A complete Wayland desktop built around personalization
Install · Configure · Screenshots · Documentation
Ferese is a window manager and desktop shell built together and configured in one place, for people who want their desktop to be their own.
Features
- Scrolling columns, tree tiling and floating windows, with an overview of all your workspaces
- Keyboard shortcuts and touchpad gestures you can remap
- Multiple monitors with fractional scaling
- Themes, wallpapers, blur and corners that update live, with Light/Dark/Auto modes and custom KDL themes
- Desktop widgets, including a clock and sticky notes
- Screenshots with annotation, plus screen sharing and built-in recording
- A built-in lock screen
- Integrated Settings and Control Center for configuring your desktop
Install
Start with the dependencies, then clone Ferese and build it as your normal user:
git clone https://github.com/ferese-wm/ferese.git
cd ferese
./scripts/install.sh
Once it’s installed, log out and choose Ferese at your login screen, or run
ferese-session from a TTY or a greeter that accepts a command. The installation
guide also walks you through previews, updates and recovery.
Configure
Make it yours through Control Center → Settings or ~/.config/ferese/config.kdl,
with changes applying as you make them and the last working configuration staying in
place if an edit is invalid.
The configuration reference and example config cover everything from appearance and window layouts to displays and startup apps.
Default shortcuts
Use Super, usually the Windows key, to move around your desktop, and open Settings →
Shortcuts whenever you want to change a shortcut or gesture.
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Super + Enter | Open a terminal |
| Super + H / J / K / L | Focus left / down / up / right |
| Super + Backspace | Return to the last focused window |
| Super + Escape | Toggle between the last two visited workspaces on this monitor |
| Alt + Tab / Alt + Shift + Tab | Preview recent windows forward / backward; release Alt to select, Escape to cancel |
| Super + F | Maximize the window |
| Super + Shift + F | Toggle fullscreen |
| Super + R | Cycle column width |
| Super + Tab | Open overview |
| Super + M | Switch scrolling / tree layout |
| Print Screen | Capture the active monitor and open Satty |
| Super + Shift + S | Select a screenshot area |
| Super + Shift + E | Ask to log out |
| Super + left-button drag | Move a floating window |
| Super + right-button drag | Resize a floating window |
| Three-finger swipe up / down | Next / previous workspace |
| Three-finger swipe left / right | Focus the window to the right / left |
Explore all shortcuts and mouse actions for more ways to arrange your windows and move between workspaces.
Documentation
The documentation index brings the desktop guides together, while development instructions cover building, testing and contributing.
Ferese is written in Rust using Smithay, with development happening on GitHub. If something goes wrong, open an issue with the steps to reproduce it and any relevant logs.