⚠️ Note: I won’t be updating this project for a month or so due to exams.
Issues & PRs are welcome, just don't expect a quick response 🥀🥀 24/05/25: I have very little time but I am able to develop some features Thank you to the wonderful people who have sumbitted fixes and other PR's

Minimal. Fast. Configurable. Tiling Window Manager for X11
_{Abhinav Prasai (2025)}

• Features
• Screenshots
• Configuration
• Keybindings
  • Example Bindings
  • Default Keybindings
• Dependencies
• Build & Install
• Makefile Targets
• Thanks & Inspiration

• Tiling & Floating: Switch seamlessly between layouts.
• Workspaces: 9 workspaces, fully integrated with your bar.
• Live Config Reload: Change your config and reload instantly with a keybind.
• Easy Configuration: Human-friendly sxwmrc file, no C required.
• Master-Stack Layout: DWM-inspired productive workflow.
• Mouse Support: Move, swap, resize, and focus windows with the mouse.
• Zero Dependencies: Only libX11 and Xinerama required.
• Lightweight: Single C file, minimal headers, compiles in seconds.
• Bar Friendly: Works great with sxbar.
• Xinerama Support: Multi-monitor ready.
• Fast: Designed for speed and low resource usage.

See on the website

sxwm is configured via a simple text file located at ~/.config/sxwmrc. Changes can be applied instantly by reloading the configuration (MOD + r).

The file uses a key : value format. Lines starting with # are ignored.

bind : modifier + modifier + ... + key : action

• Modifiers: mod, shift, ctrl, alt, super
• Key: Case-insensitive keysym (e.g., Return, q, 1)
• Action: Either an external command (in quotes) or internal function.

workspace : modifier + modifier + ... + key : move n
workspace : modifier + modifier + ... + key : swap n

• Modifiers: mod, shift, ctrl, alt, super
• Key: Case-insensitive keysym (e.g., Return, q, 1)
• move: Move to that worspace
• swap: Swap window to that workspace
• n: Workspace number

# Launch terminal
bind : mod + Return : "st"
# Close window
bind : mod + shift + q : close_window

# Switch workspace
workspace : mod + 3 : move 3
# Move window to workspace
workspace : mod + shift + 5 : swap 5

• libX11 (Xorg client library)
• Xinerama
• XCursor
• GCC or Clang & Make

sudo apt update
sudo apt install libx11-dev libxcursor-dev libxinerama-dev build-essential

sudo pacman -Syy
sudo pacman -S libx11 libxinerama gcc make

sudo emerge --ask x11-libs/libX11 x11-libs/libXinerama sys-devel/gcc sys-devel/make
sudo emaint -a sync

sudo xbps-install -S
sudo xbps-install libX11-devel libXinerama-devel gcc make

sudo dnf update
sudo dnf install libX11-devel libXinerama-devel gcc make

sudo zypper refresh
sudo zypper install libX11-devel libXinerama-devel gcc make

doas apk update
doas apk add libx11-dev libxinerama-dev gcc make musl-dev

buildInputs = [
  pkgs.xorg.libX11
  pkgs.xorg.libXinerama
  pkgs.libgcc
  pkgs.gnumake
];
sudo nixos-rebuild switch

slackpkg update
slackpkg install gcc make libX11 libXinerama

doas pkg_add gmake

# If you use doas or su instead of sudo, modify the following commands accordingly.
sudo pkg update
sudo pkg install gcc gmake libX11 libXinerama

yay -S sxwm
# OR for latest features:
yay -S sxwm-git

git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/uint23/sxwm.git
cd sxwm/
# Replace make with gmake on FreeBSD
make
sudo make clean install

Add to your ~/.xinitrc:

exec sxwm

Override install directory with PREFIX:

make install PREFIX=$HOME/.local

• dwm — Tiling & source code
• i3 — Easy configuration
• sowm — README inspiration
• tinywm — Minimal X11 WM

Contributions welcome! Open issues or submit PRs.