fix: preserve default outer gaps

README.md

@@ -37,6 +37,14 @@ default_column_width = "full"
 `default_column_width = 1.0` is equivalent. `Super+M` switches the active
 workspace between scrolling and tree modes.
 
+Outer gaps remain visible with one window by default. To intentionally remove
+them for a lone tiled window:
+
+```toml
+[layout]
+smart_gaps = true
+```
+
 Scrolling keeps windows in stable workspace coordinates and animates the
 viewport only when focus must be revealed. Set
 `focus_strategy = "center_on_focus"` under `[scrolling]` to center focused

compositor/src/config.rs

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 use ferese_animation::SpringConfig;
 use ferese_core::LayoutMode;
-use ferese_layout::{ColumnWidth, ViewportFocusStrategy};
+use ferese_layout::{ColumnWidth, GapConfig, ViewportFocusStrategy};
 use serde::Deserialize;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Default, Deserialize)]
@@ -86,9 +86,26 @@ impl Default for SpringSettings {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Default, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
 struct LayoutConfig {
     mode: Option<LayoutModeValue>,
+    #[serde(default = "default_inner_gap")]
+    inner_gap: f64,
+    #[serde(default = "default_outer_gap")]
+    outer_gap: f64,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    smart_gaps: bool,
+}
+
+impl Default for LayoutConfig {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            mode: None,
+            inner_gap: default_inner_gap(),
+            outer_gap: default_outer_gap(),
+            smart_gaps: false,
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Deserialize)]
@@ -138,6 +155,10 @@ pub enum ConfigError {
         field: &'static str,
         value: f64,
     },
+    InvalidLayoutValue {
+        field: &'static str,
+        value: f64,
+    },
 }
 
 impl fmt::Display for ConfigError {
@@ -156,6 +177,9 @@ impl fmt::Display for ConfigError {
             Self::InvalidAnimationValue { field, value } => {
                 write!(formatter, "invalid animations.{field} value {value}")
             }
+            Self::InvalidLayoutValue { field, value } => {
+                write!(formatter, "invalid layout.{field} value {value}")
+            }
         }
     }
 }
@@ -165,7 +189,9 @@ impl Error for ConfigError {
         match self {
             Self::Read { source, .. } => Some(source),
             Self::Parse { source, .. } => Some(source),
-            Self::InvalidColumnWidth { .. } | Self::InvalidAnimationValue { .. } => None,
+            Self::InvalidColumnWidth { .. }
+            | Self::InvalidAnimationValue { .. }
+            | Self::InvalidLayoutValue { .. } => None,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -191,6 +217,17 @@ impl Config {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn gap_config(&self) -> Result<GapConfig, ConfigError> {
+        let inner = nonnegative_layout_value(self.layout.inner_gap, "inner_gap")?;
+        let outer = nonnegative_layout_value(self.layout.outer_gap, "outer_gap")?;
+
+        Ok(GapConfig {
+            inner,
+            outer,
+            smart: self.layout.smart_gaps,
+        })
+    }
+
     pub fn default_column_width(&self) -> Result<ColumnWidth, ConfigError> {
         parse_column_width(
             self.scrolling
@@ -286,10 +323,26 @@ fn positive_animation_value(value: f64, field: &'static str) -> Result<f64, Conf
     }
 }
 
+fn nonnegative_layout_value(value: f64, field: &'static str) -> Result<f64, ConfigError> {
+    if value.is_finite() && value >= 0.0 {
+        Ok(value)
+    } else {
+        Err(ConfigError::InvalidLayoutValue { field, value })
+    }
+}
+
 const fn enabled_by_default() -> bool {
     true
 }
 
+const fn default_inner_gap() -> f64 {
+    10.0
+}
+
+const fn default_outer_gap() -> f64 {
+    10.0
+}
+
 const fn default_animation_speed() -> f64 {
     1.0
 }
@@ -367,6 +420,7 @@ mod tests {
             config.default_column_width().unwrap(),
             ColumnWidth::Proportion(0.5)
         );
+        assert_eq!(config.gap_config().unwrap(), GapConfig::default());
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -449,6 +503,22 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(damping.spring_config().is_err());
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_and_validates_layout_gaps() {
+        let configured = parse("[layout]\ninner_gap = 6.0\nouter_gap = 14.0\nsmart_gaps = true");
+        let invalid = parse("[layout]\nouter_gap = -1.0");
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            configured.gap_config().unwrap(),
+            GapConfig {
+                inner: 6.0,
+                outer: 14.0,
+                smart: true,
+            }
+        );
+        assert!(invalid.gap_config().is_err());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn derives_critical_viewport_damping() {
         let config = parse("");

compositor/src/main.rs

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     let display = Display::new()?;
     let runtime = RuntimeConfig {
         layout_mode: config.layout_mode(),
+        gap_config: config.gap_config()?,
         default_column_width: config.default_column_width()?,
         scrolling_focus_strategy: config.scrolling_focus_strategy(),
         column_width_presets: config.width_presets()?,

