i3wm: Configuration (2/3)

[@beans2939]

I hope you go down in history as the man who helped the world configure i3. This video was a godsend and detailed everything I needed to know about i3

[@adnaldojuliano5669]

If you think about it, this guy really is the "man" of i3 configuration.

[@beans2939]

@@adnaldojuliano5669 carlos if you don't shut the fuck up...

[@b4rt009]

In Feb 2021 it's still the best video I found.

[@ryanlea750]

@@b4rt009 2023 right now. Godsend is the word. (well I haven't been able to get everything to work but mostly. which is way better than I have been doing)

[@gamingandanime9000]

@@ryanlea750 2024 as of writing this and it is still Awesome!

[@a6entoren6e]

this needs to be the standard for all Linux tutorials

[@bookercodes]

+a6entoren6e :O

[@johne.6763]

Thank you for putting effort into making high quality tutorials.

[@bookercodes]

+Namaxt Pluck You're most welcome. Thank _you_ for taking the time to comment!

[@benm9009]

you're really good at clear instructions and when it comes to stuff like this that's SO NICE so thank you

[@cursedtosufferGRIMM]

I saw 9 years old when this video came out. It's so amazing that Linux is so consistent that this guide still applies, yet it's always so up to date that it's consistently faster than Windows or Mac will ever be.

[@eyeversion]

This is just amazing, i hope it stays here forever so newbies like me can come here and take advantage of this tutorial.

[@robtot1934]

This must be the most elaborate Linux tutorial I have watched in a very long time... Not only do you know what you are doing...but also you do it very well... Thank you for this...

[@Clobercow1]

Dude. You have the best mannerism and style for these tutorials. Please, keep them coming!

[@bookercodes]

+Clobercow1 Thanks a lot, Cobbercow. I'll definitely be making more 😄!

[@abrokenlink_]

5 years later and this is still the best i3 tutorial on youtube

[@JBFreakyGamer]

You, good sir, deserve an award for making videos that are not only most helpful but also pleasant to watch.

[@caseyjp1]

Since this video was done, quite a few changes have been made to I3wm and its config stuff. There is a default "define workspaces" section in the config now. Workspaces are defined as: bindsym $mod+1 workspace number $ws1 rather than the way shown in the video. Glad they made that change. Great tutorial!

[@lancedorksen4509]

This video is so underrated. Great content, concise summary. Thank you so much!

[@ArthurNight]

I can't believe these series are free on youtube! Thanks a million!

[@bookercodes]

I just like helping people 😄

[@chroxify8913]

Still the best guide i miss u man pls come back and upload some stuff for us

[@usuwaniestukotu722]

2019 - still one of the best videos on i3, great job!

[@peacemekka]

2020 and now 2021 and still it is one of the best and the top recommended video when you search i3wm

[@meowmrrpnyanya]

2022 still holding on

[@salim444]

Thank you so much Alex. One note: I changed pactl lines for volume to # Pulse Audio controls bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume 1 +5% #increase sound volume bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume 1 -5% #decrease sound volume bindsym XF86AudioMute exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-mute 1 toggle # mute sound in order to work

[@tylerdurden5593]

Still gold in 2019, thank you so much.

[@boomerix]

It is 2019 and variables are now a standard part of the config file

[@kyubre]

A year into my Nirvana with i3wm as a result of finding your videos, I still find value in revisiting your videos. Thank you!

[@FullMetalGladiator]

2024 newbie linux user here, thank you for being concise and useful.

[@asg8813]

Even 6 years later your videos about i3 are best

[@SalarKalantari]

3:36 instead of Mod+Shift+r for restarting your whole i3wm you could press Mod+Shift+c to just reload your i3 config file.

[@python_lover_01]

Completely agree with the last comment, just keep it new... adding new comment... loved each of your video about i3 and still watching them when ever I feel lost in i3.... Awesome...

[@pleirlat4]

Best i3 tutorials in the whole web. Clear and easy to follow.

[@utvikler-no]

This video is freakin awesome....

[@bookercodes]

+Tom-Erik Paulsen Thanks! Glad you liked it 😀

[@riseabove3082]

It's 2019 and this video is still relevant and very good. I just want to say you have very good teaching skills and explain things very well. Thank you so much for keeping this video posted.

[@riseabove3082]

Update: I've come a long way since a year ago; I'm using a fully customized i3wm today. I've replaced i3bar with Polybar and urxvt with alacritty. Also I love using Ranger and Broot which is great for searching files fast. I really like using i3. I've tried going back to a regular DE but I keep coming right back to my i3.

