dwl session, these must be set prior to running dwl. For example, Wayland +requires a valid `XDG_RUNTIME_DIR`, which is usually set up by a session manager +such as `elogind` or `systemd-logind`. If your system doesn't do this +automatically, you will need to configure it prior to launching `dwl`, e.g.: + + export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/tmp/xdg-runtime-$(id -u) + mkdir -p $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR + dwl + +### Status information + +Information about selected layouts, current window title, app-id, and +selected/occupied/urgent tags is written to the stdin of the `-s` command (see +the `printstatus()` function for details). This information can be used to +populate an external status bar with a script that parses the +information. Failing to read this information will cause dwl to block, so if you +do want to run a startup command that does not consume the status information, +you can close standard input with the `<&-` shell redirection, for example: + + dwl -s 'foot --server <&-' + +If your startup command is a shell script, you can achieve the same inside the +script with the line + + exec <&- + +To get a list of status bars that work with dwl consult our [wiki]. + +## Replacements for X applications + +You can find a [list of useful resources on our wiki]. + +## Background + dwl is not meant to provide every feature under the sun. Instead, like dwm, it sticks to features which are necessary, simple, and straightforward to implement given the base on which it is built. Implemented default features are: - Any features provided by dwm/Xlib: simple window borders, tags, keybindings, client rules, mouse move/resize. Providing a built-in status bar is an - exception to this goal, to avoid dependencies on font rendering and/or - drawing libraries when an external bar could work well. + exception to this goal, to avoid dependencies on font rendering and/or drawing + libraries when an external bar could work well. - Configurable multi-monitor layout support, including position and rotation - Configurable HiDPI/multi-DPI support - Idle-inhibit protocol which lets applications such as mpv disable idle @@ -53,101 +164,6 @@ Feature *non-goals* for the main codebase include: be done through the compositor - Animations and visual effects -## Building dwl - -dwl has the following dependencies: -``` -libinput -wayland -wlroots (compiled with the libinput backend) -xkbcommon -wayland-protocols (compile-time only) -pkg-config (compile-time only) -``` -If you enable X11 support: -``` -libxcb -libxcb-wm -wlroots (compiled with X11 support) -Xwayland (runtime only) -``` - -Simply install these (and their `-devel` versions if your distro has separate -development packages) and run `make`. You need to use the Git version of -wlroots to build the `main` branch. If you wish to build against a released -version of wlroots, use a release or a [0.x branch]. - -To enable XWayland, you should uncomment its flags in `config.mk`. - -## Configuration - -All configuration is done by editing `config.h` and recompiling, in the same -manner as dwm. There is no way to separately restart the window manager in -Wayland without restarting the entire display server, so any changes will take -effect the next time dwl is executed. - -As in the dwm community, we encourage users to share patches they have created. -Check out the dwl [patches repository]! - -## Running dwl - -dwl can be run on any of the backends supported by wlroots. This means you can -run it as a separate window inside either an X11 or Wayland session, as well -as directly from a VT console. Depending on your distro's setup, you may need -to add your user to the `video` and `input` groups before you can run dwl on -a VT. If you are using `elogind` or `systemd-logind` you need to install -polkit; otherwise you need to add yourself in the `seat` group and -enable/start the seatd daemon. - -When dwl is run with no arguments, it will launch the server and begin handling -any shortcuts configured in `config.h`. There is no status bar or other -decoration initially; these are instead clients that can be run within -the Wayland session. -Do note that the background color is black. - -If you would like to run a script or command automatically at startup, you can -specify the command using the `-s` option. This command will be executed as a -shell command using `/bin/sh -c`. It serves a similar function to `.xinitrc`, -but differs in that the display server will not shut down when this process -terminates. Instead, dwl will send this process a SIGTERM at shutdown and wait -for it to terminate (if it hasn't already). This makes it ideal for execing into -a user service manager like [s6], [anopa], [runit], [dinit], or [`systemd --user`]. - -Note: The `-s` command is run as a *child process* of dwl, which means that it -does not have the ability to affect the environment of dwl or of any processes -that it spawns. If you need to set environment variables that affect the entire -dwl session, these must be set prior to running dwl. For example, Wayland -requires a valid `XDG_RUNTIME_DIR`, which is usually set up by a session manager -such as `elogind` or `systemd-logind`. If your system doesn't do this -automatically, you will need to configure it prior to launching `dwl`, e.g.: - - export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/tmp/xdg-runtime-$(id -u) - mkdir -p $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR - dwl - -### Status information - -Information about selected layouts, current window title, app-id, and -selected/occupied/urgent tags is written to the stdin of the `-s` command (see -the `printstatus()` function for details). This information can be used to -populate an external status bar with a script that parses the information. -Failing to read this information will cause dwl to block, so if you do want to -run a startup command that does not consume the status information, you can -close standard input with the `<&-` shell redirection, for example: - - dwl -s 'foot --server <&-' - -If your startup command is a shell script, you can achieve the same inside the -script with the line - - exec <&- - -To get a list of status bars that work with dwl consult our [wiki]. - -## Replacements for X applications - -You can find a [list of useful resources on our wiki]. - ## Acknowledgements dwl began by extending the TinyWL example provided (CC0) by the sway/wlroots @@ -165,17 +181,15 @@ inspiration, and to the various contributors to the project, including: - Stivvo for output management and fullscreen support, and patch maintenance -[Discord server]: https://discord.gg/jJxZnrGPWN -[#dwl on Libera Chat]: https://web.libera.chat/?channels=#dwl -[Wayland]: https://wayland.freedesktop.org/ -[wlroots]: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/wlroots/wlroots/ -[0.x branch]: https://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl/branches -[patches repository]: https://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl-patches -[s6]: https://skarnet.org/software/s6/ +[`systemd --user`]: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Systemd/User [#dwl on Libera Chat]: https://web.libera.chat/?channels=#dwl +[0.7-rc1]: https://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl/releases/tag/v0.7-rc1 [0.x branch]: https://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl/branches [anopa]: https://jjacky.com/anopa/ -[runit]: http://smarden.org/runit/faq.html#userservices [dinit]: https://davmac.org/projects/dinit/ -[`systemd --user`]: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Systemd/User -[wiki]: https://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl/wiki/Home#compatible-status-bars -[list of useful resources on our wiki]: - https://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl/wiki/Home#migrating-from-x +[dwl-patches]: https://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl-patches [list of useful resources on our wiki]: https://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl/wiki/Home#migrating-from-x +[main]: https://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl/src/branch/main +[release]: https://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl/releases +[runit]: http://smarden.org/runit/faq.html#userservices +[s6]: https://skarnet.org/software/s6/ +[wlroots]: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/wlroots/wlroots/ +[wiki]: https://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl/wiki/Home#compatible-status-bars [Discord server]: https://discord.gg/jJxZnrGPWN +[Wayland]: https://wayland.freedesktop.org/