SwayWM Dracula Config

Table of Contents

sway-dracula-logo.png

1. About This Config

SwayWM Official Website (https://swaywm.org) Read `man 5 sway` for a complete reference.

2. Personal Config

Set mod variable

  • Mod1 = ALT
  • Mod4 = SUPER
set $mod Mod4

To do an in place reload of the configuration file use $mod+Ctrl+r 

#Reload the configuration file
bindsym $mod+Ctrl+r reload

2.1. Variables

Set various variables for use later in this config

Home row direction keys, like vim 

set $left h
set $down j
set $up k
set $right l

Set browser, term, menu, lock, and fm variables 

set $browser qutebrowser
set $fm thunar
set $term kitty
#set $lock swaylock

Note: Using swaylock may make more sense on a system which does not have Hyprland installed. Unfortunately regular swaylock (as opposed to swaylock-effects) has limited customization potential. 

set $lock hyprlock 
# Note: pass the final command to swaymsg so that the resulting window can be opened
# on the original workspace that the command was run on.
#set $menu fuzzel | swaymsg exec --
set $menu rofi -show combi -combi-modi drun,run,recursivebrowser | swaymsg exec --

2.2. Input Configuration

2.2.1. Touchpad

touchpad configuration You can get the names of your inputs by running: swaymsg -t get_inputs. Read `man 5 sway-input` for more information about this section. 

input "1267:40:Elan_Touchpad" {
    dwt enabled
    tap enabled
    natural_scroll enabled
    middle_emulation enabled
}

2.2.2. Keybindings

  1. Functions

    Resize Mode Resize a container (window) with keyboard instead of mouse

    • left will shrink the containers width
    • right will grow the containers width
    • up will shrink the containers height
    • down will grow the containers height
     mode "resize" {
    bindsym $left resize shrink width 10px
    bindsym $down resize grow height 10px
    bindsym $up resize shrink height 10px
    bindsym $right resize grow width 10px

    # Ditto, with arrow keys
    bindsym Left resize shrink width 10px
    bindsym Down resize grow height 10px
    bindsym Up resize shrink height 10px
    bindsym Right resize grow width 10px

    # Return to default mode
    bindsym Return mode "default"
    bindsym Escape mode "default"
}

bindsym $mod+r mode "resize"

    Kill Focused Window 

    bindsym $mod+Shift+q kill , exec --no-startup-id mpv /usr/share/sounds/Oxygen-Window-Close.ogg

    Alt Tab 

    bindsym Alt+Tab workspace back_and_forth
  2. Scratchpad

    Sway has a "scratchpad", which is a bag of holding for windows. You can send windows there and get them back later. 

    # Move the currently focused window to the scratchpad
bindsym $mod+Shift+minus move scratchpad , exec --no-startup-id mpv /usr/share/sounds/Oxygen-Window-Minimize.ogg

# Show the next scratchpad window or hide the focused scratchpad window.
# If there are multiple scratchpad windows, this command cycles through them.
bindsym $mod+minus scratchpad show , exec --no-startup-id mpv /usr/share/sounds/Oxygen-Window-Maximize.ogg

    Drag floating windows by holding down $mod and left mouse button. Resize them with right mouse button + $mod follow. Despite the name, also works for non-floating windows. Change normal to inverse to use left mouse button for resizing and right mouse button for dragging. 

    floating_modifier $mod normal
  3. Applications

    Open a Terminal 

    bindsym $mod+Return exec $term

    Open Run Launcher 

    #bindsym $mod+d exec $menu , exec --no-startup-id mpv /usr/share/sounds/freedesktop/stereo/bell.oga
bindsym $mod+d exec $menu

    Open Emacs 

    bindsym $mod+e exec emacs

    Open File Manager 

    bindsym $mod+m exec $fm

    Open Internet Browser 

    bindsym $mod+b exec $browser

2.2.3. Movement

  1. Focus

    Move your focus around using HJKL 

    bindsym $mod+$left focus left
bindsym $mod+$down focus down
bindsym $mod+$up focus up
bindsym $mod+$right focus right

