Dwm

2024-04-25T17:12:14Z

Noste: Added missing package in dwm dependencies

{{DISPLAYTITLE:dwm}}[https://dwm.suckless.org/ dwm] is a dynamic window manager for X. It manages windows in tiled, monocle and floating layouts.

This guide covers:

* Installing dependencies for the [https://suckless.org suckless] tools and installing firefox
* Installing from source or from repository dwm (dynamic window manager), dmenu (dynamic menu), st (simple terminal)
* Configuring the new profile to run dwm at login.

= Prerequisites =
* [[Installation|Install]] AlpineLinux
* [[Setting_up_a_new_user#Creating_a_new_user|Create a user account]] (optional but recommended)
* [[Repositories#Enabling_the_community_repository|Enable the Community repository]]
* [[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-xorg-base|Install Xorg]]

== Installing from binary repository ==
{{Cmd|# apk add dwm dmenu st}}

This will install {{Pkg|dwm}}, {{Pkg|dmenu}} and {{Pkg|st}}

== Installing from source ==

=== Installing dependencies ===
{{Note|'''git make gcc g++ libx11-dev libxft-dev libxinerama-dev ncurses''' are needed to install suckless tools from source.

'''dbus-x11''' is needed for the dbus system (enables firefox running in dwm to open in a tile)

The last three '''adwaita-gtk2-theme adwaita-icon-theme font-dejavu''' are optional, but recommended for a nicer looking firefox.}}

The command to install the dependencies:
{{cmd|# apk add {{pkg|git}} {{pkg|make}} {{pkg|gcc}} {{pkg|g++}} {{pkg|libx11-dev}} {{pkg|libxft-dev}} {{pkg|libxinerama-dev}} {{pkg|ncurses}} {{pkg|dbus-x11}} {{pkg|firefox-esr}} {{pkg|adwaita-gtk2-theme}} {{pkg|adwaita-icon-theme}} {{pkg|font-dejavu}} {{pkg|libxft-dev}}}}

=== Installing suckless tools dwm, dmenu, and st from source ===
Change to the {{Path|/tmp directory}}.
{{cmd|$ cd /tmp}}
then execute:
{{cmd|# git clone https://git.suckless.org/dwm}}
Once downloaded, go to the dwm directory
{{cmd|# cd dwm}}
To install, run:
{{cmd|# make clean install}}
Next, go up one directory level
{{cmd|# cd ..}}
to install dmenu:
{{cmd|# git clone https://git.suckless.org/dmenu
# cd dmenu
# make clean install}}
Finally, go up one more directory level
{{cmd|# cd ..}}
to install st:
{{cmd|# git clone https://git.suckless.org/st
# cd st
# make clean install}}

== Setting up your profile ==
Change to your home directory:
{{cmd|$ cd ~}}
Create or edit {{Path|.xinitrc}} with at least the following:
{{cat|~/.xinitrc|exec dwm}}
Save the file and exit vi.

Next, create or edit {{Path|.profile}} with at least the following:
{{cat|~/.profile|startx}}

{{Note|If you install additional programs that call your `$SHELL` with the POSIX `-l` login flag, you'll need to make launching `startx` conditional, otherwise X will attempt to launch every time your shell is called with the login flag.
{{cat|~/.profile|if [ -z $DISPLAY ] && [ $(tty) {{=}} /dev/tty1 ]; then
startx
fi
}}
|gotchas}}

Log out or reboot. dwm will run the next time you log in.
Press {{Key|Alt}}+{{Key|p}} to launch dmenu. Type firefox then press {{key|enter}}. Firefox will load and run in tile 9.

= See Also =
* https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/contents?file=dwm
* [https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Dwm "dwm is only a single binary, and its source code is intended to never exceed 2000 SLOC. dwm is customized through editing its source code"]
* [[AwesomeWM]]
* [[Raspberry Pi 3 - Browser Client]] - A guide which omits dwm, but uses similar steps to install firefox in a diskless install on ARM. dwm is not used on the RPI3, due to tmpfs limitations.

== See also ==
* [https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Dwm Dwm - Archwiki]

[[Category:Desktop]]
[[Category:Window Managers]]

Alpine Linux - User contributions [en]

Dwm