2 :man version: {revnumber}
3 :man manual: Bspwm Manual
11 bspwm - Tiling window manager based on binary space partitioning
16 *bspwm* [*-h*|*-v*|*-c* 'CONFIG_PATH'|*-s* 'PANEL_FIFO'|*-p* 'PANEL_PREFIX']
18 *bspc* 'COMMAND' ['ARGUMENTS']
23 *bspwm* is a tiling window manager that represents windows as the leaves of a full binary tree.
25 It is controlled and configured via *bspc*.
32 Print the synopsis and exit.
35 Print the version and exit.
38 Use the given configuration file.
41 Write the internal state to the given FIFO.
44 Start every line written to the 'PANEL_FIFO' with the given prefix.
50 *bspwm* have only two sources of informations: the X events it receives and the messages it reads on a dedicated socket.
52 The default configuration file is '$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/bspwm/bspwmrc'.
54 Keyboard and pointer bindings are defined with https://github.com/baskerville/sxhkd[sxhkd].
56 Example configuration files can be found in the *examples* directory.
61 New windows are inserted in the tree as close as possible to the focused window.
63 There is only two splitting modes: 'automatic' and 'manual'.
65 The default mode is 'automatic'. The 'manual' mode is entered by sending a *preselection* message.
67 Example: insertion of a new node (number 4) into the given tree in 'automatic' mode:
77 +-------------------------+ +-------------------------+
81 | 3 |------------| --> | 4 |------------|
85 +-------------------------+ +-------------------------+
88 Same departure, but the mode is 'manual', and a *window --presel up* message was sent beforehand:
97 +-------------------------+ +-------------------------+
101 | 3 |------------| --> |------------|------------|
105 +-------------------------+ +-------------------------+
111 Each monitor contains at least one desktop.
113 Each desktop contains at most one tree.
119 DIR := left | right | up | down
120 CYCLE_DIR := next | prev
126 Selectors are used to select a target window, desktop, or monitor. A selector
127 can either describe the target relatively or name it globally.
129 Descriptive (relative) selectors consist of a primary selector and any number
130 of non-conflicting modifiers as follows:
132 PRIMARY_SELECTOR[.MODIFIER]*
134 For obvious reasons, neither desktops nor monitors names may be valid
135 descriptive selectors.
143 WINDOW_SEL := <window_id>
144 | (DIR|CYCLE_DIR|biggest|last|focused)[.floating|.tiled][.like|.unlike][.automatic|.manual][.urgent|.nonurgent]
151 Selects the window in the given (spacial) direction relative to the active
155 Selects the window in the given (cyclic) direction.
158 Selects the biggest window on the current desktop.
161 Selects the previously focused window on the current desktop.
164 Selects the currently focused window.
170 Only consider floating windows.
173 Only consider tiled windows.
176 Only consider windows that have the same class as the current window.
179 Only consider windows that have a different class than the current window.
182 Only consider windows in automatic splitting mode.
185 Only consider windows in manual splitting mode (see *--presel*).
188 Only consider urgent windows.
191 Only consider nonurgent windows.
199 DESKTOP_SEL := <desktop_name>
200 | (CYCLE_DIR|last|focused)[.occupied|.free][.urgent|.nonurgent]
207 Selects the desktop in the given direction relative to the active desktop.
210 Selects the previously focused desktop.
213 Selects the currently focused desktop.
219 Only consider occupied desktops.
222 Only consider free desktops.
225 Only consider urgent desktops.
228 Only consider nonurgent desktops.
236 MONITOR_SEL := <monitor_name>
237 | (DIR|CYCLE_DIR|last|focused)[.occupied|.free]
244 Selects the monitor in the given (spacial) direction relative to the active monitor.
247 Selects the monitor in the given (cyclic) direction relative to the active monitor.
250 Selects the previously focused monitor.
253 Selects the currently focused monitor.
259 Only consider monitors where the focused desktop is occupied.
262 Only consider monitors where the focused desktop is free.
274 window ['WINDOW_SEL'] 'OPTIONS'
278 *-f*, *--focus* ['WINDOW_SEL']::
279 Focus the selected or given window.
281 *-d*, *--to-desktop* 'DESKTOP_SEL'::
282 Send the selected window to the given desktop.
284 *-m*, *--to-monitor* 'MONITOR_SEL'::
285 Send the selected window to the given monitor.
287 *-w*, *--to-window* 'WINDOW_SEL'::
288 Transplant the selected window to the given window.
290 *-s*, *--swap* 'WINDOW_SEL'::
291 Swap the selected window with the given window.
293 *-p*, *--presel* 'DIR'|cancel::
294 Preselect the splitting area of the selected window (or cancel the preselection).
296 *-r*, *--ratio* 'RATIO'::
297 Set the splitting ratio of the selected window (0 < 'RATIO' < 1).
299 *-e*, *--edge* 'DIR' 'RATIO'|pull|push::
300 Set the splitting ratio (or pull, or push) the edge located in the given direction in relation to the selected window.
