Now that you have mangowm installed, let's get your environment set up.
Initial Setup
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Create Configuration Directory
mangowm looks for configuration files in ~/.config/mango/.
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Copy Default Config
A default configuration file is provided at /etc/mango/config.conf. Copy it to your local directory to start customizing.
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Launch mangowm
You can now start the compositor from your TTY.
Optional: To specify a custom config file path:
Essential Keybindings
mangowm uses the following keybinds by default:
| Key Combination |
Action |
Alt + Return |
Open Terminal (defaults to foot) |
Alt + Space |
Open Launcher (defaults to rofi) |
Alt + Q |
Close (Kill) the active window |
Super + M |
Quit mangowm |
Super + F |
Toggle Fullscreen |
Alt + Arrow Keys |
Move focus (Left, Right, Up, Down) |
Ctrl + 1-9 |
Switch to Tag 1-9 |
Alt + 1-9 |
Move window to Tag 1-9 |
Warning: Some default bindings rely on specific tools like foot (terminal) and rofi (launcher). Ensure you have them installed or update your config.conf to use your preferred alternatives.
Recommended Tools
To get a fully functional desktop experience, we recommend installing the following components:
| Category |
Recommended Tools |
| Application Launcher |
rofi, bemenu, wmenu, fuzzel |
| Terminal Emulator |
foot, wezterm, alacritty, kitty, ghostty |
| Status Bar |
waybar, eww, quickshell, ags |
| Desktop Shell |
Noctalia, DankMaterialShell |
| Wallpaper Setup |
awww(swww), swaybg |
| Notification Daemon |
swaync, dunst, mako |
| Desktop Portal |
xdg-desktop-portal, xdg-desktop-portal-wlr, xdg-desktop-portal-gtk |
| Clipboard |
wl-clipboard, wl-clip-persist, cliphist |
| Gamma Control / Night Light |
wlsunset, gammastep |
| Miscellaneous |
xfce-polkit, wlogout |
Example Configuration
Check out the example configuration by the creator of mangowm, including complete setups for mangowm, Waybar, Rofi, and more.
Next Steps
Now that you are up and running, dive deeper into customizing mangowm: