Linux - Sway

Table of Contents

Introduction

Sway is a tiling compositor based on Wayland. It can be identified as a counterpart of i3 in Wayland, and as resource saving and lightweight as i3. Even, sway has a completely compatible configuration to i3.

Sway's core components and necessary applications can be simply installed and configured, e.g.,

  • sway: core components
  • swaylock: a screen locker
  • swayidle: an idle management daemon
  • foot: a native terminal in wayland
  • rofi: an application launcher and window switcher
  • waybar: a bar utility in wayland
  • light: a backlight controller
  • mako: a notification daemon
  • grim: a screenshot utility
  • slurp: a region selection utility in wayland
  • swaybg: a background setting utility

Installation

pacman -S sway swaylock swayidle foot rofi waybar light mako grim slurp swaybg

Configuration

For centralized management, the configuration files can be gathered in directory ~/.config/sway.

~/.config/sway/config

# Default config for sway
#
# Copy this to ~/.config/sway/config and edit it to your liking.
#
# Read `man 5 sway` for a complete reference.

### Variables
set $mod Mod4
set $term /usr/bin/foot --font=monospace:size=12
set $menu /usr/bin/wofi -c ~/.config/sway/wofi.conf
set $wallpaper /usr/share/backgrounds/sway/Sway_Wallpaper_Blue_1920x1080.png
set $locker swaylock -f -i $wallpaper

### Appearance and behavior
font pango: Source Code Pro 18
workspace_layout default
default_border none
default_floating_border pixel
popup_during_fullscreen smart
focus_follows_mouse no

### Output
output eDP-1 bg $wallpaper fill
output DP-1 bg $wallpaper fill scale 2

### Idle configuration
exec swayidle -w \
         timeout 300 $locker \
         timeout 600 'swaymsg "output * dpms off"' \
         resume 'swaymsg "output * dpms on"' \
         before-sleep $locker

### Key bindings
#
# Basics:
#
    # start a terminal
    bindsym $mod+Return exec $term

    # kill focused window
    bindsym $mod+q kill

    # start your launcher
    bindsym $mod+d exec $menu

    # Drag floating windows by holding down $mod and left mouse button.
    # Resize them with right mouse button + $mod.
    # Despite the name, also works for non-floating windows.
    # Change normal to inverse to use left mouse button for resizing and right
    # mouse button for dragging.
    floating_modifier $mod normal

    # reload the configuration file
    bindsym $mod+Shift+c reload

#
# Moving around:
#
    # Move your focus around
    bindsym $mod+o focus next
    bindsym $mod+Left focus left
    bindsym $mod+Down focus down
    bindsym $mod+Up focus up
    bindsym $mod+Right focus right

    # Move the focused window with the same, but add Shift
    bindsym $mod+Shift+Left move left
    bindsym $mod+Shift+Down move down
    bindsym $mod+Shift+Up move up
    bindsym $mod+Shift+Right move right

#
# Workspaces:
#
    # define names for workspaces
    set $ws1 "1"
    set $ws2 "2"
    set $ws3 "3"
    set $ws4 "4"
    set $ws5 "5"
    set $ws6 "6"
    set $ws7 "7"
    set $ws8 "8"
    set $ws9 "9"

    # switch to workspace
    bindsym $mod+1 workspace $ws1
    bindsym $mod+2 workspace $ws2
    bindsym $mod+3 workspace $ws3
    bindsym $mod+4 workspace $ws4
    bindsym $mod+5 workspace $ws5
    bindsym $mod+6 workspace $ws6
    bindsym $mod+7 workspace $ws7
    bindsym $mod+8 workspace $ws8
    bindsym $mod+9 workspace $ws9

    # move focused container to workspace
    bindsym $mod+Shift+1 move container to workspace $ws1
    bindsym $mod+Shift+2 move container to workspace $ws2
    bindsym $mod+Shift+3 move container to workspace $ws3
    bindsym $mod+Shift+4 move container to workspace $ws4
    bindsym $mod+Shift+5 move container to workspace $ws5
    bindsym $mod+Shift+6 move container to workspace $ws6
    bindsym $mod+Shift+7 move container to workspace $ws7
    bindsym $mod+Shift+8 move container to workspace $ws8
    bindsym $mod+Shift+9 move container to workspace $ws9

#
# Layout stuff:
#
    # Split
    bindsym $mod+h splith
    bindsym $mod+v splitv

    # Switch the current container between different layout styles
    bindsym $mod+s layout stacking
    bindsym $mod+w layout tabbed
    bindsym $mod+e layout toggle split

    # Make the current focus fullscreen
    bindsym $mod+f fullscreen toggle

    # Toggle the current focus between tiling and floating mode
    bindsym $mod+Shift+space floating toggle

    # Swap focus between the tiling area and the floating area
    bindsym $mod+space focus mode_toggle

    # Move focus to the parent container
    bindsym $mod+u focus parent

### System mode
mode "system" {
        bindsym h exec systemctl poweroff, mode "default"
        bindsym l exec $locker, mode "default"
        bindsym r exec systemctl reboot, mode "default"
        bindsym s exec $locker && systemctl suspend, mode "default"
        bindsym Return mode "default"
        bindsym Escape mode "default"
}
bindsym $mod+Shift+e mode "system"

### Display mode
set $mode_display (D)ouble, (M)irror, (I)nternal, (E)xternal
mode "$mode_display" {
        bindsym d exec swaymsg output eDP1 enable DP1 enable, mode "default"
        bindsym i exec swaymsg output eDP1 enable DP1 disable, mode "default"
        bindsym e exec swaymsg output eDP1 disable DP1 enable, mode "default"
        bindsym Return mode "default"
        bindsym Escape mode "default"
}
bindsym $mod+Shift+x mode "$mode_display"