302 *-t*, *--toggle* floating|fullscreen|locked[=on|off]::
303 Set or toggle the given state for the selected window.
306 Close the selected window.
309 Kill the selected window.
317 desktop ['DESKTOP_SEL'] 'OPTIONS'
321 *-f*, *--focus* ['DESKTOP_SEL']::
322 Focus the selected or given desktop.
324 *-m*, *--to-monitor* 'MONITOR_SEL'::
325 Send the selected desktop to the given monitor.
327 *-l*, *--layout* 'CYCLE_DIR'|monocle|tiled::
328 Set or cycle the layout of the selected desktop.
330 *-n*, *--rename* <new_name>::
331 Rename the selected desktop.
334 Remove the selected desktop.
336 *-c*, *--cancel-presel*::
337 Cancel the preselection of all the windows of the selected desktop.
339 *-F*, *--flip* 'horizontal|vertical'::
340 Flip the tree of the selected desktop.
342 *-R*, *--rotate* '90|270|180'::
343 Rotate the tree of the selected desktop.
346 Adjust the split ratios of the tree of the selected desktop so that all windows occupy the same area.
348 *-C*, *--circulate* forward|backward::
349 Circulate the leaves of the tree of the selected desktop.
357 monitor ['MONITOR_SEL'] 'OPTIONS'
361 *-f*, *--focus* ['MONITOR_SEL']::
362 Focus the selected or given monitor.
364 *-a*, *--add-desktops* <name>...::
365 Create desktops with the given names in the selected monitor.
367 *-r*, *--remove-desktops* <name>...::
368 Remove desktops with the given names.
370 *-p*, *--pad* <top> <right> <bottom> <left>::
371 Set the padding of the selected monitor.
373 *-n*, *--rename* <new_name>::
374 Rename the selected monitor.
387 List matching windows.
390 List matching desktops.
393 List matching monitors.
396 Print tree rooted at query.
399 Print the history as it relates to the query.
401 [*-m*,*--monitor* ['MONITOR_SEL']] | [*-d*,*--desktop* ['DESKTOP_SEL']] | [*-w*, *--window* ['WINDOW_SEL']]::
402 Constrain matches to the selected monitor, desktop or window.
415 *-T*, *--tree* <file_path>::
416 Load the desktop trees from the given file.
418 *-H*, *--history* <file_path>::
419 Load the focus history from the given file.
433 Manage all the unmanaged windows remaining from a previous session.
436 Write the current internal state to the panel FIFO.
438 *--toggle-visibility*::
439 Toggle the visibility of all the managed windows.
452 *-t*, *--track* <x> <y>::
453 Pass the pointer root coordinates for the current pointer action.
455 *-g*, *--grab* focus|move|resize_side|resize_corner::
456 Perform the given pointer action.
469 *-a*, *--add* <pattern> [-d 'DESKTOP_SEL' [--follow]] [--floating]::
470 Create a new rule (<pattern> must match the class or instance name).
472 *-r*, *--rm* <rule_uid>...::
473 Remove the rules with the given UIDs.
475 *-l*, *--list* [<pattern>]::
484 config <key> [<value>]::
485 Get or set the value of <key>.
494 Quit with an optional exit status.
498 Colors are either http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X11_color_names[X color names] or '#RRGGBB', booleans are 'true' or 'false'.
500 All the boolean settings are 'false' by default.
503 'focused_border_color'::
504 Color of the border of a focused window of a focused monitor.
506 'active_border_color'::
507 Color of the border of a focused window of an unfocused monitor.
509 'normal_border_color'::
510 Color of the border of an unfocused window.
512 'presel_border_color'::
513 Color of the *presel* message feedback.
515 'focused_locked_border_color'::
516 Color of the border of a focused locked window of a focused monitor.
518 'active_locked_border_color'::
519 Color of the border of a focused locked window of an unfocused monitor.
521 'normal_locked_border_color'::
522 Color of the border of an unfocused locked window.
524 'urgent_border_color'::
525 Color of the border of an urgent window.
531 Value of the gap that separates windows.
537 The value that shall be used for the '_NET_WM_NAME' property of the root window.
539 'borderless_monocle'::
540 Remove borders for tiled windows in monocle mode.
543 Remove gaps for tiled windows in monocle mode.
545 'focus_follows_pointer'::
546 Focus the window under the pointer.
548 'pointer_follows_monitor'::
549 When focusing a monitor, put the pointer at its center.
552 Prevent floating windows from being raised when they might cover other floating windows.
554 'apply_shadow_property'::
555 Enable shadows for floating windows via the '_COMPTON_SHADOW' property.
558 Interpret two consecutive identical *use* messages as an *alternate* message.
561 Interpret two consecutive identical *presel* messages as a *cancel* message.
563 'history_aware_focus'::
564 Give priority to the focus history when focusing nodes.
566 Environment Variables
567 ---------------------
570 The path of the socket used for the communication between *bspc* and *bspwm*.
575 * Any EWMH compliant panel (e.g.: 'tint2', 'bmpanel2', etc.).
576 * A custom panel if the '-s' flag is used (have a look at the files in 'examples/panel').
581 * Configured and controlled through messages.
582 * Multiple monitors support (via 'RandR').
583 * EWMH support (*tint2* works).
589 * Steven Allen <steven at stebalien.com>
590 * Thomas Adam <thomas at xteddy.org>
591 * Ivan Kanakarakis <ivan.kanak at gmail.com>
596 Bastien Dejean <baskerville at lavabit.com>
601 bspwm at librelist.com
604 vim: set ft=asciidoc: