Modified documentation to make clear the change in development (main) branch versus releases.
(cherry picked from commit ad30ca910b9da45835523af5c24ac353b7d13e9f)
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### Latest semi-stable [release]This is probably where you want to start. This builds against the dependentpackages' versions currently shipping in major distributions. If yourdistribution's wlroots version is older, use an earlier dwl [release] or [0.xbranch].
Given the Wayland architecture, dwl has to implement features from dwm **and**the xorg-server. Because of this, it is impossible to maintain the originalproject goal of 2000 SLOC and have a reasonably complete compositor withfeatures comparable to dwm. However, this does not mean that the code will growindiscriminately. We will try to keep the code as small as possible.Features under consideration (possibly as patches) are:- Protocols made trivial by wlroots- Implement the text-input and input-method protocols to support IME once ibusimplements input-method v2 (see https://github.com/ibus/ibus/pull/2256 andhttps://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl/pulls/235)Feature *non-goals* for the main codebase include:- Client-side decoration (any more than is necessary to tell the clients not to)- Client-initiated window management, such as move, resize, and close, which canbe done through the compositor- Animations and visual effects## Building dwl
### Development branch [main]Active development progresses on the `main` branch. The `main` branch is builtagainst a late (and often changing) git commit of wlroots. While the adventurousare welcome to use `main`, it is a rocky road. Using `main` requires that theuser be willing to chase git commits of wlroots. Testing development pullrequests may involve merging unmerged pull requests in [wlroots]' git repositoryand/or git commits of wayland.### Building dwldwl 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 dependencies:```libinputwaylandwlroots (compiled with the libinput backend)xkbcommonwayland-protocols (compile-time only)pkg-config (compile-time only)```If you enable X11 support:```libxcblibxcb-wmwlroots (compiled with X11 support)Xwayland (runtime only)```
dwl has the following additional dependencies if XWayland support is enabled:- libxcb- libxcb-wm- wlroots (compiled with X11 support)- Xwayland (runtime only)
Simply install these (and their `-devel` versions if your distro has separatedevelopment packages) and run `make`. You need to use the Git version ofwlroots to build the `main` branch. If you wish to build against a releasedversion of wlroots, use a release or a [0.x branch].
Install these (and their `-devel` versions if your distro has separatedevelopment packages) and run `make`. If you wish to build against a releasedversion of wlroots (*you probably do*), use a [release] or a [0.x branch]. Ifyou want to use the unstable development `main` branch, you need to use the gitversion of [wlroots].
As in the dwm community, we encourage users to share patches they have created.Check out the dwl [patches repository]!
As in the dwm community, we encourage users to share patches they havecreated. Check out the [dwl-patches] repository!
run it as a separate window inside either an X11 or Wayland session, as wellas directly from a VT console. Depending on your distro's setup, you may needto add your user to the `video` and `input` groups before you can run dwl ona VT. If you are using `elogind` or `systemd-logind` you need to installpolkit; otherwise you need to add yourself in the `seat` group andenable/start the seatd daemon.
run it as a separate window inside either an X11 or Wayland session, as well asdirectly from a VT console. Depending on your distro's setup, you may need toadd your user to the `video` and `input` groups before you can run dwl on aVT. 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 theseatd daemon.
decoration initially; these are instead clients that can be run withinthe Wayland session.Do note that the background color is black.
decoration initially; these are instead clients that can be run within theWayland session. Do note that the default background color is black. This can bemodified in `config.h`.
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 torun a startup command that does not consume the status information, you canclose standard input with the `<&-` shell redirection, for example:
populate an external status bar with a script that parses theinformation. Failing to read this information will cause dwl to block, so if youdo want to run a startup command that does not consume the status information,you can close standard input with the `<&-` shell redirection, for example:
- Any features provided by dwm/Xlib: simple window borders, tags, keybindings,client rules, mouse move/resize. Providing a built-in status bar is anexception to this goal, to avoid dependencies on font rendering and/or drawinglibraries 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 idlemonitoring- Provide information to external status bars via stdout/stdin- Urgency hints via xdg-activate protocol- Support screen lockers via ext-session-lock-v1 protocol- Various Wayland protocols- XWayland support as provided by wlroots (can be enabled in `config.mk`)- Zero flickering - Wayland users naturally expect that "every frame is perfect"- Layer shell popups (used by Waybar)- Damage tracking provided by scenegraph APIGiven the Wayland architecture, dwl has to implement features from dwm **and**the xorg-server. Because of this, it is impossible to maintain the originalproject goal of 2000 SLOC and have a reasonably complete compositor withfeatures comparable to dwm. However, this does not mean that the code will growindiscriminately. We will try to keep the code as small as possible.Features under consideration (possibly as patches) are:- Protocols made trivial by wlroots- Implement the text-input and input-method protocols to support IME once ibusimplements input-method v2 (see https://github.com/ibus/ibus/pull/2256 andhttps://codeberg.org/dwl/dwl/pulls/235)Feature *non-goals* for the main codebase include:- Client-side decoration (any more than is necessary to tell the clients not to)- Client-initiated window management, such as move, resize, and close, which canbe done through the compositor- Animations and visual effects
[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
[`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/