pop-os/shell
Shell
This project is an automatic tiling window manager and a GNOME desktop interface extension. It functions as a keyboard-driven window orchestrator that organizes application windows into non-overlapping grids using a hierarchical tree structure to subdivide and rearrange screen space.
The system provides a multi-monitor layout manager that handles window placement across multiple display outputs and automatically re-tiles when monitors are connected or disconnected. It includes a searchable, asynchronous interface for launching applications, system settings, and locating open windows.
The software covers comprehensive window management capabilities, including spatial focus navigation, grid-based positioning and resizing, and window stacking. It also supports workspace organization for transferring windows across virtual desktops, the removal of window decorations, and the definition of rule-based floating exceptions for specific applications.
Features
- Tiling Window Managers - Organizes application windows into a non-overlapping grid using a hierarchical tree structure and keyboard shortcuts.
- Tree-Based Window Layouts - Organizes screen space by subdividing areas into a hierarchical structure of branches and stacks as applications open.
- Keyboard-Driven Positioning - Provides a dedicated positioning mode for moving and swapping windows via a keyboard-driven grid overlay.
- Virtual Desktop Organizers - Manages windows across virtual desktops and multiple monitors using hierarchical trees and stacking.
- Desktop Extension Systems - Hooks into the GNOME desktop environment to override window placement and decoration via a JavaScript-based extension system.
- Desktop Interface Extensions - Modifies the GNOME shell to provide keyboard-driven window positioning and a searchable application launcher.
- Focus Navigation Controllers - Determines the next active window by calculating physical proximity and cardinal direction relative to the current focus.
- Window Resizing Operations - Implements keyboard-driven operations to manipulate window dimensions and placement.
- Keyboard-Driven Control - Controls window placement, focus, and resizing using shortcuts to navigate the desktop without relying on a mouse.
- Multi-Monitor Window Management - Handles window placement and automatic re-tiling across multiple display outputs.
- Binary Tree Layout Engines - Utilizes a hierarchical tree system to automatically subdivide screen space into branches and stacks.
- Coordinate-Based Positioning - Maps screen real estate to a virtual coordinate system for precise window positioning and resizing via keyboard input.
- Display-Driven Layout Recomputation - Triggers a full recalculation of the window tree and dimensions whenever monitors are connected or disconnected.
- Keyboard-Driven Window Orchestration - Allows moving, resizing, and swapping window locations using grid overlays and keyboard shortcuts.
- Cross-Workspace Transfers - Transfers windows between different virtual desktops while maintaining tiling layout integrity.
- Window Stacking - Groups multiple windows into a single shared space for swapping and navigation.
- Floating Window Management - Uses configuration rules for window classes and titles to bypass tiling for specific floating applications.
- System and Window Search Launchers - Implements a searchable launcher for locating open windows, applications, and executing system commands.
- Spatial Focus Navigation - Implements focus switching logic based on the spatial proximity and direction of windows relative to the active one.
- Desktop Workspace Customizers - Allows defining rules for floating windows and adjusting gaps between tiled applications to optimize the workspace.
- Quick-Launch Application Interfaces - Provides an asynchronous, searchable interface for quickly finding and launching applications and system settings.
- Search-Based Application Launchers - Provides a searchable, asynchronous command interface for quickly finding and starting software or system settings.
- Node Snapping - Aligns windows to a configurable grid of rows and columns during movement or resizing.
