sway-docs/docs/index.md

Sway Keyboard Shortcuts

This document outlines the keyboard shortcuts configured for my Sway window manager setup, as defined in ~/.config/sway/config. Sway is a tiling Wayland compositor, and this configuration uses the Windows (Super) key as the primary modifier ($mod set to Mod4). The shortcuts are tailored to my workflow, with custom bindings for navigation, window management, and system controls.

The configuration uses Vim-inspired home row keys (h, j, k, l) for movement, and includes unique bindings like $mod+Shift+x for forcefully killing a focused process. See the sections below for details.

Key Bindings

Below is a comprehensive list of keyboard shortcuts. The Super key (referred to as $mod) is the primary modifier unless otherwise noted.

Shortcut	Action	Notes
Super + Return	Open terminal (kitty)	Launches my preferred terminal emulator.
Super + Shift + q	Kill focused window	Closes the currently focused window.
Super + d	Open application launcher (wofi)	Displays a minimal launcher with 5 lines.
Super + Shift + c	Reload Sway configuration	Reloads the config file without restarting Sway.
Super + Shift + e	Exit Sway with confirmation	Prompts to confirm logout of the Wayland session.
Super + h/j/k/l	Focus left/down/up/right	Vim-inspired navigation for moving focus between windows.
Super + Left/Down/Up/Right	Focus left/down/up/right	Alternative arrow key bindings for focus movement.
Super + Shift + h/j/k/l	Move window left/down/up/right	Moves the focused window in the specified direction.
Super + Shift + Left/Down/Up/Right	Move window left/down/up/right	Arrow key alternative for window movement.
Super + 1-0	Switch to workspace 1-10	Number keys select workspaces.
Super + Shift + 1-0	Move container to workspace 1-10	Moves the focused window to the specified workspace.
Super + b	Split container horizontally	Also bound to Super + h for convenience.
Super + v	Split container vertically	Creates a vertical split for the focused container.
Super + s	Set layout to stacking	Switches to stacking layout mode.
Super + w	Set layout to tabbed	Switches to tabbed layout mode (default for new workspaces).
Super + e	Toggle split layout	Toggles between horizontal and vertical split layouts.
Super + f	Toggle fullscreen	Makes the focused window fullscreen.
Super + Shift + Space	Toggle floating mode	Switches the focused window between tiling and floating.
Super + Space	Swap focus between tiling/floating	Toggles focus between tiling and floating areas.
Super + a	Focus parent container	Moves focus to the parent container of the current window.
Super + Shift + minus	Move window to scratchpad	Sends the focused window to the scratchpad.
Super + minus	Show/hide scratchpad window	Cycles through scratchpad windows or hides the current one.
Super + Shift + s	Toggle sticky mode	Makes the focused window sticky (stays visible across workspaces).
Super + Shift + x	Force kill focused process (kill -9)	Custom binding to terminate the focused window’s process forcefully.
Super + Shift + p	Suspend system	Puts the system into suspend mode (locked).
Super + Shift + u	Move workspace to DP-3 output	Moves the current workspace to the DP-3 display.
Super + Shift + o	Lock screen (run_swaylock)	Runs a custom lock script located at ~/bin/run_swaylock.
Super + Shift + r	Turn all outputs on (DPMS on)	Forces all displays to wake up.
Super + Shift + f	Turn all outputs off (DPMS off)	Turns off all displays (power saving).
Super + c	Open Qalculate calculator	Launches the qalculate-gtk application (floating).
Super + p	Open Pavucontrol	Launches the pavucontrol audio mixer (floating).
Super + r	Enter resize mode	Activates resize mode (see below for controls).
XF86AudioRaiseVolume	Increase volume (+10%)	Adjusts volume and displays it via wob.
XF86AudioLowerVolume	Decrease volume (-10%)	Adjusts volume and displays it via wob.
XF86AudioMute	Toggle mute	Mutes/unmutes the default sink, updates wob.
XF86AudioMicMute	Toggle microphone mute	Mutes/unmutes the default audio source.
XF86MonBrightnessUp	Increase brightness (+5%)	Adjusts screen brightness and shows level via wob.
XF86MonBrightnessDown	Decrease brightness (-5%)	Adjusts screen brightness and shows level via wob.
XF86Display	Toggle display configuration	Runs a custom script (~/src/screen-change/toggle.py).

Resize Mode

When in resize mode (Super + r), the following bindings are active:

Shortcut	Action
h / Left	Shrink width by 10px
j / Down	Grow height by 10px
k / Up	Shrink height by 10px
l / Right	Grow width by 10px
Return	Exit resize mode
Escape	Exit resize mode

Custom Configuration Highlights

• Modifier Key: The $mod key is set to Mod4 (Super/Windows key), aligning with a modern workflow.
• Vim-Inspired Navigation: Movement keys (h, j, k, l) replace traditional arrow keys for focus and window movement, reflecting my preference for Vim-style controls.
• Force Kill Binding: Super + Shift + x is a standout custom binding that uses swaymsg and jq to identify and terminate the focused window’s process with kill -9. This is particularly useful for unresponsive applications.
• Display and Power Management: Shortcuts like Super + Shift + r (DPMS on) and Super + Shift + f (DPMS off) provide quick control over display power states.
• Audio and Brightness: Media keys integrate with pactl and brightnessctl, piping feedback to wob for an on-screen overlay, enhancing usability.
• Workspace Layout: The default workspace layout is tabbed, which differs from Sway’s typical tiling default, reflecting my preference for tabbed browsing-like behavior.

Additional Notes

• Floating Windows: Specific applications (e.g., pavucontrol, qalculate-gtk) are set to float by default with a 4px border for better usability.
• Idle Behavior: After 300 seconds of inactivity, the screen locks with run_swaylock. After 600 seconds, displays turn off (DPMS off), resuming when activity is detected.
• Font: The UI uses DejaVu Sans Mono 11 for a clean, monospaced look.

For further details, refer to the full configuration file at ~/.config/sway/config.