The project Labwc 0.8.0 (Lab Wayland Compositor) has been published, aiming to develop a composite server for Wayland with features resembling the window manager openbox. The project focuses on minimalism, compact implementation, wide settings, and high performance. Animated effects, gradients, and pictograms are not supported, except for window buttons. The project is written in SI language and is licensed under gplv2. The code utilizes the wlroots library and offers functions for organizing the work of a composite manager based on Wayland.
Additional functionalities such as creating screenshots, displaying desktop wallpaper, placing a panel, and menu are available by connecting add-ons. The X11-applications can be launched on the Wayland protocol using the xwayland component. Design themes, menus, and hotkeys can be customized through configuration files in XML format. The Labwc 0.8.0 also provides built-in support for high pixel density screens (hidpi).
Furthermore, users can customize the root menu via the Menu.xml file and connect third-party application menus like bemenu, fuzzel, and wofi. Various panels such as waybar, sfwbar, yambar, or lavalauncher can be used. Monitor connections and parameter changes can be managed using wlr-randr or kanshi. Screen lock feature is available using swaylock.
In the latest version:
- Support for the new release of the wlroots 0.18 library has been integrated.
- New options “Fullscreenforced” have been added for setting up the use of gaps only for windows deployed throughout the screen.
- A new option “ALLOWWHENLOCEDD” has been included in the keyboard combinations setup to allow processing calls during session blocking, useful for resolving issues with hot keys control, such as volume adjustment.