Sway - Revision history

WhyNotHugo: /* PipeWire and Screensharing */ update links to screensharing

2026-05-03T12:57:06Z

PipeWire and Screensharing: update links to screensharing

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:57, 3 May 2026
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	From a screensharing perspective, applications are split into two categories:-		From a screensharing perspective, applications are split into two categories:-

	* Those which use the native Wayland [https://wayland.app/protocols/wlr-screencopy-unstable-v1 wlr-screencopy] protocol		* Those which use the native Wayland [https://wayland.app/protocols/ext-image-copy-capture-v1 ext-image-copy-capture-v1] (or the legacy experimental [https://wayland.app/protocols/wlr-screencopy-unstable-v1 wlr-screencopy]) protocol
	* Those which use the API from Flatpak's <code>xdg-desktop-portal</code> (this portal is also used by native non-Flatpak applications).		* Those which use the API from Flatpak's <code>xdg-desktop-portal</code> (this portal is also used by native non-Flatpak applications).

WhyNotHugo: /* Setup-desktop */

2026-03-01T01:30:48Z

Setup-desktop

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:30, 1 March 2026
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	== Setup-desktop ==		== Setup-desktop ==

			{{Todo\|Sway doesn't require elogind, and is commonly used without it. Installing it is a distraction.}}

	The [[setup-desktop]] command automates the Sway desktop installation with [[eudev]] and [[elogind]].		The [[setup-desktop]] command automates the Sway desktop installation with [[eudev]] and [[elogind]].

WhyNotHugo: /* Prerequisites */ eudev is not required for any of sway's functionality

2026-02-11T20:34:02Z

Prerequisites: eudev is not required for any of sway's functionality

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:34, 11 February 2026
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	* A [[Setting_up_a_new_user#Creating_a_new_user\|non-root user account]].		* A [[Setting_up_a_new_user#Creating_a_new_user\|non-root user account]].
	* The [[Repositories#Managing_repositories\|community repositories must be enabled]].		* The [[Repositories#Managing_repositories\|community repositories must be enabled]].
	* Set up [[eudev]].
	* Wayland compositors need raw access to input and output devices, typically mediated by a [[seat manager]]. Either [[seatd]] or [[elogind]] work fine, but installing both leads to conflicts.		* Wayland compositors need raw access to input and output devices, typically mediated by a [[seat manager]]. Either [[seatd]] or [[elogind]] work fine, but installing both leads to conflicts.
	{{Tip\|Except for the first two [[#Prerequisites\|prerequisites]], all of the others are automatically handled if the desktop is [[#Setup-desktop\|installed using the following setup-desktop]] script.}}		{{Tip\|Except for the first two [[#Prerequisites\|prerequisites]], all of the others are automatically handled if the desktop is [[#Setup-desktop\|installed using the following setup-desktop]] script.}}

Prabuanand: moved the Quickstart - config File section to Sway customization guide as per discussion

2025-10-15T04:14:03Z

moved the Quickstart - config File section to Sway customization guide as per discussion

Show changes

WhyNotHugo: /* Screen Lock and suspend-to-RAM */ Remove elogind instructions; link to dedicated page

2025-10-14T22:09:00Z

Screen Lock and suspend-to-RAM: Remove elogind instructions; link to dedicated page

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:09, 14 October 2025
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	{{Tip\| For a seat manager-agnostic and DE-/WM-agnostic tool, consider installing the {{Pkg\|zzz}} utility, available in the [[Repositories#Community\|community]] repository, or the {{Pkg\|powerctl}} utility from the [[Repositories#Testing\|testing]] repository, in order to manage suspend and hibernation.}}		{{Tip\| For a seat manager-agnostic and DE-/WM-agnostic tool, consider installing the {{Pkg\|zzz}} utility, available in the [[Repositories#Community\|community]] repository, or the {{Pkg\|powerctl}} utility from the [[Repositories#Testing\|testing]] repository, in order to manage suspend and hibernation.}}

	~~Putting the system to sleep with~~ the <Code>loginctl suspend</Code> command ~~from~~ [[Elogind]] ~~requires elevated privileges or additional configuration~~.		For usage of the <Code>loginctl suspend</Code> command, see [[Elogind]].