### Status Bar:
# Read `man 5 sway-bar` for more information about this section.
bar {
    swaybar_command "waybar -c ~/.config/sway/waybar/config -s ~/.config/sway/waybar/style.css"
}

### Startup
exec mako --anchor top-right --default-timeout 6000
exec wl-paste -t text --watch clipman store --no-persist
exec fcitx5 -r &

### Screenshot
bindsym --release {
        Print exec grim $(date +'%Y%m%d-%H%M%S.png')
        Shift+Print exec grim -g "$(slurp)" $(date +'%Y%m%d-%H%M%S.png')
}

### Keyboard
input type:keyboard {
      xkb_options ctrl:nocaps
}

### Touchpad of laptop
input type:touchpad {
      dwt enable
}

### Lid related event for laptop
bindswitch {
      lid:on output eDP-1 disable
      lid:off output eDP-1 enable
}

### Special keys for laptop
bindsym {
        # Volume
        XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ +5%
        XF86AudioLowerVolume exec pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ -5%
        XF86AudioMute exec pactl set-sink-mute @DEFAULT_SINK@ toggle
        XF86AudioMicMute exec pactl set-source-mute @DEFAULT_SOURCE@ toggle

        # Brightness
        XF86MonBrightnessUp exec sudo light -A 5
        XF86MonBrightnessDown exec sudo light -U 5
}

include /etc/sway/config.d/*
xwayland enable

~/.config/sway/wofi.conf

mode=drun
allow_images=true
allow_markup=true
location=center
lines=9
filter_rate=1
term=termite
key_up=Control_L-p
key_down=Control_L-n
key_exit=Control_L-g
no_actions=true
width=300
image_size=32

~/.config/sway/waybar.style.css

* {
    border: none;
    border-radius: 0;
    font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
    font-size: 18px;
    min-height: 0;
}

window#waybar {
    background-color: rgba(43, 48, 59, 0.5);
    border-bottom: 3px solid rgba(100, 114, 125, 0.5);
    color: #ffffff;
    transition-property: background-color;
    transition-duration: .5s;
}

window#waybar.hidden {
    opacity: 0.3;
}

/*
window#waybar.empty {
    background-color: transparent;
}
window#waybar.solo {
    background-color: #FFFFFF;
}
*/

window#waybar.termite {
    background-color: #3F3F3F;
}

window#waybar.chromium {
    background-color: #000000;
    border: none;
}

#workspaces button {
    padding: 0 5px;
    background-color: transparent;
    color: #ffffff;
    border-bottom: 3px solid transparent;
}

/* https://github.com/Alexays/Waybar/wiki/FAQ#the-workspace-buttons-have-a-strange-hover-effect */
#workspaces button:hover {
    background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
    box-shadow: inherit;
    border-bottom: 3px solid #ffffff;
}

#workspaces button.focused {
    background-color: #64727D;
    border-bottom: 3px solid #ffffff;
}

#workspaces button.urgent {
    background-color: #eb4d4b;
}

#mode {
    background-color: #64727D;
    border-bottom: 3px solid #ffffff;
}

#clock,
#battery,
#cpu,
#memory,
#temperature,
#backlight,
#network,
#pulseaudio,
#custom-media,
#tray,
#mode,
#idle_inhibitor {
    padding: 0 10px;
    margin: 0 0px;
    color: #ffffff;
}

#clock {
    background-color: #64727D;
}

#battery {
    background-color: #ffffff;
    color: #000000;
}

#battery.charging {
    color: #ffffff;
    background-color: #26A65B;
}

@keyframes blink {
    to {
        background-color: #ffffff;
        color: #000000;
    }
}

#battery.critical:not(.charging) {
    background-color: #f53c3c;
    color: #ffffff;
    animation-name: blink;
    animation-duration: 0.5s;
    animation-timing-function: linear;
    animation-iteration-count: infinite;
    animation-direction: alternate;
}

label:focus {
    background-color: #000000;
}

#cpu {
    background-color: #2ecc71;
    color: #000000;
}

#memory {
    background-color: #9b59b6;
}

#backlight {
    background-color: #90b1b1;
}

#network {
    background-color: #2980b9;
}

#network.disconnected {
    background-color: #f53c3c;
}

#pulseaudio {
    background-color: #f1c40f;
    color: #000000;
}

#pulseaudio.muted {
    background-color: #90b1b1;
    color: #2a5c45;
}

#custom-media {
    background-color: #66cc99;
    color: #2a5c45;
    min-width: 100px;
}

#custom-media.custom-spotify {
    background-color: #66cc99;
}

#custom-media.custom-vlc {
    background-color: #ffa000;
}

#temperature {
    background-color: #f0932b;
}

#temperature.critical {
    background-color: #eb4d4b;
}

#tray {
    background-color: #2980b9;
}

#idle_inhibitor {
    background-color: #2d3436;
}

#idle_inhibitor.activated {
    background-color: #ecf0f1;
    color: #2d3436;
}

#mpd {
    background-color: #66cc99;
    color: #2a5c45;
}

#mpd.disconnected {
    background-color: #f53c3c;
}

#mpd.stopped {
    background-color: #90b1b1;
}

#mpd.paused {
    background-color: #51a37a;
}

Startup

After the installation and configuration, sway can be started by running command sway from a TTY after login.

KDE Applications

There are a rich number of applications dedicated for KDE, e.g., file manager dolphin and PDF reader okular. On sway, they can be installed and configured as follows.

Installation

pacman -S dolphin okular

Configuration

  • Install icons of breeze theme. 

    pacman -S breeze-icons

  • Install configuration tool qt5ct. 

    pacman -S qt5ct

  • Append the following entry into ~/.pam_environment. 

    QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=qt5ct
  • Run qt5ct to configure the font and icon.