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Show HN: I3wm Alt+Tab Workspace Switcher

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Show HN: I3wm Alt+Tab Workspace Switcher

#1

Post by iondodon »

https://github.com/iondodon/i3-switcher-x11

The i3wm Alt+Tab Workspace Switcher is a tool designed to bring the familiar Alt+Tab window switching functionality to the i3 window manager environment. It aims to enhance productivity by enabling users to switch between workspaces efficiently and intuitively, mimicking the window switching feature found in traditional desktop environments like Windows.

In my experience, using the $mod+workspace number to switch workspaces feels slower. I suspect this might be because I process visual cues more quickly than I recall specific keystrokes for each workspace. Alternatively, it could simply be due to my familiarity with the Alt+Tab behavior from Windows and macOS, which has influenced my preferences and habits.

Re: Show HN: I3wm Alt+Tab Workspace Switcher

#2

Post by shric »

One big reason I use i3 is because I find the Windows and macOS style alt/cmd tab incredibly unintuitive. It is not easy to consistently predict how many times to press it to get the desired result.

With i3 I bind keys to specific things (including workspaces) so I can switch instantly.

Re: Show HN: I3wm Alt+Tab Workspace Switcher

#4

Post by vladvasiliu »

shric wrote: post #2

One big reason I use i3 is because I find the Windows and macOS style alt/cmd tab incredibly unintuitive. It is not easy to consistently predict how many times to press it to get the desired result. With i3 I bind keys to specific things (including workspaces) so I can switch instantly.

I've built something similar for my own needs.

What I found lacking in the default i3 possibilities, was going to the previously used window on the same workspace.

My daily driver is a 32" 4k monitor, so many times I end up with one IDE or terminal on the left, and some documentation on the right, both halves visible at the same time.

However, I hate using tabs in the browser, so thanks to a hacky extension, firefox opens a new window per tab, which means that i3 manages firefox' tabs as regular windows.

So, if you have a bunch of windows open, want to see the one in the middle of the bunch, but need to switch between that and the "work" window, there's no easy way to do that from the keyboard.

From the IDE, going right works as expected. But from the browser, going left "changes tabs". You only reach the IDE after you've been through all the other tabs.

Re: Show HN: I3wm Alt+Tab Workspace Switcher

#6

Post by [deleted] »

shric wrote: post #2

One big reason I use i3 is because I find the Windows and macOS style alt/cmd tab incredibly unintuitive. It is not easy to consistently predict how many times to press it to get the desired result. With i3 I bind keys to specific things (including workspaces) so I can switch instantly.

[deleted]
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