# labwc

- [1. What is this?](#1-what-is-this)
- [2. Build](#2-build)
- [3. Configure](#3-configure)
- [4. Run](#4-run)
- [5. Integrate](#5-integrate)
- [6. Roadmap](#6-roadmap)
- [7. Scope](#7-scope)

## 1. What is this?

Labwc is a [WIP] free, stacking compositor for Wayland based on wlroots.

It has the following aims:

- Be light-weight, small and fast
- Have the look and feel of [openbox](https://github.com/danakj/openbox) albeit
  with smaller feature set
- Where practicable, use clients to show wall-paper, take screenshots, and so on
- Stay in keeping with wlroots and sway in terms of approach and coding style

It is in early development, so expect bugs and missing features.

Labwc has been inspired and influenced by [openbox](https://github.com/danakj/openbox), [sway](https://github.com/swaywm/sway), [cage](https://www.hjdskes.nl/blog/cage-01/), [wio](https://wio-project.org/) and [rootston](https://github.com/swaywm/rootston)

The following were considered before choosing wlroots: [qtwayland](https://github.com/qt/qtwayland), [grefsen](https://github.com/ec1oud/grefsen), [mir](https://mir-server.io) and [egmde](https://github.com/AlanGriffiths/egmde).

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wiki/johanmalm/labwc/images/scrot2.png)

## 2. Build

    meson build && ninja -C build

Dependencies include:

- meson, ninja
- wlroots (0.11.0 - 0.12.0)
- wayland (>=1.16)
- wayland-protocols
- xwayland, xcb (optional)
- libinput (>=1.14)
- libxml2
- cairo, pango, glib-2.0
- xcb
- xkbcommon

Disable xwayland with `meson -Dxwayland=disabled build`

For further details see [wiki/Build](https://github.com/johanmalm/labwc/wiki/Build).

## 3. Configure

If you want to override the defaults, copy data/rc.xml to ~/.config/labwc/ and tweak to suit.

See [rc.xml](docs/rc.xml) and [themerc](docs/themerc) comments for details including keybinds.

See full details in the following:

- [labwc(1)](docs/labwc.1.md)
- [labwc-config(5)](docs/labwc-config.5.md)
- [labwc-theme(5)](docs/labwc-theme.5.md)
- [labwc-actions(5)](docs/labwc-actions.5.md)

## 4. Run

    ./build/labwc -s <some-application>

If you have not created an rc.xml configuration file, default keybinds will be:

- Alt-tab: cycle window
- Alt-F2: cycle window
- Alt-F3: launch dmenu
- Alt-escape: exit

## 5. Integrate

Suggested apps to use with labwc:

- [grim](https://github.com/emersion/grim) - Screenshoter
- [wf-recorder](https://github.com/ammen99/wf-recorder) - Screen-recorder
- [swaybg](https://github.com/swaywm/swaybg) - Background image
- [waybar](https://github.com/Alexays/Waybar) - Panel
- [bemenu](https://github.com/Cloudef/bemenu) - Launcher
- [fuzzel](https://codeberg.org/dnkl/fuzzel) - Launcher
- [wofi](https://hg.sr.ht/~scoopta/wofi) - Launcher

## 6. Roadmap

No acceptance criteria exists, but the following list indicates the inteded high level roadmap:

- [x] Optionally support xwayland
- [x] Parse openbox config files (rc.xml, autostart, environment)
- [x] Parse openbox themes files and associated xbm icons
- [x] Show maximize, iconify, close buttons
- [x] Catch SIGHUP to re-load config file and theme
- [x] Support layer-shell protocol ('exclusive' not yet implemented)
- [x] Support damage tracking to reduce CPU usage
- [ ] Support root-menu and parse menu.xml (very simple implementation, no submenus yet)
- [ ] Support 'maximize'
- [ ] Support wlr-output-management protocol and [kanshi](https://github.com/emersion/kanshi.git)
- [ ] Support foreign-toplevel protocol (e.g. to integrate with wlroots panels/bars)
- [ ] Implement client-menu
- [ ] Support on-screen display (osd), for example to support alt-tab window list
- [ ] Support HiDPI
- [ ] Support libinput configuration (tap is enabled for the time being)

## 7. Scope

In order to keep the code base clean and maintainable, simplicy is favoured over full specification adherence.

### In-scope

Refer to these wiki pages for a more detailed scope definition against the openbox documentation.

- [configuration](https://github.com/johanmalm/labwc/wiki/Scope-configuration)
- [theme specification](https://github.com/johanmalm/labwc/wiki/Scope-theme-specification)
- [actions](https://github.com/johanmalm/labwc/wiki/Scope-actions)

Track [progress](https://github.com/johanmalm/labwc/wiki/Scope-progress) against the above specification.

### Out-of-scope

The following items are out-of-scope:

- Icons (except window buttons)
- Animations
- Gradients on window decorations and menus
- Any theme option (probably at least half of them) not required to reasonably render common themes
- Any configuration option not required to provide a simple openbox-like experience
- Multiple desktops