	To put the system to sleep after 600 seconds, use:		To put the system to sleep after 600 seconds, use:

	exec swayidle -w timeout 600 'doas /bin/~~loginctl suspend~~'		exec swayidle -w timeout 600 'doas /usr/bin/powerctl mem'

	Do not lock the screen if program is running in full screen:		Do not lock the screen if program is running in full screen:

			==== Idle inhibition ====

	for_window [app_id="^.*"] inhibit_idle fullscreen		for_window [app_id="^.*"] inhibit_idle fullscreen

WhyNotHugo: /* PipeWire and Screensharing */ Remove reference to obsolete script

2025-10-14T22:06:18Z

PipeWire and Screensharing: Remove reference to obsolete script

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:06, 14 October 2025
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	The Sway compositor has no involvement with audio playback. In order for screensharing to work, [[PipeWire]] is required. Therefore, installing [[PipeWire#Installation\|PipeWire]] is recommended for audio playback too.		The Sway compositor has no involvement with audio playback. In order for screensharing to work, [[PipeWire]] is required. Therefore, installing [[PipeWire#Installation\|PipeWire]] is recommended for audio playback too.

	Since v3.22, Alpine Linux provides the necessary scripts to start PipeWire as a [[OpenRC#user services\|user service]] in OpenRC. ~~Alternatively, PipeWire can be launched with Sway by adding the following line to Sway's {{Path\|config}} file:~~		Since v3.22, Alpine Linux provides the necessary scripts to start PipeWire as a [[OpenRC#user services\|user service]] in OpenRC.
	~~exec /usr/libexec/pipewire-launcher~~

	From a screensharing perspective, applications are split into two categories:-		From a screensharing perspective, applications are split into two categories:-
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	:However, this method is not universal, as it would require resetting the {{ic\|XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP}} variable for any different desktop/compositor/window manager that may be launched afterwards, possibly by employing a launcher similar to the wrapper script alternative described for '''Sway''' [[Sway#Automatically_Launch_Sway_on_tty1\|below]]; or		:However, this method is not universal, as it would require resetting the {{ic\|XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP}} variable for any different desktop/compositor/window manager that may be launched afterwards, possibly by employing a launcher similar to the wrapper script alternative described for '''Sway''' [[Sway#Automatically_Launch_Sway_on_tty1\|below]]; or
	* by being set automatically by the display manager, as is commonplace, but none is supplied by '''Sway'''.		* by being set automatically by the display manager, as is commonplace, but none is supplied by '''Sway'''.


	=== Screen Lock and suspend-to-RAM ===		=== Screen Lock and suspend-to-RAM ===

Prabuanand: typo

2025-10-14T07:21:20Z

typo

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:21, 14 October 2025
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	{{main\|Flatpak}}		{{main\|Flatpak}}

	As mentioned in [[Flatpak#Portals\|Flatpak]] page, install the minimal required portal related packages i.e {{pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal}}, {{pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal-gtk}} and {{pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal-wlr}}. After installing the packages, add the ~~relevant~~ following to the ''autostart'' section in your Sway {{Path\|config}} file to avoid [[Flatpak#GDBus_Error\|GDBus errors]].		As mentioned in [[Flatpak#Portals\|Flatpak]] page, install the minimal required portal related packages i.e {{pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal}}, {{pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal-gtk}} and {{pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal-wlr}}. After installing the packages, add the following to the ''autostart'' section in your Sway {{Path\|config}} file to avoid [[Flatpak#GDBus_Error\|GDBus errors]].
	<pre>		<pre>
	exec /usr/libexec/xdg-desktop-portal		exec /usr/libexec/xdg-desktop-portal
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	</pre>		</pre>

	These startup instructions are only needed if these are not started automatically via other means.		These startup instructions are only needed, if these are not started automatically via other means.

	== Starting Sway ==		== Starting Sway ==

Prabuanand: moved content and error message to Flatpak page

2025-10-14T07:15:16Z

moved content and error message to Flatpak page

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:15, 14 October 2025
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	{{main\|Flatpak}}		{{main\|Flatpak}}
	Due to their sandboxing, flatpaks require the use of a portal frontend ({{Pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal}}) and backends (such as {{Pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal-wlr}}, {{Pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal-gtk}}, {{Pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal-gnome}}) that implement the methods. When in doubt, install multiple backends. For more information on backends, see [https://github.com/flatpak/xdg-desktop-portal/#using-portals flatpak's page on the subject]. In addition to the steps under the [[#PipeWire and Screensharing\|screensharing]] section, it may also be necessary to launch additional backends in your Sway {{Path\|config}} file. Otherwise, you may run into ''GDBus'' errors, as your flatpak fails to interface with the portal. This can cause issues such as with opening your file directories from a flatpak application.