    Move your focus around using arrow keys 

    bindsym $mod+Left focus left
bindsym $mod+Down focus down
bindsym $mod+Up focus up
bindsym $mod+Right focus right

    Move the focused window with same keys, just add Shift 

    bindsym $mod+Shift+$left move left
bindsym $mod+Shift+$down move down
bindsym $mod+Shift+$up move up
bindsym $mod+Shift+$right move right
# Ditto, with arrow keys
bindsym $mod+Shift+Left move left
bindsym $mod+Shift+Down move down
bindsym $mod+Shift+Up move up
bindsym $mod+Shift+Right move right

    Move focus to the parent container 

    bindsym $mod+a focus parent

    Switch focus to workspace with urgent window automatically 

    for_window [urgent=latest] focus
  2. Workspaces

    can have more than 10 workspaces note: workspaces can have any name you want, not just numbers. we just use 1-10 as the default. 

    bindsym $mod+1 workspace 1
bindsym $mod+2 workspace 2
bindsym $mod+3 workspace 3
bindsym $mod+4 workspace 4
bindsym $mod+5 workspace 5
bindsym $mod+6 workspace 6
bindsym $mod+7 workspace 7
bindsym $mod+8 workspace 8
bindsym $mod+9 workspace 9
bindsym $mod+0 workspace 10

    move focused container to workspace 

    bindsym $mod+shift+1 move container to workspace 1
bindsym $mod+shift+2 move container to workspace 2
bindsym $mod+shift+3 move container to workspace 3
bindsym $mod+shift+4 move container to workspace 4
bindsym $mod+shift+5 move container to workspace 5
bindsym $mod+shift+6 move container to workspace 6
bindsym $mod+shift+7 move container to workspace 7
bindsym $mod+shift+8 move container to workspace 8
bindsym $mod+shift+9 move container to workspace 9
bindsym $mod+shift+0 move container to workspace 10

    Assigning apps to specific Workspaces

    • I would like to automatically separate Twitch and Discord tabs to workspaces 4 and 6 respectively. However this does not seem feasible at the moment, so I've just sent my browser i use for these sites to workspace 4.
    assign [app_id="qutebrowser"] "1"
assign [app_id="firefox"] "1"
assign [title="newsboat"] "2"
assign [title="cmus"] "2"
assign [class="Emacs"] "3"
assign [app_id="brave-browser"] "4"
assign [class="steam"] "5"
  3. Layout stuff

    You can "split" the current object of focus with $mod+y or mod+x for horizontal and vertical splits respectively. 

    bindsym $mod+y splith
bindsym $mod+x splitv

    toggle fullscreen for the current focus 

    bindsym $mod+f fullscreen

    Toggle current container between tiling and floating Mode and swap focus between tiling and floating areas 

    bindsym $mod+Shift+space floating toggle
bindsym $mod+space focus mode_toggle

    Switch the current container between different layout styles 

    bindsym $mod+c layout stacking
bindsym $mod+t layout tabbed
bindsym $mod+s layout toggle split

2.3. Output Configuration

2.3.1. Brightness Control

Bind brightness controls to laptop brightness keys F5 and F6 (non func lock action) 

bindsym XF86MonBrightnessUp exec light -A 10
bindsym XF86MonBrightnessDown exec light -U 10

2.3.2. Display

You can get the names of your outputs by running: swaymsg -t getoutputs

Display settings for laptop display 

# Laptop Output
output eDP-1 resolution 3840x2160 position 0,0 bg /home/user/.local/share/wallpapers/Lofi_Cat.png fill

# virtual Wlroots output (used for testing)
output WL-1 resolution 3840x2160 position 0,0 bg /home/user/.local/share/wallpapers/testing.jpg fill

