Vigintillionn

Vigintillionn / niri-sidebar

Public

A lightweight, external sidebar manager for the Niri window manager.

niri sidebar
102
9
100% credibility
Found Feb 10, 2026 at 58 stars -- GitGems finds repos before they trend. Get early access to the next one.
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AI Analysis
Rust
AI Summary

niri-sidebar provides a floating sidebar stack on the right side of the screen for the Niri window manager, allowing users to toggle utility windows in and out while handling positioning, hiding, and reordering automatically.

How It Works

1
🖥️ Discover sidebar magic

While using Niri and wanting a tidy screen for main work with side tools like chats or terminals always handy, you find niri-sidebar.

2
📥 Grab the program

Download the ready-to-go program from the releases page and place it where your computer can find it easily.

3
⌨️ Set up quick keys

Add a few simple key combinations to your Niri setup, like Mod+S to move windows to the side.

4
🚀 Start the helper

Tell Niri to launch the helper automatically when you log in, so it watches and fixes the sidebar if windows close.

5
⚙️ Choose your style

Make a quick settings note for sidebar width, height, gaps, and how much it peeks when hidden.

6
✨ Snap windows aside

Press your key combo on any window – it instantly slides into a neat stack on the right, resizing perfectly.

7
👻 Hide, flip, or peek

Use keys to tuck the stack away (with a tiny peek), flip the order, or cycle focus through your side tools.

✅ Clean, quick workspace

Your main screen stays spacious and organized, with utility windows stacked and accessible anytime.

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Star Growth

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AI-Generated Review

What is niri-sidebar?

niri-sidebar is a Rust-built tool that adds a lightweight external sidebar to the Niri window manager, letting you toggle any focused window into a vertical stack on the right edge of your screen. It auto-handles resizing, positioning, and gaps, keeping terminals, chats, or music players handy without cluttering your tiled workspace. Bind simple CLI commands like `toggle-window` or `toggle-visibility` to keys, and run a listener daemon for auto-reordering on closes.

Why is it gaining traction?

In a sea of github lightweight alternatives, this stands out for Niri users by staying external—no WM forks needed—and persisting state across restarts. Peek modes for hidden sidebars, flip stacking, and focus cycling via commands like `focus next` deliver smooth workflows devs notice immediately. Its TOML config for widths, gaps, and margins keeps it dead simple yet customizable.

Who should use this?

Niri power users juggling utility apps like terminals or lightweight discord github clients on daily drivers. Ideal for developers on external monitors wanting quick access to chats or tools without switching workspaces. Skip if you're not on Niri or prefer built-in tiling hacks.

Verdict

Worth a spin for Niri fans—solid docs, config, and tests make setup painless despite 45 stars and 1.0% credibility score signaling early days. Monitor for polish as it matures; pair with window rules for stubborn apps.

(178 words)

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