IonWL is a manual tiling Wayland compositor inspired by Ion3 and Notion. It aims to bring Ion-style frame-based window management to Wayland, with an emphasis on predictable layouts, keyboard-driven control, and flexible scripting.
The compositor is built around manual tiling rather than automatic dynamic layouts. Windows are arranged into frames, making it suitable for users who prefer deliberate placement, tabbed layouts, and a desktop that stays under tight control.
IonWL offers a comprehensive Python API for extending and customizing behaviour. The API can be used to write interactive operations, draw desktop elements, handle events, and build features such as desktop overviews and window switchers.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Manual tiling Wayland compositor inspired by Ion3 and Notion.
- Frame-based window management with tabbed layouts.
- Comprehensive Python API for scripting and customization.
- Supports interactive operations that can draw graphics and handle events.
- Designed for keyboard-driven workflows.
- One-big-desktop style workflow suited to multi-monitor setups.
- Customizable colors and visual appearance.
- Optional XWayland support.
- Built with Smithay.
Website: codeberg.org/ideasman42/IonWL
Support:
Developer: Campbell Barton
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
IonWL is written in Rust. Learn Rust with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Tiling Wayland Compositors | |
|---|---|
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| river | Compositor with flexible runtime configuration. |
| MangoWC | Lightweight yet a good set of features |
| dwl | dwm for Wayland |
| fht-compositor | Dynamic tiling Wayland compositor |
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| scroll | i3-compatible window management software with scrolling workspaces |
| newm-atha | Wayland compositor written with laptops and touchpads in mind |
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| japokwm | wlroots and dwl based tiling wayland compositor |
| doors | Lightweight window management software with a clean, focused design |
| velox | Simple window manager based on swc |
| stagen | wlroots-based Wayland compositor |
| newm | Written with laptops and touchpads in mind |
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