	~~After installing different backends~~, ~~you might need to add~~ the ~~relevant backends to your Sway~~ {{~~Path~~\|~~config~~}} ~~file similar to those shown in the [[Sway#PipeWire~~ and ~~Screensharing~~\|~~Firefox screensharing]] section above~~. ~~For example~~, an ''autostart'' section in your Sway {{Path\|config}} file ~~may include:~~		As mentioned in [[Flatpak#Portals\|Flatpak]] page, install the minimal required portal related packages i.e {{pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal}}, {{pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal-gtk}} and {{pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal-wlr}}. After installing the packages, add the relevant following to the ''autostart'' section in your Sway {{Path\|config}} file to avoid [[Flatpak#GDBus_Error\|GDBus errors]].
	<pre>		<pre>
			exec /usr/libexec/xdg-desktop-portal
	exec /usr/libexec/xdg-desktop-portal-gtk		exec /usr/libexec/xdg-desktop-portal-gtk
	exec /usr/libexec/xdg-desktop-portal-wlr		exec /usr/libexec/xdg-desktop-portal-wlr
	~~exec /usr/libexec/xdg-desktop-portal-gnome~~
	</pre>		</pre>

	These instructions are only needed if these ~~backends~~ are not started automatically via other means.		These startup instructions are only needed if these are not started automatically via other means.

	== Starting Sway ==		== Starting Sway ==

John3-16: 1. Added 'Quickstart - config File'; 2. grammar amended.

2025-10-09T19:39:55Z

1. Added 'Quickstart - config File'; 2. grammar amended.

Show changes

John3-16: Provided different alternatives for setting XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP, as use of xdg-desktop-portal requires more detailing.

2025-10-07T18:01:14Z

Provided different alternatives for setting XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP, as use of xdg-desktop-portal requires more detailing.

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:01, 7 October 2025
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	exec dbus-update-activation-environment WAYLAND_DISPLAY DISPLAY XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP SWAYSOCK I3SOCK XCURSOR_SIZE XCURSOR_THEME		exec dbus-update-activation-environment WAYLAND_DISPLAY DISPLAY XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP SWAYSOCK I3SOCK XCURSOR_SIZE XCURSOR_THEME

	The {{ic\|XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP}} environment variable may be set in that {{ic\|dbus-update-activation-environment}} line by editing ~~its mention~~ to specify {{ic\|XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP{{=}}sway}}~~. Otherwise,~~ it could be managed by installing {{Pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal}} with its backend for '''Sway''', {{Pkg\|xdg-desktop-portal-wlr}}, so that '''xdg-desktop-portal''' could then set the variable depending on which desktop is currently in use. For an ~~individual user of '''Sway'''~~, ~~consider configuring the portal~~ as ~~follows~~:		The {{ic\|XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP}} environment variable may be set by various methods, including:-
			* by amending its mention in that {{ic\|dbus-update-activation-environment}} line, editing it to specify {{ic\|XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP{{=}}sway}} ; or
			* by exporting it from within an applicable environment configuration file, such as:

	{{Cat\| $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/~~xdg-desktop-portal/sway-portals~~.~~conf~~\|<nowiki>		:{{Cat\| $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/.profile\|<nowiki>
	~~[preferred]~~		export XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=sway
	~~default~~=~~wlr;gtk~~
	</nowiki>}}		</nowiki>}}

	~~Portal requests~~, ~~including file pickers~~, ~~are then attempted to be managed by the {{Pkg\|wlrroot}} library primarily but~~ would ~~fall back to ''gtk'' if required.~~		:However, this method is not universal, as it would require resetting the {{ic\|XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP}} variable for any desktop/different compositor/window manager that may be launched afterwards, possibly by employing a launcher similar to the wrapper script alternative described for '''Sway''' [[Sway#Automatically_Launch_Sway_on_tty1\|below]]; or
	~~For a workthrough on options about setting~~ the {{ic\|XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP}} variable, ~~confer~~ the [~~https://github.com/swaywm/sway/wiki~~#~~xdg_current_desktop-environment-variable-is-not-~~being-set ~~upstream wiki]~~.		* by being set automatically by the display manager, as is commonplace, but none is supplied by '''Sway'''.


	=== Screen Lock and suspend-to-RAM ===		=== Screen Lock and suspend-to-RAM ===