Overview

This section is for contributors working on Kwybars itself rather than end users setting it up on their desktop.

Workspace

git clone https://github.com/naurissteins/Kwybars.git
cd Kwybars

Dependencies

On Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S --needed rust gtk4 gtk4-layer-shell pipewire cava

# optional desktop error notifications
sudo pacman -S --needed libnotify

Common Developer Commands

Run overlay:

cargo run -p kwybars-overlay

Run daemon:

cargo run -p kwybars-daemon

Run with a specific config:

cargo run -p kwybars-overlay -- --config /path/to/config.toml
cargo run -p kwybars-daemon -- --config /path/to/config.toml

Use the control tool:

cargo run -p kwybarsctl -- switch-config /path/to/config.toml
cargo run -p kwybarsctl -- image-overlay match --overlay-dir /path/to/overlays /path/to/wallpaper.jpg
cargo run -p kwybarsctl -- validate-config /path/to/config.toml
cargo run -p kwybarsctl -- doctor /path/to/config.toml
cargo run -p kwybarsctl -- list-themes /path/to/config.toml

Build and QA

Format:

cargo fmt --all

Lint:

cargo clippy --workspace --all-targets -- -D warnings

Compile check:

cargo check --workspace

Test:

cargo test --workspace

Release build:

cargo build --release --workspace

Logging

Kwybars uses tracing logs to stderr and to a file.

KWYBARS_LOG or RUST_LOG controls the log level or filter
KWYBARS_LOG_FILE overrides the default log file path
timestamps are written in local time

Nix

Kwybars ships Nix support for development shells, package builds, runnable apps, and a NixOS module.

Development shells:

nix develop
nix-shell

Package build:

nix build
./result/bin/kwybars-daemon

Runnable flake apps:

nix run .
nix run .#kwybars-overlay
nix run .#kwybarsctl

NixOS module entrypoint:

imports = [ inputs.kwybars.nixosModules.default ];
programs.kwybars.enable = true;

The flake package installs the three binaries, bundled themes, example config, and user systemd service. The wrapped binaries set KWYBARS_THEMES_DIR so packaged themes are discovered from the Nix store.

For crate and module layout details, continue with Internals.