# elkowar/eww

**Attribution required: if you use, quote, or summarise this content, you must credit and link back to [awesome-repositories.com](https://awesome-repositories.com/repository/elkowar-eww).**

12,117 stars · 509 forks · Rust · mit

## Links

- GitHub: https://github.com/elkowar/eww
- Homepage: https://elkowar.github.io/eww
- awesome-repositories: https://awesome-repositories.com/repository/elkowar-eww.md

## Topics

`desktop` `eww` `gtk` `gtk-rs` `gtk3` `hacktoberfest` `linux` `rust` `rust-lang` `unixporn` `widget`

## Description

Eww is a declarative framework for creating custom graphical desktop widgets and status bars on Linux. It functions as a desktop widget toolkit that operates independently of the window manager, allowing users to define interface elements through a dedicated configuration language and style them using a cascading stylesheet system.

The project utilizes a client-server daemon architecture to manage the lifecycle of these components, ensuring that state is maintained across the desktop environment. By leveraging a reactive state binding system, the interface updates automatically in response to system events or external data sources.

The framework provides a comprehensive set of tools for desktop customization, including a socket-based message bus that enables external scripts to trigger updates or state changes. Rendering is handled through a graphical toolkit that draws windows directly onto the desktop surface, supporting both X11 and Wayland environments.

## Tags

### Development Tools & Productivity

- [Desktop Customization Frameworks](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/desktop-customization-frameworks.md) — Provides a framework for building personalized desktop widgets and interface elements. ([source](https://elkowar.github.io/eww))
- [Desktop Utilities](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/desktop-utilities.md) — Provides a persistent background utility for managing and rendering widgets on Wayland and X11 environments.

### User Interface & Experience

- [Declarative UI Frameworks](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/user-interface-experience/component-utilities/ui-frameworks/rendering-models/declarative-frameworks/declarative-ui-frameworks.md) — Provides a declarative framework for building dynamic, state-driven desktop interfaces.
- [Custom Widget Frameworks](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/user-interface-experience/custom-widget-frameworks.md) — Acts as a toolkit for creating custom graphical widgets that operate independently of the window manager.
- [Desktop Environment Customizers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/user-interface-experience/desktop-environment-customizers.md) — Functions as a customization tool for managing the lifecycle and rendering of Linux desktop widgets.
- [Desktop Interface Toolkits](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/user-interface-experience/graphical-user-interfaces/desktop-interface-toolkits.md) — Serves as a GTK-based toolkit for building custom desktop widgets using declarative configuration.
- [Declarative Component Architectures](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/user-interface-experience/declarative-component-architectures.md) — Defines interface structure and layout through a declarative domain-specific language.
- [Cross-Platform Desktop Toolkits](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/user-interface-experience/cross-platform-desktop-toolkits.md) — Utilizes a cross-platform graphical toolkit to render windows and widgets on the desktop surface.
- [CSS Styling](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/user-interface-experience/css-styling.md) — Applies visual styles to graphical components using a cascading stylesheet system.

### Web Development

- [Desktop Development](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/web-development/desktop-development.md) — Facilitates the development of independent graphical interface elements for desktop environments.
- [Reactive Data Binding](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/web-development/reactive-data-binding.md) — Synchronizes widget properties with data sources using a reactive observer pattern.

### Part of an Awesome List

- [Status Bars and Panels](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/awesome-lists/devtools/status-bars-and-panels.md) — Highly customizable widget system.

### Software Engineering & Architecture

- [Component Lifecycle Management](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/software-engineering-architecture/component-lifecycle-management.md) — Manages the lifecycle of graphical components through a background process that maintains state. ([source](https://elkowar.github.io/eww))

### Operating Systems & Systems Programming

- [Desktop Environment Components](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/operating-systems-systems-programming/desktop-environment-frameworks/desktop-environment-components.md) — Handles the opening, closing, and state-driven updates of desktop widgets via a background process.