[@MaximumTheRayRay]

Wow years go by and your videos are still helping people. You are by far the best at Linux tutorials. Others need to learn from you.

[@learfreeguitar]

after having a hard time setting up my i3, your videos made it so much easier, and i understand everything i do after watching ur videos which is better then copying and pasting part of code out of google, Thank you !

[@johnsmithers284]

To say this video was helpful was an understatement. I had always wanted to try i3 but was daunted by the fact that you pretty much had to mess with the configuration file for it to be useful. I'm not very good at coding. Of course, when I opened the file, I was intimidated and shied away from i3. This helped me get back into i3. Everything was clearly explained and the fact that each topic/section was divided and labeled in the description meant that I could sit for a couple of days and focus on each aspect of the config file. Many thanks to you.

[@matthieujoly]

A real clever way to be instantly "productive" in your I3 configuration... Great video ! Still relevant.

[@ster2600]

This is a fantastically tidy and organised videos. I return to watch it regularly and use the description to find the parts I need. Thank you so much.

[@stonemannerie]

Your videos are great in every way. Your voice is pleasant to listen to and very clear even for non native english speaker. 492:0 voting mirrors this perfectly.

[@bookercodes]

+Profil Name Thank you very much. I must confess, I'm very surprised by the like:dislike ratio on this video.

[@mbigras]

Just wanted to give some feedback. When you show the result of what you're trying to accomplish first and then the configuration second it's such an awesome experience to watch because you know where we're going. Bravo! I'm really enjoying these videos, keep up the great work!

[@stevenyoung4775]

Thanks for this series, you do i3 config justice.

[@bookercodes]

+Steven Young I am really glad you think so. Thanks for watching.

[@SlideRSB]

I'm a relatively new Linux user and after a few months on a conventional desktop with a stacking window manager, I got a little curious about tiling window managers. Your tutorials are awesome. You've completely converted me over to i3!

[@bookercodes]

+SlideRSB That's awesome to hear 😄

[@SugusRedondo]

My first comment ever in youtube, and I am glad that it is to congratulate you. AMAZING

[@Fodi_be]

You are extremely good at this, Alex. Great pace, no bullshit, perfect amount of "background stories" and examples.

[@strakhov]

Thanks for this comprehensive video, I've started using i3 today and never going to switch back!

[@vulgrim]

waiting for the next video ^^ this is gold for i3 newcomers

[@bookercodes]

+Kristijan Vulgrim I'm really glad you like it. Thanks for the comment!

[@josboersema1352]

Wonderful window manager, finally able to remove bloat (title bars, docking bars), even menus, and use the keyboard for most anything; genius tiling removes wasted screen space. Best look for a desktop: 「the black and silent void」 ... _perfection._

[@yuhoshino7007]

I just installed i3 on my linux. can't wait for the next video !!!

[@bookercodes]

+Yu Hoshino Thanks for the support, Yu!

[@plxiznogoud3328]

The world needs more tutorials from you!

[@renesebastianpucheta6769]

Excellent tutorial. I stared at the screen until you finished. Thanks a lot.

[@ArkboiX]

thanks man! I though i3 was the hardest thing, it turned out to be so good after watching this series of tutorials!

[@hughb18]

My computer is now a spaceship that nobody else can pilot but me

[@helenkourous-harrigan4446]

Clear, cogent, EFFICIENT - a great use of my time and now I'm up and running with i3, thank you

[@bookercodes]

+Helen Kourous-Harrigan That's great to hear 😀

[@nitrosophelin]

Just switched to i3 and I absolutely LOVE it

[@joeybronzoni7450]

Yea, I agree with everyone here. Just awesome. Usually I have questions and spend some time searching the web for additional info but not here(other than the links you provided). I am looking forward to more tutorials! Shoot, I would watch a lesson on how to fold a piece of paper coming from your channel! Thanks for the skills.

[@Seltyk]

I really do appreciate this series. While I usually find people going too detailed on one specific note to be annoying, for i3 it really helped me bridge the gap and figure out what I'm doing. While I still primarily use Xfce, I can definitely see myself warming up to i3 in the coming months. Thanks for this series, especially for the all-inclusive config documentation. You're a life saver

[@d0p3t]

I've just heard of i3wm and am really impressed by the posibilities and simplicity. I'm going to try it! thanks so much for the great videos

[@nnnkatze4329]

I love your i3-videos! When you are using i3 longer than a week, it's much quicker an easier to use as Unity or Gnome.

