swaynag(5)

💖 swaynag(5) — like, the whole manual, bestie 💖

Okay so this is a page from the File Formats Manual — it's swaynag(5), the config file page, and it's genuinely so much easier than it looks. Grab a snack, we're doing this. 🍓

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✨ NAME ✨

swaynag — the swaynag configuration file, aka the glow-up file for your nag bar. periodt.

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

Here's where swaynag goes looking for its config, in these exact spots:

$HOME/.swaynag/config
$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/swaynag/config
SYSCONFDIR/swaynag/config

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🎀 CONFIG FILE 🎀

the top bit: defaults, bestie

At the very top of the config file you can set swaynag options using this format, like, exactly:

long-option=value

These become the default values if swaynag isn't given the option on the command line. Which is lowkey iconic for setting your preferred font, output, and edge so you don't have to type them every single time. 🫶

the bottom bit: custom types ✨

Below the options, you can define custom types. To define one, use this format:

[name-of-type]
option=value

🎨 colors (the fun part)

All colors can be given in the form RRGGBB or RRGGBBAA. (Yes, the extra AA is alpha — she's got range.) The colors you can set are:

• background=<color> — the background color for swaynag.
• border=<color> — the color used for the borders of buttons.
• border-bottom=<color> — the color of the border line at the bottom of swaynag.
• button-background=<color> — the background color for the buttons.
• text=<color> — the color of the text.
• button-text=<color> — the color of the button text.

📏 sizing options (measurements, but make it cute)

These sizing options can also be set:

• border-bottom-size=<size> — sets the thickness of the bottom border.
• message-padding=<padding> — sets the padding for the message.
• details-background=<color> — the background color for the details. (Yes bestie, this one lives in the sizing section but she's a color. The manpage said so, we don't argue. 💅)
• details-border-size=<size> — sets the thickness for the details border.
• button-border-size=<size> — sets the thickness for the button border.
• button-gap=<gap> — sets the size of the gap between buttons.
• button-dismiss-gap=<gap> — sets the size of the gap between the dismiss button and another button.
• button-margin-right=<margin> — sets the margin from the right of the dismiss button to the edge.
• button-padding=<padding> — sets the padding for the button text.

👑 per-type defaults

Additionally — yes, additionally — the following options can each be assigned a default per-type:

• edge=top|bottom — sets the edge to use.
• layer=overlay|top|bottom|background — sets the layer to use.
• font=<font> — sets the font to use.
• output=<output> — sets the output to use. This should be the name of a xdg_output.

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🦋 EXAMPLE 🦋

Here's the example straight from the page, no notes, she ate:

font=Monospace 12
edge=bottom

[green]
edge=top
background=00AA00
border=006600
border-bottom=004400
text=FFFFFF
button-background=00CC00
message-padding=10

Look at that green type go. 🌈

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💜 SEE 💜

• swaynag(1) — go read her sibling, bestie, iykyk.

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okay that's literally the whole thing, no cap. copy the values exactly, keep the RRGGBB/RRGGBBAA format, and your nag bar is gonna be main character energy. 💅✨

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mwah 💋 — this page is from the File Formats Manual, dated 2026-04-26, and it's swaynag(5) in all her glory. see u in the next one, bestie 🎀