1 ![logo](https://github.com/baskerville/bspwm/raw/master/logo/bspwm-logo.png)
5 `bspwm` is a tiling window manager based on binary space partitioning.
7 The windows are represented as the leaves of a binary tree.
11 `bspwm` have only two sources of informations: the X events it receives and the messages it reads on a dedicated socket.
13 Those messages are sent via `bspc`.
15 If the `BSPWM_SOCKET` environment variable is defined, it will be used as the socket path, otherwise `/tmp/bspwm-socket` is used.
17 The recommended way of defining keyboard shortcuts is to use [sxhkd](https://github.com/baskerville/sxhkd).
19 The only way to configure `bspwm` is by sending *set* messages via the client, hence `bspwm`'s configuration file is an executable called `autostart` which lives in `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/bspwm/`.
21 Example configurations: [autostart](https://github.com/baskerville/bin/blob/master/bspwm_autostart) and [sxhkdrc](https://github.com/baskerville/dotfiles/blob/master/sxhkdrc).
25 There is only two splitting modes: *automatic* and *manual*.
27 The default mode is *automatic*. The *manual* mode is entered by sending a *presel* message.
29 Example: insertion of a new node (number 4) into the given tree in
39 +-------------------------+ +-------------------------+
43 | 3 |------------| --> | 4 |------------|
47 +-------------------------+ +-------------------------+
49 Same departure, but the mode is *manual*, and a `presel up` message
58 +-------------------------+ +-------------------------+
62 | 3 |------------| --> |------------|------------|
66 +-------------------------+ +-------------------------+
70 bspwm [-v|-s STATUS_FIFO]
72 bspc MESSAGE [ARGUMENTS] [OPTIONS]
76 The syntax for the client is `bspc MESSAGE [ARGUMENTS ...]`.
78 The following messages are handled:
81 Return the value of the given setting.
84 Set the value of the given setting.
87 Output the internal representation of the window tree.
89 list_desktops [--quiet]
90 Perform a dump of each desktop for the current monitor.
92 list_monitors [--quiet]
93 Perform a dump of each monitor.
96 Return the list of managed windows (i.e. their identifiers).
99 Return the list of rules.
101 presel left|right|up|down [SPLIT_RATIO]
102 Switch to manual mode and select the splitting direction.
105 Switch to automatic mode.
108 Set the splitting ratio of the focused window.
110 pad MONITOR_NAME [TOP_PADDING [RIGHT_PADDING [BOTTOM_PADDING [LEFT_PADDING]]]]
111 Set the padding of the given monitor.
113 focus left|right|up|down
114 Focus the neighbor window situated in the given direction.
116 shift left|right|up|down
117 Exchange the current window with the given neighbor.
119 push left|right|up|down
120 Push the fence located in the given direction.
122 pull left|right|up|down
123 Pull the fence located in the given direction.
125 cycle next|prev [--skip-floating|--skip-tiled|--skip-class-equal|--skip-class-differ]
126 Focus the next or previous window matching the given constraints.
128 nearest older|newer [--skip-floating|--skip-tiled|--skip-class-equal|--skip-class-differ]
129 Focus the nearest window matching the given constraints.
131 circulate forward|backward
132 Circulate the leaves in the given direction.
134 mouse move|resize|focus
135 Perform the given mouse action on the window under the pointer.
138 Toggle the fullscreen state of the current window.
141 Toggle the floating state of the current window.
144 Toggle the locked state of the current window (locked windows will not respond to the 'close' message).
147 Toggle the visibility of all the managed windows.
150 Close the focused window.
153 Kill the focused window.
155 send_to DESKTOP_NAME [--follow]
156 Send the focused window to the given desktop.
158 send_to_monitor MONITOR_NAME [--follow]
159 Send the focused window to the given monitor.
162 Select the given desktop.
164 use_monitor MONITOR_NAME
165 Select the given monitor.
168 Alternate between the current and the last focused window.
171 Alternate between the current and the last focused desktop.
174 Alternate between the current and the last focused monitor.
177 Make new desktops with the given names.
179 add_in MONITOR_NAME DESKTOP_NAME ...
180 Make new desktops with the given names in the given monitor.
182 rename_monitor CURRENT_NAME NEW_NAME
183 Rename the monitor named CURRENT_NAME to NEW_NAME.
185 rename CURRENT_NAME NEW_NAME
186 Rename the desktop named CURRENT_NAME to NEW_NAME.
188 cycle_monitor next|prev
189 Select the next or previous monitor.
191 cycle_desktop next|prev [--skip-free|--skip-occupied]
192 Select the next or previous desktop.
194 layout monocle|tiled [DESKTOP_NAME ...]
195 Set the layout of the given desktops (current if none given).
198 Cycle the layout of the current desktop.
200 rotate clockwise|counter_clockwise|full_cycle
201 Rotate the tree of the current desktop.
203 rule PATTERN [DESKTOP_NAME] [floating]
204 Create a new rule (PATTERN must match the class or instance name).
207 Remove the rules with the given UIDs.
210 Manage all the unmanaged windows remaining from a previous session.
213 Reload the autostart file.
216 Reload the default settings.
219 Restore the layout of each desktop from the content of FILE_PATH.
226 Colors are either [X color names](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X11_color_names) or *#RRGGBB*, booleans are *true* or *false*.
229 Color of the main border of a focused window of a focused monitor.
232 Color of the main border of a focused window of an unfocused monitor.
235 Color of the main border of an unfocused window.
238 Color of the inner border of a window.
241 Color of the outer border of a window.
244 Color of the *presel* message feedback.
246 focused_locked_border_color
247 Color of the main border of a focused locked window of a focused monitor.
249 active_locked_border_color
250 Color of the main border of a focused locked window of an unfocused monitor.
252 normal_locked_border_color
253 Color of the main border of an unfocused locked window.
256 Color of the border of an urgent window.
261 Width of the inner, main and outer borders.
264 Value of the gap that separates windows.
266 {top,right,bottom,left}_padding
267 Padding space added at the sides of the current monitor.
270 The value that shall be used for the _NET_WM_NAME property of the root window.
273 Whether to remove borders for tiled windows in monocle mode.
276 Whether to remove gaps for tiled windows in monocle mode.
279 Wether to focus the window under the mouse pointer.
282 Prevent floating windows from being raised when they might cover other floating windows.
286 - Configured and controlled through messages
287 - Multiple monitors support (via *Xinerama*)
288 - EWMH support (`tint2` works)
289 - Automatic and manual modes
290 - Triple window borders
295 - `dzen2` fed with the output of `ewmhstatus`. Example: [launchpanel](https://github.com/baskerville/bin/blob/master/launchpanel).
296 - A custom panel if the `-s` flag is used (have a look at the files in `examples/`).
297 - Any EWMH compliant panel (e.g. `tint2`, `bmpanel2`, etc.).
299 ## Required Libraries:
312 - [Ivan Kanakarakis](https://github.com/c00kiemon5ter)
316 bspwm *at* librelist *dot* com.