.TH SXWM 1 "October 2025" "sxwm" "User Commands"
.SH NAME
sxwm \- simple X11 window manager
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B sxwm
[\-v | \-\-version]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.B sxwm
is a minimal, user-friendly tiling window manager for X11.
It is configured through a plain text file and supports on-the-fly reconfiguration.

.SH LAUNCH ARGUMENTS
.TP
.B \-v, \-\-version
Displays the current version of
.B sxwm.

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

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

.SS General Options
.TS
allbox;
c c c c
l l l l.
Option	Type	Default	Description
_
mod_key	String	super	Sets the primary modifier key (alt, super, ctrl).
gaps	Integer	10	Pixels between windows and screen edges.
border_width	Integer	1	Thickness of window borders in pixels.
focused_border_colour	Hex	#c0cbff	Border color for the currently focused window.
unfocused_border_colour	Hex	#555555	Border color for unfocused windows.
swap_border_colour	Hex	#fff4c0	Border color when selecting a window to swap (MOD+Shift+Drag).
master_width	Integer	60	Percentage of the screen width for the master window.
motion_throttle	Integer	60	Target FPS for mouse drag actions.
resize_master_amount	Integer	1	Percent to increase/decrease master width.
resize_stack_amount	Integer	20	How many pixels to increase/decrease stack windows by.
snap_distance	Integer	5	Distance (px) before a floating window snaps to edge.
move_window_amount	Integer	10	Number of pixels to move the window with keyboard.
resize_window_amount	Integer	10	Number of pixels to resize the window with keyboard.
start_fullscreen	String	"st"	Starts specified windows that should start fullscreened. Enclosed in quotes and comma-seperated.
new_win_focus	Bool	true	Whether openening new windows should also set focus to them or keep on current window.
warp_cursor	Bool	true	Warp the cursor to the middle of newly focused windows.
floating_on_top	Bool	true	Whether floating windows should always draw over tiled ones
floating_on_top	Bool	true	Whether floating windows should always draw over tiled ones
new_win_master	Bool	false	New windows will open as master window.
should_float	String	"st"	Always-float rule. Multiple entries should be comma-seperated. Optionally, entries can be enclosed in quotes.
exec	String	Nothing	Command to run on startup (e.g., sxbar, picom, "autostart", etc.).
can_swallow	String	st	Windows that can swallow.
can_be_swallowed	String	mpv	Windows that can be swallowed.
.TE

.SH KEYBINDINGS
.SS Syntax
Modifiers: mod, shift, ctrl, alt, super ...
.br
Key: Case-insensitive keysym (e.g., Return, q, 1)
.RS
To find the key do
.B xev | grep "keysym"
and press the key in the box.
.RE
Action: Either an external command (in quotes) or internal function.
.br
move: Move to that workspace
.br
swap: Swap window to that workspace
.br
_n_: Workspace / Scratchpad number
.br
create: Creates a scratchpad on that slot
.br
toggle: Toggles the visibility of that scratchpad
.br
remove: Removes the scratchpad on that slot

.PP
Example syntax:
.PP
.EX
bind : modifier + ... + key : action
.EE
.PP
.EX
scratchpad : modifier + ... + key : create n
scratchpad : modifier + ... + key : toggle n
scratchpad : modifier + ... + key : remove n
.EE
.PP
.EX
workspace : modifier + ... + key : move n
workspace : modifier + ... + key : swap n
.EE

.SS Available Functions
.TS
allbox;
c c
l l.
Function Name	Description
_
centre_window	Centre the focused window.
close_window	Closes the focused window.
decrease_gaps	Shrinks gaps.
focus_next	Moves focus forward in the stack.
focus_prev	Moves focus backward in the stack.
focus_next_mon	Switches focus to the next monitor.
focus_prev_mon	Switches focus to the previous monitor.
fullscreen	Fullscreen the focused window.
global_floating	Toggles floating state for all windows.
increase_gaps	Expands gaps.
master_next	Moves focused window down in master/stack order.
master_prev	Moves focused window up in master/stack order.
master_increase	Expands master width.
master_decrease	Shrinks master width.
move_next_mon	Moves the focused window to the next monitor.
move_prev_mon	Moves the focused window to the previous monitor.
move_win_up	Moves the focused window up (keyboard).
move_win_down	Moves the focused window down (keyboard).
move_win_left	Moves the focused window left (keyboard).
move_win_right	Moves the focused window right (keyboard).
quit	Exits sxwm.
reload_config	Reloads config.
resize_win_up	Resizes the focused window up (keyboard).
resize_win_down	Resizes the focused window down (keyboard).
resize_win_left	Resizes the focused window left (keyboard).
resize_win_right	Resizes the focused window right (keyboard).
stack_increase	Increase the height of the focused stack window.
stack_decrease	Decrease the height of the focused stack window.
switch_previous_workspace	Switch to the previous workspace.
toggle_floating	Toggles floating state of current window.
toggle_monocle	Toggles monocle layout.
.TE

.SS Example Bindings
.EX
# Launch terminal
bind : mod + Return : "st"
# Close window
bind : mod + shift + q : close_window

# Scratchpads
scratchpad : mod + ctrl + Return : create 1
scratchpad : mod + shift + b : toggle 2
scratchpad : mod + alt + b : remove 2

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

.SH DEFAULT KEYBINDINGS
In
.I default_sxwmrc
file.