pwm window_manager (philo's window manager)

X11 window manager for linux built from scratch in C++. It supports basic window management features such as tiling, floating windows, multi-monitor setups, workspaces, and more. The window manager is designed to be lightweight, efficient, and customizable. inspired by dwm ; we can say it's a love letter to dwm .

Features

• Tiling Layout: Windows are arranged in a tiling layout by default.
• Floating Windows: Support for floating windows, which can move freely across monitors.
• Multi-Monitor Support: Handles multiple monitors with independent workspaces and window layouts for each screen.
• Dynamic Workspaces: Switch between multiple workspaces, with sticky windows that remain visible across workspaces.
• Mouse and Keyboard Interaction: Resize, move, and manage windows with both keyboard shortcuts and mouse actions.
• Bar with Workspaces: A customizable status bar showing active workspaces, which updates based on the xsetroot command.
• Window Snapping: Windows snap to the edges of the screen when moved close.
• Fullscreen Windows: Support for windows requesting fullscreen mode, such as browsers in fullscreen video mode.
• Center Master Layout: A layout option where the main window is centered, with other windows tiled around it.
• Sticky Clients: Windows can be set as "sticky" so they remain visible across all workspaces per monitor.
• Resizable Borders: Configurable window borders, useful for visual feedback and resizing.
• Monitor Focus and Workspace Movement: Easily switch focus between monitors based on mouse movement and keyboard shortcuts.

Dependencies

This window manager is built using the X11 library. Ensure that you have the following dependencies installed:

• Xlib: For X11 window system interaction.

  sudo apt-get install libx11-dev

• Xft: For the font reading

  sudo apt install libxft-dev

• Xinerama: For multi-monitor support.

  sudo apt-get install libxinerama-dev

• Fontconfig: For font rendering in the status bar.

  sudo apt-get install libfontconfig1-dev

• Xcursor: For cursors in the X11 enviroment.

  sudo apt install libxcursor-dev

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/philopaterwaheed/pwm.git
   cd pwm

2. Compile the window manager:

   sudo make clean install

3. Run the window manager: You can test the window manager by launching it from a different X session:

   startx ./pwm -- :1

   or add it to your .xinitrc script

Usage

Keybindings

Mouse Actions

• Move Window: Hold Mod + Left Click to drag a floating window.
• Resize Window: Hold Mod + Right Click to resize a floating window.
• Snapping: Floating windows snap to screen edges when moved close to them.

Workspace Management

• Workspaces: Use Mod + 1-5 to switch between workspaces. Each monitor has its own set of workspaces.
• Sticky Windows: Mark a window as sticky to keep it visible across all workspaces of the monitor.
• Moving Windows Between Workspaces: Use Mod + Shift + [1-5] to move a window to a different workspace.
• you can increase the number if you want by changing the config

  Bar Configuration

The status bar displays the active workspaces and the current status. You can update the bar by setting the root window name using the xsetroot command. For example:

xsetroot -name "Hello, World!"

Floating and Tiling Windows

• Tiling: Windows are tiled by default in the main workspace. The active window takes up the master area, with other windows stacked.
• Floating: Floating windows are always placed on top of tiled windows and can be moved freely between monitors.
• Fullscreen: Windows that request fullscreen (like a browser in video fullscreen mode) are handled and displayed accordingly.

Layouts

The window manager supports the following layouts:

• Tiling: Default layout where windows are tiled.
• Floating: Windows can be freely moved and resized.
• Center Master: The master window is centered, with other windows tiled around it.
• Grid: Windows are arranged in a grid layout.

Window Resizing and Moving

• Mouse Resizing: Resize windows with Mod + Right Click.
• Mouse Moving: Move floating windows with Mod + Left Click.
• Keyboard Resizing: Resize floating windows using keyboard shortcuts.

Advanced Configuration

Fonts

Fonts in the bar are configured using the Fontconfig library. Ensure that you have appropriate fonts installed (e.g., awesome-font for icons).

Customizing the Bar

The status bar is divided into three sections:

• Left: Workspace names note: you can set the names of hte workspaces in the config file but please use one icone becuase the wm doesn't detect the lendth of the name right
• Right: Custom status (set with xsetroot)

You can modify the bar by editing the rendering logic in the source code.

Contributions

Feel free to contribute by submitting pull requests, reporting issues, or suggesting features.

License

This window manager is released under the MIT License.

screen shots