JWM is one of the most underrated floating window managers available for Linux. It’s super lightweight, making it great for everything from older PCs, all the way up to super-performant workstations. It comes with it’s own status bar and menu, with default configs that are easy to edit and add to. My custom configuration replaces the default menu with Rofi to launch programs and other menus. The steps below work well with a Debian base installation as I covered in a previous post, and will install JWM with my custom configurations and theming, along with a good base set of applications. The default configuration is for use with HiDPI monitors (192 dpi settings) and desktop-type computers, but there are options at the end of the script that let you change to 96 dpi settings for use with non-HiDPI monitors, and/or change to laptop-type (battery powered) computer settings.
Step 1: Install Git
sudo apt install gitStep 2: Clone my custom scripts
git clone https://github.com/e33io/scriptsStep 3: Change the directory to the scripts directory
cd scriptsStep 4: Run the JWM script
sh deb-post-install-jwm.shStep 5: At the end of the script you will see the option below, and answer n (for no) to keep the default HiDPI settings or y (for yes) to change to non-HiDPI settings
NOTE: The configs that were installed with this script are based on using HiDPI monitors (192 dpi settings). The option below lets you change to 96 dpi settings for use with non-HiDPI monitors. --------------------------------------------------------- Do you want to change to 96 dpi non-HiDPI settings? (y/n)
Step 6: After the option above, you will see the option below, and answer n (for no) to keep the default desktop-type computer settings or y (for yes) to change to laptop-type computer settings, then you will see “All done, you can now run other commands or reboot the PC” when the script is finished
NOTE: The configs that were installed with this script are based on using a desktop-type computer. The option below lets you change to laptop configs for use with a laptop-type (battery powered) computer. --------------------------------------------------------- Do you want to change to laptop configs? (y/n)
Step 7: Reboot the PC
systemctl rebootJWM Keybindings
Modifier keys:
Mod4 Windows (Super) key
A Alt key
C Control key
S Shift key
Return Enter key
space Space bar
Left Left arrow key
Right Right arrow key
Up Up arrow key
Down Down arrow key
Tab Tab key
equal Equal key
minus Minus key
Print PrtSc (Print Screen) key
button1 Left mouse button
button3 Right mouse button
Custom keybindings:
Mod4+d Program launcher (app menu)
Mod4+Return Launch terminal
Mod4+S+Return Launch file manager
Mod4+b Launch web browser
Mod4+1 Switch to workspace 1
Mod4+2 Switch to workspace 2
Mod4+3 Switch to workspace 3
Mod4+4 Switch to workspace 4
Mod4+5 Switch to workspace 5
Mod4+6 Switch to workspace 6
C+A+Right Switch to next workspace
C+A+Left Switch to previous workspace
Mod4+S+1 Send active window to workspace 1
Mod4+S+2 Send active window to workspace 2
Mod4+S+3 Send active window to workspace 3
Mod4+S+4 Send active window to workspace 4
Mod4+S+5 Send active window to workspace 5
Mod4+S+6 Send active window to workspace 6
Mod4+S+Right Send active window to next workspace
Mod4+S+Left Send active window to previous workspace
A+Tab Change active window focus to next window
Mod4+A+Right Change active window focus to next window
A+S+Tab Change active window focus to previous window
Mod4+A+Left Change active window focus to previous window
Mod4+S+f Toggle active window fullscreen
Mod4+S+m Maximize and unmaximize active window
Mod4+S+v Maximize and unmaximize active window vertically
Mod4+S+h Maximize and unmaximize active window horizontally
Mod4+S+i Minimize (hide) active window to tray
Mod4+S+space Move active window to center of screen
Mod4+Right Tile active window right
Mod4+Left Tile active window left
Mod4+Up Tile active window up
Mod4+Down Tile active window down
A+space Show active window's menu
Mod4+o Show list of open windows
Mod4+S+q Close active window
Print Screenshot entire desktop
S+Print Screenshot selected area
Mod4+Print Screenshot active window
Mod4+C+equal Disable dpms to keep session awake (like Caffeine)
Mod4+C+minus Re-enable dpms to resume screen blanking and locking
Mod4+x Lock screen
Mod4+p Power menu (lock, logout, reboot, shutdown)
Mod4+button1 in the window and drag Move active window
Mod4+button3 in the window and drag Resize active window
button1 on the window border and drag Resize active window
View the ~/.jwmrc file to see all the configured keybindings that aren’t indicated in the box above.