Display settings for external HDMI monitor 

output HDMI-A-1 resolution 3840x2160 position 3840,1920  bg /usr/share/wallpapers/summer_1am/contents/images/2560x1600.jpg fill scale 2.0
output HDMI-A-2 resolution 3840x2160 position 3840,1920  bg /usr/share/wallpapers/summer_1am/contents/images/2560x1600.jpg fill scale 2.0
output HDMI-A-3 resolution 3840x2160 position 3840,1920  bg /usr/share/wallpapers/summer_1am/contents/images/2560x1600.jpg fill scale 2.0
output HDMI-A-4 resolution 3840x2160 position 3840,1920  bg /usr/share/wallpapers/summer_1am/contents/images/2560x1600.jpg fill scale 2.0

Display settings for external Display Port monitor 

output DP-1 resolution 1920x1200 position 0,1920 bg /usr/share/wallpapers/Cluster/contents/images/3840x2160.png fill
output DP-2 resolution 1920x1200 position 0,1920 bg /usr/share/wallpapers/Cluster/contents/images/3840x2160.png fill
output DP-3 resolution 1920x1200 position 0,1920 bg /usr/share/wallpapers/Cluster/contents/images/3840x2160.png fill

2.3.3. Screen Capture

Screenshot tool a simple screen shot mode using grim and slurp commands 

set $screenshot 1 selected, 2 whole, 3 selected clipboard, 4 whole clipboard, 5 swappy
mode "$screenshot" {
    bindsym 1 exec 'grim -g "$(slurp)" ~/ps_$(date +"%Y%m%d%H%M%S").png', mode "default"
    bindsym 2 exec 'grim ~/ps_$(date +"%Y%m%d%H%M%S").png', mode "default" , exec --no-startup-id mpv /usr/share/sounds/freedesktop/stereo/camera-shutter.oga
    bindsym 3 exec 'grim -g "$(slurp)" - | wl-copy', mode "default"
    bindsym 4 exec 'grim - | wl-copy', mode "default"
    bindsym 5 exec 'grim -g "$(slurp)" - | swappy -f -', mode "default"

# back to normal: Enter or Escape
    bindsym Return mode "default"
    bindsym Escape mode "default"
    bindsym $mod+Print mode "default"
}

bindsym $mod+Print mode "$screenshot"

Color Picker tool a simple mode to find the hex value of any colored pixel on your display 

# define color picker command
bindsym $mod+Shift+p exec grim -g "$(slurp -p)" -t ppm - | convert - -format '%[pixel:p{0,0}]' txt:- | tail -n 1 | cut -d ' ' -f 4 | wl-copy

2.3.4. Sound Control

Bind audio controls to keyboard media keys 

bindsym XF86AudioMute exec pactl set-sink-mute @DEFAULT_SINK@ toggle
bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ +5%
bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ -5%
bindsym XF86AudioMicMute exec pactl set-source-mute @DEFAULT_SOURCE@ toggle

2.4. Power Configuration

2.4.1. Exit Mode

# exit mode
set $exit "exit: [s]leep, [p]oweroff, [r]eboot, [l]ogout"
#, [w]indows"
mode $exit {
    bindsym --to-code {
        s exec systemctl suspend, mode "default"
        p exec systemctl poweroff
        r exec systemctl reboot
        l exec swaymsg exit
       # w exec reboot-to-windows-somehow-lol.sh

        Return mode "default"
        Escape mode "default"
        $mod+x mode "default"
    }
}

bindsym --to-code $mod+p mode $exit

2.4.2. Swayidle

This will lock your screen after 300 seconds of inactivity, then turn off your displays after another 270 seconds, and turn your screens back on when resumed. It will also lock your screen before your computer goes to sleep.d 

exec_always swayidle -w \
   timeout 300 '$lock' \
   timeout 570 'swaymsg "output * dpms off"' \
   resume 'swaymsg "output * dpms on"' \
   before-sleep '$lock'

