https://github.com/Kiki-Bouba-Team/niri-switch
Provides task switcher for Niri compositor.
https://github.com/Kiki-Bouba-Team/niri-switch
alt niri tab
Last synced: 8 months ago
JSON representation
Provides task switcher for Niri compositor.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/Kiki-Bouba-Team/niri-switch
- Owner: Kiki-Bouba-Team
- License: gpl-3.0
- Created: 2025-07-24T21:08:43.000Z (11 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-10-05T18:01:00.000Z (8 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-10-05T19:12:59.237Z (8 months ago)
- Topics: alt, niri, tab
- Language: Rust
- Homepage:
- Size: 85 KB
- Stars: 12
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 3
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
- awesome-niri - niri-switch - A fast task switcher — similar to Alt-Tab known from Windows, Gnome, KDE Plasma etc[^1]. (Tools / Window and Workspace Management)
README
# niri-switch - A niri task switcher
niri-switch implements fast task switching for [niri](https://github.com/YaLTeR/niri) compositor. It aims to provide functionality similar to Alt-Tab known from Windows, Gnome, KDE Plasma and many other desktop environments.
The main use case is quickly switching between windows located on different displays and/or workspaces.
## Project status
niri-switch is currently **usable** and quite stable. It is still in early development and requires few features to be completed to actually deliver a good user experience. But anyone is welcome to play around with it and provide much appreciated feedback.
## Dependencies
* `niri` - niri-switch needs a running niri session to connect to it via IPC socket.
* `gtk4`, `gtk4-layer-shell` - needed to display the graphical interface. The minimal required version of GTK4 is `4.12`.
To install the program you will also need `cargo` - the rust build system. It's usually installed via [rustup](https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install).
## Getting started
Clone the repository and run `cargo install --path ./niri-switch`.
Make sure that `~/.cargo/bin` is in your `$PATH`. You can verify it by running `niri-switch --version`.
Next you need to add following configuration to your niri config at `~/.config/niri/config.kdl`:
```kdl
spawn-at-startup "niri-switch-daemon"
binds {
// Append to existing binds section
Alt+Tab { spawn "niri-switch"; }
}
```
**After restarting the niri session, niri-switch will be ready to use.**
> [!NOTE]
> You can bind the command to any key combination, `Alt+Tab` is just an example.
> [!TIP]
> Instead of `spawn-at-startup` you can write a custom systemd service for `graphical-session.target` if you want more control over the daemon.
## Navigation
After opening the overlay (e.g. via Alt + Tab), you can move around with arrow keys and select a window with Enter. To exit without focusing on any window, press Escape.
Reapeted calls to niri-switch will also advance the selection.
## Default themes
niri-switch is based on GTK4 and will use your system's default GTK settings. The config is usually located at `~/.config/gtk-4.0/settings.ini` and can be modified. For example, if you want to use dark theme in niri-switch without any CSS modification, you can add
```
[Settings]
gtk-application-prefer-dark-theme = true
```
to the `settings.ini` file (this will have a global effect). Or run the `niri-switch-daemon` with `GTK_THEME` environment variable.
## Customization
You can customize the look by providing custom `~/.config/niri-switch/style.css` file. The default configuration is located in `src/daemon/gui/style.css`, you can copy and modify it.
To examine the CSS classes and the widget hierarchy you can run the daemon with debug flag: `GTK_DEBUG=interactive niri-switch-daemon` and play around in the inspector.
GTK supports only a specific subset of CSS properties, you can learn more about it in GTK [documentation](https://docs.gtk.org/gtk4/css-properties.html).
The configuration is loaded at the daemon startup in this order:
* `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/niri-switch/style.css` - if the environment variable is set and file exists.
* `$HOME/.config/niri-switch/style.css` - if the above does not exist or environment variable is not set.
* Embeded `src/daemon/gui/style.css` - if none of the above exist or needed variables are not set.
## Resources
Very useful materials when working with GTK4 and zbus in Rust:
* [GUI development with Rust and GTK 4](https://gtk-rs.org/gtk4-rs/stable/latest/book/)
* [zbus: D-Bus for Rust made easy](https://dbus2.github.io/zbus/)