i3 Window Manager Keybindings & Configuration Guide

i3 Window Manager Keybindings Overview

The i3 window manager is a highly configurable tiling window manager for X11. It is designed for users who prefer keyboard-driven workflows and efficient window management. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of common i3 keybindings and configuration concepts.

Note: Most i3 keybindings use the ◆ modifier key. This is typically the Alt key by default but is often swapped with the Meta (Windows) key for enhanced usability.

Basic Window Operations

These keybindings are fundamental for interacting with windows in i3.

Open New Terminal: ◆ + Enter
Open Application Launcher: ◆ + d

Window Splitting and Layouts

Control how new windows are arranged on your screen.

Change where new window is opened:
- Horizontal split: ◆ + h
- Vertical split: ◆ + v
Change container layout:
- Default (tiled): ◆ + e
- Stacked: ◆ + s
- Tabbed: ◆ + w
- Floating window (drag with ◆ + LeftClick): ◆ + Shift + Space

Window Movement and Focus

Navigate and reposition windows efficiently.

Movement (vim-like):
```
    ^
    l
< j   ; >
    k
    V
```
Switch focus around windows in workspace: ◆ + <movement key>
Move windows around workspace: ◆ + Shift + <movement key>

Workspaces Management

Organize your applications into virtual desktops.

i3 has 10 workspaces by default, labeled 1, 2, ..., 9, 0.
Change workspace: ◆ + 0-9
Send focused window to workspace: ◆ + Shift + 0-9

Advanced Window Management

Fine-tune your window layout and behavior.

Toggle fullscreen: ◆ + f
Enter resize mode: (resize with movement/arrow keys, exit with Esc) ◆ + r
Guide: Precise positioning of newly spawned windows:
When creating a new window, the currently focused window will be split. You can control whether it splits horizontally or vertically with ◆+v or ◆+h. You can focus multiple windows at once. For example, with a layout of two windows:
```
+-------+-------+
| . . . | . . . |
| . . . | . . . |
| . 1 . | . 2 . |
| . . . | . . . |
| . . . | . . . |
+-------+-------+
```
To select both windows (parent container) and split them vertically, so the new window takes half the screen:
1. Select parent container: ◆ + a
2. Vertically spawn new terminal window: ◆+v, then ◆+Enter
Resulting layout:
```
+-------+-------+
| . . . | . . . |
| . 1 . | . 2 . |
+-------+-------+
| . . . 3 . . . |
| . . . . . . . |
+---------------+
```
Whenever you split a window by spawning a new one, both windows are placed in an invisible container. You can focus this parent container with ◆+a.

i3 Configuration

The i3 configuration files define your keybindings, window rules, and overall behavior. They are typically located in the following order of priority:

~/.config/i3/config (or $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/i3/config)
~/.i3/config
/etc/xdg/i3/config (or $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/i3/config)
/etc/i3/config

You can specify a custom config file with the -c option when starting i3. The default configuration path is usually /etc/i3/config.

Configuration Syntax Examples

Key bindings: Use bindsym for key bindings.

bindsym $mod+4 workspace $ws4
bindsym $mod+Shift+R exec custom-script-in-path.sh --flag1 --flag2

Key codes: Use bindcode for direct key code bindings.

bindcode 172 exec playerctl play-pause

Executing commands on startup:
- Execute once per session: exec --no-startup-id ~/.config/polybar/launch.sh
- Always execute on startup/restart: exec_always --no-startup-id ~/.config/polybar/launch.sh
Custom modes: Create special modes for specific tasks, like gaming.

set $gamingMode "gaming_mode"
bindsym $mod+g mode $gamingMode
mode $gamingMode {
    # Insert declarations for this mode. Useful when normal keybindings fight
    # with keybindings of your games. Don't forget to add option to return from
    # this mode!
    bindsym $mod+Escape mode default
}

Moving workspaces between monitors:

bindsym $mod+x move workspace to output right

Reload config file: ◆ + Shift + c
Restart i3 in place: ◆ + Shift + r
Exit i3: ◆ + Shift + e

External Resources

i3 User Guide
MDN Web Docs (for general web development context)
Bash Manual

i3 Window Manager Guide