I3wm: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:50, 9 January 2025

i3 is a tiling window manager, primarily targeted at advanced users and developers.

Internet connectivity, unless the packages have been pre-fetched into a local cache.
Install appropriate Graphics driver drivers for your hardware. Without graphics drivers, errors are likely to occur when starting your desktop.
A non-root user account.
The community repository must be enabled.
Set up eudev.
Install and enable D-Bus. Without D-Bus, icons and keyboard shortcuts may be missing.

Installation

Install X11 and set it up using the setup-xorg-base script.

# setup-xorg-base

Install i3, i3 status bar and terminal packages i3wm, i3status, xterm.

# apk add i3wm i3status xterm

Note: Add the user to input and video groups. The default configuration is minimal and most menu options won't work unless you customize and/or install additional packages.

Install drivers

Ensure you have the required drivers.

# apk search xf86-input*

# apk search xf86-video*

# apk add xf86-video-fbdev xf86-video-vesa

Install fonts

Install fonts. If you start i3 without fonts it will be unusable.

# apk add font-terminus

Install dbus

Install dbus and set it up.

# apk add dbus

# dbus-uuidgen > /var/lib/dbus/machine-id

# rc-update add dbus

starting i3

Now you can start i3 manually:

# startx /usr/bin/i3

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{DISPLAYTITLE:i3wm}}
-== Initial setup ==
+[https://i3wm.org/ i3] is a tiling window manager, primarily targeted at advanced users and developers.
-I will assume you are working on a fresh, installation of Alpine standard.
+{{:Include:Desktop prerequisites}}
-Otherwise see [[Installation|these]] instructions.
-== Enable Community Repository ==
+== Installation ==
-We need the Community Repository available for access to the i3 packages.
+Install X11 and set it up using the <code>setup-xorg-base</code> script.{{Cmd|# setup-xorg-base}}
-Instructions are available on the [[Repositories#Enabling_the_community_repository|Repositories]] page.
-== Install X11 ==
+Install i3,  i3 status bar and terminal packages {{pkg|i3wm|arch=}}, {{pkg|i3status|arch=}}, {{pkg|xterm|arch=}}.
-Install X11 and set it up.
+{{Cmd|# apk add i3wm i3status xterm}}
-{{Cmd|# setup-xorg-base}}
+{{Note|Add the user to '''input''' and '''video''' groups. The default configuration is minimal and most menu options won't work unless you customize and/or install additional packages.}}
-== Install drivers ==
+=== Install drivers ===
 Ensure you have the required drivers.
@@ Line 23: / Line 21: @@
 {{Cmd|# apk search {{pkg|xf86-video*}}}}
-=== Example driver installation ===
 {{Cmd|# apk add {{pkg|xf86-video-fbdev|arch=}} {{pkg|xf86-video-vesa|arch=}}}}
-== Install fonts ==
+=== Install fonts ===
 Install [[Fonts|fonts]]. If you start i3 without fonts it will be unusable.
@@ Line 34: / Line 30: @@
 {{Cmd|# apk add {{pkg|font-terminus|arch=}}}}
-== Install dbus ==
+=== Install dbus ===
 Install dbus and set it up.
@@ Line 44: / Line 40: @@
 {{Cmd|# rc-update add dbus}}
-== Install i3 ==
+== starting i3 ==
-Install i3, the i3 status bar and a terminal.
-{{Cmd|# apk add {{pkg|i3wm|arch=}} {{pkg|i3status|arch=}} {{pkg|xterm|arch=}}}}
-== Set up a non-root account ==
-Set up a non-root account:
-{{Cmd|# adduser ''new-user''}}
-{{Cmd|# addgroup ''new-user'' input}}
-{{Cmd|# addgroup ''new-user'' video}}
-== Test ==
-Now you can start i3 manually:
-{{Cmd|# startx /usr/bin/i3}}
-{{Note|The default configuration is minimal and most menu options won't work unless you customize and/or install additional packages. More information is available in the [https://i3wm.org/docs/userguide.html i3 user guide].}}
-== Starting i3 on login ==
-To have i3 start automatically on login, you should set up xinit.
-There are different ways to do this. The [https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Xinit ArchWiki]
-has information on this.
-{{Todo|add section on Xinit}}
+Now you can start i3 manually: {{Cmd|# startx /usr/bin/i3}}
+== See also ==
+* [[Xorg|Legacy Xorg drivers]]
+* [https://i3wm.org/docs/userguide.html i3 user guide]
+* [https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Xinit startup i3 automatically]
 [[category: Desktop]]
 [[category: Window Managers]]