2.4.3. Swaylock

Bind $lock to $mod+Ctrl+l and cause $lock to execute upon laptop lid close 

# Screen lock
bindsym $mod+Ctrl+l exec $lock

## Swaylock on lid closed
bindswitch --reload --locked lid:on exec $lock

2.5. Auto-starts

Selected programs which execute upon the start of SwayWM

Programs which will execute upon SwayWM startup, and every time SwayWM config file is reloaded 

exec_always /usr/libexec/polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1

exec_always swaync

exec_always nwg-wrapper -t bindings.pango -c bindings.css -p right -mr 50 -mt 150 -o eDP-1
exec_always nwg-wrapper -s date-wttr.sh -r 1800000 -c date-wttr.css -p right -a start -mr 50 -mt 50 -o eDP-1

Programs which will only execute upon SwayWM startup (not upon config reload) 

# force reload of waybar at the Sway load.
exec swaymsg "workspace 1; exec ~/.local/bin/launch-waybar"
exec ckb-next -b

# Enable Master/Stack layout
# Default with splitting 50:50
exec /home/user/.local/bin/stacki3 45

2.6. Styling

2.6.1. Status Bar

Set Waybar as the default status bar for sway 

bar {
swaybar_command waybar
}

2.6.2. Sway gaps

Global Sway Gaps Settings set inner/outer gaps 

gaps inner 10
gaps outer 5

Additionally you can issue commands with the following syntax. This is useful to bind keys to changing the gap size. gaps inner|outer current|all set|plus|minus <px> gaps inner all set 10 gaps outer all plus 5

Smart gaps gaps used if only more than one container on the workspace)

  • smart_gaps on smart borders (draw borders around container only if it is not the only container on the workspace).
  • on|no_gaps (on=always active and nogaps=only active if the gap size to the edge of the screen is 0)
smart_gaps on

Smart Borders Same as smart gaps, but for borders 

smart_borders on
default_border pixel 2

Custom window borders + per app customization 

client.focused "#5f5faf" "#5f5faf" "#ffffff" "#5f5faf"
for_window [class="balena-etcher"] border pixel 2
for_window [class="steam"] border pixel 2
for_window [app_id="nm-applet"] border pixel 2
for_window [app_id="nm-connection-editor"] floating enable
for_window [app_id="system-config-printer"] border pixel 2

2.6.3. GTK Themes

Set my preferred GTK theme 

exec_always {
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme prefer-dark
gsettings set $gnome-schema gtk-theme 'Dracula'
}

2.7. Includes

include /etc/sway/config.d/*

3. Deprecated Configs

A collection of settings recently removed from my sway config. Keeping them here incase a reversion is desired/needed.

Previous autotiling script. Uses dwindle layout opposed to master stack layout of current autotiling script exec_always /home/user/.local/bin/autotiling -w 1 3 5 7 9

Program for night mode functionality. schedule functionality didn't work properly. may look into alternatives in future. exec_always /usr/bin/gammastep exec_always /usr/bin/gammastep-indicator

Enable network-manager-applet on startup. found this to be unnecessary for my current config. Keeping here for future reference, if i want to use it. exec_always nm-applet --indicator Enable blueman-applet on startup. same story as nm-applet exec blueman-applet

Previous value for menu variable. Now using fuzzel. but keeping this incase of reversion to rofi set $menu rofi -show combi -modes combi -combi-modes "drun,run,ssh,filebrowser" -hide-scrollbar true | swaymsg exec --

Start KDE Connect on startup. I Was Using KDE along side Sway for a time and experimented using kdeconnect to sync stuff between my laptop and my Android phone. I've since moved away from KDE and kdeconnect as I found i wasn't really using the provided features. Leaving this here incase I decide to tryout kdeconnect again in the future. exec_always kdeconnect-cli -l

Author: Henry Davies (HD)

Created: 2025-07-04 Fri 06:58

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