compositor/src/state.rs

@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ pub struct Ferese {
     scrolling_world_x: HashMap<WindowId, (WorkspaceId, AnimatedValue)>,
     pub focused_window: Option<WindowId>,
     column_width_presets: Vec<ColumnWidth>,
+    gap_config: GapConfig,
     animations_enabled: bool,
     animation_speed: f64,
     spring_config: SpringConfig,
@@ -137,6 +138,7 @@ pub struct Ferese {
 
 pub struct RuntimeConfig {
     pub layout_mode: LayoutMode,
+    pub gap_config: GapConfig,
     pub default_column_width: ColumnWidth,
     pub scrolling_focus_strategy: ViewportFocusStrategy,
     pub column_width_presets: Vec<ColumnWidth>,
@@ -363,6 +365,7 @@ impl Ferese {
             scrolling_world_x: HashMap::new(),
             focused_window: None,
             column_width_presets: config.column_width_presets,
+            gap_config: config.gap_config,
             animations_enabled: config.animations_enabled,
             animation_speed: config.animation_speed,
             spring_config: config.spring_config,
@@ -699,7 +702,7 @@ impl Ferese {
             };
             let layout = match workspace.layout.geometry_with_constraints(
                 bounds,
-                GapConfig::default(),
+                self.gap_config,
                 &constraints,
                 focused,
             ) {
@@ -1162,7 +1165,7 @@ impl Ferese {
 
         match self
             .workspaces
-            .center_window(window, bounds, GapConfig::default(), &constraints)
+            .center_window(window, bounds, self.gap_config, &constraints)
         {
             Ok(true) => self.relayout(),
             Ok(false) => {}
@@ -1401,7 +1404,7 @@ impl Ferese {
                 .workspaces
                 .workspace_mut(workspace)?
                 .layout
-                .geometry_with_constraints(bounds, GapConfig::default(), &constraints, focused)
+                .geometry_with_constraints(bounds, self.gap_config, &constraints, focused)
                 .ok()?
                 .geometry
                 .get(&window)
@@ -1416,7 +1419,7 @@ impl Ferese {
         self.workspaces
             .active_mut()
             .layout
-            .geometry_with_constraints(bounds, GapConfig::default(), &constraints, focused)
+            .geometry_with_constraints(bounds, self.gap_config, &constraints, focused)
     }
 
     fn window_constraints(&self) -> HashMap<WindowId, SizeConstraints> {

crates/ferese-core/src/workspace.rs

@@ -1025,7 +1025,10 @@ mod tests {
             )
             .unwrap();
 
-        assert_eq!(first.geometry[&WindowId(1)].width, 1_000.0);
+        assert_eq!(
+            first.geometry[&WindowId(1)],
+            Rect::new(10.0, 10.0, 980.0, 780.0)
+        );
         workspaces.switch_to_numeric(2).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(workspaces.active().layout.mode(), LayoutMode::Scrolling);
     }

crates/ferese-layout/src/lib.rs

@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ impl Default for GapConfig {
         Self {
             inner: 10.0,
             outer: 10.0,
-            smart: true,
+            smart: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -1191,12 +1191,31 @@ mod tests {
 
         let bounds = Rect::new(0.0, 0.0, 100.0, 80.0);
         let geometry = tree
-            .geometry_with_gaps(bounds, GapConfig::default())
+            .geometry_with_gaps(
+                bounds,
+                GapConfig {
+                    smart: true,
+                    ..GapConfig::default()
+                },
+            )
             .unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(geometry[&WindowId(1)], bounds);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn default_gaps_keep_outer_spacing_for_one_window() {
+        let mut tree = LayoutTree::default();
+        tree.insert(WindowId(1), None, Axis::Horizontal, 0.5)
+            .unwrap();
+
+        let geometry = tree
+            .geometry_with_gaps(Rect::new(0.0, 0.0, 100.0, 80.0), GapConfig::default())
+            .unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(geometry[&WindowId(1)], Rect::new(10.0, 10.0, 80.0, 60.0));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn directional_neighbor_prefers_primary_distance() {
         let mut tree = LayoutTree::default();
@@ -1552,7 +1571,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         assert_eq!(
             result.geometry[&WindowId(1)],
-            Rect::new(0.0, 0.0, 60.0, 40.0)
+            Rect::new(10.0, 10.0, 60.0, 40.0)
         );
         assert_eq!(result.warnings.len(), 2);
     }

docs/ferese-window-manager-spec.md

@@ -624,8 +624,9 @@ mode, center creates or joins a stack and an edge creates a split.
 
 Shared gap defaults live under `[layout]`; mode-specific behavior lives under
 `[scrolling]` and `[tiling]`. `inner_gap` separates managed windows and
-`outer_gap` separates the layout from output bounds. With `smart_gaps = true`,
-a lone managed window has no outer gap.
+`outer_gap` separates the layout from output bounds. Outer gaps are retained by
+default. With the explicit opt-in `smart_gaps = true`, a lone managed window has
+no outer gap.
 
 ## 7. Geometry and animation
 
@@ -1083,7 +1084,7 @@ mass = 1.0
 mode = "scrolling"
 inner_gap = 10.0
 outer_gap = 10.0
-smart_gaps = true
+smart_gaps = false
 
 [scrolling]
 default_column_width = 0.5