A unique window manager written entirely in Ruby has been generating interest in the developer community, offering a minimalist approach to X11 window management while challenging conventional implementation methods.
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| A minimalist setup showing a terminal window on a dark desktop background, reflecting the simplicity of the Ruby X11 Window Manager |
Experimental Yet Functional
The Ruby X11 Window Manager, despite its experimental status, has been in continuous use by its developer for over a year. While the project comes with stark warnings about potential instability, it has proven reliable enough for daily use in basic setups. The window manager's minimalist approach, implemented in less than 1,000 lines of pure Ruby code, demonstrates that complex system-level tools don't necessarily require low-level programming languages.
Performance Concerns Addressed
One of the primary concerns raised by the community was regarding performance implications of using Ruby for window management. However, the developer clarified that performance impact is negligible since X11 window managers primarily handle high-level events rather than computationally intensive tasks. This makes it a viable alternative to traditional C-based window managers for basic use cases.
Nothing noticeable. X11 wm's receive high-level events, such as windows opening, closing etc., they're not in-band for anything computationally heavy unlike e.g. Wayland compositors.
Current Limitations and Future Development
The window manager currently lacks multi-monitor support, which has been a point of discussion in the community. While several users have expressed interest in using it as an alternative to popular window managers like i3 or bspwm, the developer maintains a pragmatic approach to feature additions, prioritizing personal use cases and minimal code complexity over broad feature support.
Community Response and Alternatives
The project has sparked interesting discussions about alternative window managers, with community members suggesting various options including XMonad, Sway, and spectrwm for users seeking more mature solutions. The experimental nature of the Ruby window manager has not deterred interest, particularly among developers interested in window manager implementation or those seeking a minimalist approach to desktop management.
Technical Innovation
A notable aspect of the project is its pure Ruby implementation, including the X11 bindings, which extends beyond typical Ruby applications. This approach demonstrates Ruby's versatility beyond web development and shows potential for system-level programming, though with the understanding that it remains an experimental project with known limitations and bugs.
Reference: A Ruby X11 Window Manager