jaagr/polybar
Polybar
Polybar is a customizable status bar for X11 window managers that functions as a desktop shell interface for displaying real-time system metrics and application status. It serves as a shell script runner and system resource monitor, rendering a persistent graphical overlay on the desktop to track CPU load, memory usage, battery levels, and network connection details.
The project distinguishes itself by acting as a system tray host to manage background application icons and as a window manager interface that communicates via protocol messages to show active workspace indicators and window titles. It enables the execution of dynamic shell scripts on timers or through the streaming of live command output directly to the display.
The tool covers broader capabilities including hardware status tracking for audio volume and keyboard layouts, media playback management, and the creation of interactive menus for quick application access.
Features
- Desktop Status Bars - Provides a highly configurable status bar for running dynamic shell scripts and displaying live command output.
- Status Bars - Provides a highly customizable status bar for X11 window managers to display system information.
- System Tray Managers - Acts as a system tray host to manage background application icons and their status indicators.
- Desktop Shell Interfaces - Provides a customizable desktop shell interface that executes shell scripts and streams live command output.
- Window Manager Integrations - Interfaces with tiling window managers to display active workspace indicators and window titles.
- System Resource Monitors - Visualizes real-time CPU load, memory usage, battery levels, and backlight status.
- System Resource Monitors - Visualizes real-time system resource metrics including CPU load, memory usage, and network activity.
- Hardware Status Displays - Displays real-time telemetry for keyboard layouts, network connection details, and audio volume levels.
- X11 - Enables the creation of a personalized status bar for X11 window managers with real-time system metrics.
- X11 Status Bar Frameworks - Implements a customizable status bar specifically for X11 window managers to display system metrics.
- Window-Based Overlay Rendering - Renders a persistent graphical interface as a specialized window layer on the X Window System display.
- Protocol Communication - Queries the system window manager via protocol messages to track active workspaces and window titles.
- State Tracking - Tracks active workspaces and window titles by communicating with the system window manager.
- Scheduled Script Executions - Executes external shell scripts at defined time intervals to capture and display dynamic system information.
- Inter-Process Communication - Exchanges data between running processes to trigger real-time updates and coordinated actions in the UI.
- Event-Driven Visualizations - Provides a visual status bar that updates its state in response to real-time system events and timed intervals.
- Desktop Automation - Implements desktop automation by executing scripts and monitoring process messages to update the system interface.
- Standard Stream Piping - Pipes the standard output of long-running background processes directly into the status bar display modules.
- Shell Script Runners - Executes external shell scripts on timers or streams live output directly to the display bar.
- Inter-Process Communication - Uses inter-process communication to exchange real-time data between the bar and external system processes.
- Hardware - Tracks and displays hardware status such as audio volume, keyboard layouts, and backlight levels.
- Modular Desktop Interfaces - Builds a modular desktop interface with panels, applets, and system indicators for Linux desktops.
- Metric Display Components - Renders styled UI components to visualize real-time system metrics and indicators on the desktop.
- Window Manager Overlays - Ships a visual overlay that communicates with window managers to show active workspaces and window titles.
- Desktop Customization - Highly configurable and fast status bar for desktop environments.