[@bookercodes]

+nnnkatze I agree :)

[@ElderSnake90]

These videos are great. Very well presented and very well explained. I've been trying out i3wm in a probably slightly unconventional manner, in that, I still have my GNOME desktop running like usual on Ubuntu GNOME 15.04, but I'm running i3wm at the same time in another TTY on X DISPLAY :1. I quite like that at the moment because I can just switch instantly between i3wm and GNOME by switching TTYs.

[@bookercodes]

+ElderSnake90 Many thanks for the compliment. That actually sounds awesome...

[@theroundduckman]

+ElderSnake90 How can you do that? BTW I'm using the same distro, but its 15.10 version instead.

[@ElderSnake90]

RoundDuckMan it's actually surprisingly easy. I just put the line "exec i3" in the file ".xinitrc" (create it if doesnt exist) and when you switch/log into another TTY (eg CTRL+ALT+F2) type "DISPLAY=:1 startx". Then you can just switch between the normal GNOME (CTRL+ALT+F7) and i3 (CTRL+ALT+F2) as you feel like it. It's pretty cool.

[@siddharthchhetry4218]

Best video i have ever seen about how to configaration of i3wm :)

[@whitestork3896]

High quality video - thank you :) pactl is control panel application for PulseAudio, so it will work for all distributions that have PulseAudio and pactl installed.

[@bookercodes]

I wasn't sure at the time. Thanks 😄

[@KartikSinghYnwa]

I am a complete noob and I had no problem following this. Thank you for this.

[@4strodev]

I love this tutorial I haved many problems to configure the multimedia buttons but the rest of the tips and configurations are incredible. You've a new subscriber for all life

[@ianpan0102]

Thank you so much for making this series -- definitely the best resource on i3 that I've come accross!

[@ahmedshabahat8786]

What an amazing tutorial all the headache got away I wasn't able to setup wallpaper, change volume Thanks for helping

[@thenextpoetician6328]

6 months ago I got into GNU/Linx Mint. 2 weeks ago I installed Regolith, then i3 in Mint a few days later, then ArcoLinux with i3/xcfe/OB a few days ago. This tutorial series is a must.

[@Little-bird-told-me]

Excellent explanation. He moved between windows like a pro

[@Little-bird-told-me]

I can do that now may self. Me telling my previous self

[@EdwardCrosby]

Another fantastic video. Very well done.

[@bookercodes]

+Edward Crosby Thank you :D

[@Psoewish]

These videos are so good. I've decided to wander into the world of tiling window managers with Manjaro i3, and this is some high quality stuff right here! I especially love the tip about workspace names and having icons in them :D

[@Noktuh-ns2zn]

Alex its 2024 and Im using your videos on how to set up i3 on my Mint installation and every is going good so far. Thank you!

[@AlexChe7]

Excellent tutorials, I have been looking for someone who explains i3 really well and I have found you. Thanks for your effort!

[@GianlucaDalfollo]

These videos are pure gold

[@mr_o47]

Hey man thanks for creating this I stumbled upon this two years ago here I am again

[@sANglF]

Seems like a lot of principles of vim have been applied to WM. I love it! Thanks for the awesome tutorial, you definitely sold me on i3 :D

[@Artixou]

This video's guidance is invaluable to me.

[@SpenserFL]

Thanks a lot of creating these videos; they're a very nice way to get introduced to i3.

[@bookercodes]

+SpenserFL You're welcome :)

[@pging8328]

The most awesome, lucidly explained, clear, expliit tutorial that I have come across. You are a natural teacher. Can you do more screencasts?

[@UnaX]

These video guides are brilliant! Fantastic work!

[@bookercodes]

+UnaXdk Thanks!

[@meowtabby5369]

# Define names for default workspaces for which we configure key bindings later on. # We use variables to avoid repeating the names in multiple places. set $ws1 "1" set $ws2 "2" set $ws3 "3" set $ws4 "4" set $ws5 "5" set $ws6 "6" set $ws7 "7" set $ws8 "8" set $ws9 "9" set $ws10 "10" someone made this in my premade i3 config before any editing.. im so grateful for someone who thought about what he said at around 20:41.. whovever wrote these last 12 lines of code, i hope you become rich and successful!

[@bioemiliano]

Now i3 comes with audio buttons already configured with pactl, aka pulseaudio. So, if you use ALSA (like if you just installed arch), use this: # ALSA controls bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec amixer set Master 5%+ # increase volume bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec amixer set Master 5% - # decrease volume bindsym XF86AudioMute exec amixer set Master toggle # mute/unmute sound You need to have alsa-utils to get amixer, and need to comment out the pactl bindings so they dont have a conflict. Also, remember to add your user to the group video (usermod -G video youruser) and then relog or reboot, so xbackligth actually works Also, i3 now changed to variables for workspaces, you can just change the name

[@Rajporus19]

The best tutorial I have ever seen for that ! Great job !

[@thexinoip]

For some reason my config was different than this one by syntax. Instead of $mod+shift+x i used Mod1+Shift+x. First one makes the command by pressing Right shift button and x for some reason. Second one executes the command by pressing mod+left/right shift+x correctly. Great video!!!

[@khalidlatif215]

The best tutorial, I have ever seen!

[@StanClarkejr]

Amazing! Took me a few days, but configured to my satisfaction. For now. Thanks!

[@fhreire]

I've never seen a better video tutorial. Thanks for that, mate, helped a lot.

[@yuanhengtang8014]

man this is really good. I've finished watching the first part, and now really enjoying the second part... Can't wait to config my own i3!

[@filipegoncalves4477]

Loved it. Absolutely fantastic. Great tips in here - especially the icons font, it's awesome! Keep up the great job.

[@bookercodes]

+Filipe Gonçalves Thanks so much for the kind words. Thanks as well for your other helpful comments.

[@tombyrne1299]

Very useful mini-series, many thanks!

[@ericdouglas_]

Perfect didactic! I'm impressed by the quality of your i3's videos. Thank you so much.

[@nik10110]

Nice tutorial. Using feh to set a background actually saves the command to ~/.fehbg as well, so to always restore the last set wallpaper simply add "exec sh ~/.fehbg &" to your config file.

[@TheFrygar]

This is the only thing that actually worked for me - using "exec always feh..." did nothing

[@FryHd]

Best Tutorial i have ever seen and heard, for real what is going on with your voice, its an awesome voice. :D your the best thankyou

[@nikolajovanovic7896]

I love this... I was looking for something like this series for quite some time... THANK YOU

[@bookercodes]

You're welcome, Nikola. Thanks for the comment!

[@nikolajovanovic7896]

Code Cast Thanks for the response. :) Keep it up man.

[@Tray2323FTW]

Fantastic video. Very well done. Really helped me understand the capabilities of the config file

[@Zeioth]

Dude, your content is incredible. Thank you for making this!

[@imonlysleepingzz]

Fantastic video! Thank you so much for putting the time and effort into helping others understand these concepts

[@mble]

12:50 - In "manjaro i3" you can also change wallpaper using preinstaled "nitrogen" ;)

[@TheShneek]

These videos are amazing. Thank you so much for taking the time to make these!

[@bradleymoore2848]

Seriously amazing i3 tutorial, thank you so much!

[@awalkingpotatoe]

If you have problems with audio settings, try "pavucontrol" it's a GUI that works with ALSA and pulse-audio : ) Thanks for the videos

[@PCPete68]

Awesome stuff. Bookmarked this for when I reinstall with only i3.

[@Virbox]

Wow, only at the end of video I realized that literally 30 minutes passed as 5 for me :D. Great tutorials, thx!

[@suchoudh]

This is the holy grail of tutorial. #respect

[@DaniloFernandezRios]

best i3 tutorial ever

[@NeilConnolly]

Great video series, thank you. As you are a Vim user, it surprises me that you havent remapped the i3 key bindings for "movement" to mirror the Vim keybindings of "H,J,K and L". I keep getting muddled between the two different mappings and it is very frustrating! I dont usually like to delve too far into remapping, but because I plan to make Vim my daily editing workhorse, it seems sensible to make the changes in i3 because I will make less i3 keystrokes than Vim keystrokes. Somewhere along my journey to i3 I seem to remember a suggestion of mapping Mod1+H to Mod1+B to allow the shuffling of the i3 movement keys to match the Vim keybindings. EDIT: Just grabbed your dotfiles and it seems that you do much the same but simply edit out the mod1+h.

[@bookercodes]

+Neil Connolly Somehow I missed this comment, sorry. Yes, I changed *jkl;* to *hjkl* to emulate Vim. I didn't do it in the video because it's a personal preference.

[@neilclay5835]

Nice work, this inspired me to try the manager and I;m into it already. Thanks.

[@GrahamAtDesk]

Superb work, these videos, Alex. Thank you.

[@mohammedwisam2188]

2020 and still awesome.

[@valentinscognamillo9220]

Thank you so much for this tutorial. It was just what I needed!

[@bookercodes]

+Valentin Scognamillo You're welcome :D