---
name: "startfluxbox"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "fluxbox"
version: "1.3.7+221+g36f99b92-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/startfluxbox"
---

# startfluxbox(1)

start a fluxbox session

## NAME

startfluxbox - start a fluxbox session

## SYNOPSIS

**startfluxbox**

## DESCRIPTION

**startfluxbox** is a script which runs the file **~/.fluxbox/startup** If it doesn’t exist it will be generated.

**startfluxbox** should be started from your **~/.xinitrc** if you use startx, or **~/.xsession** if you run a display manager, like xdm.

## FILES

**~/.fluxbox/startup**

This file contains all commands that should be executed before fluxbox is started. The initial file contains helpful comments for beginners. It also starts fluxbox.

## EXAMPLES

The default **~/.fluxbox/startup** is as follows:

```
#!/bin/sh
#
# fluxbox startup-script:
#
# Lines starting with a '#' are ignored.
# Change your keymap:
xmodmap "$HOME/.Xmodmap"
# Applications you want to run with fluxbox.
# MAKE SURE THAT APPS THAT KEEP RUNNING HAVE AN ''&'' AT THE END.
#
# unclutter -idle 2 &
# wmnd &
# wmsmixer -w &
# idesk &
# And last but not least we start fluxbox.
# Because it is the last app you have to run it with ''exec'' before it.
exec fluxbox
# or if you want to keep a log:
# exec fluxbox -log "$fluxdir/log"
```

If you need to start applications after fluxbox, you can change the **exec fluxbox** line above to something like this:

```
exec fluxbox &
fbpid=$!
sleep 1
{
    xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr -fg white -bg black &
    ipager &
    gkrellm2 &
} &
wait $fbpid
```

So xsetroot, ipager, and gkrellm2 will all be started after fluxbox, after giving fluxbox 1 second to startup.

For more details on what else you can do in this script, see **[sh(1)](/sh/1.md)**, or the documentation for your shell.

## AUTHORS

The author of **[startfluxbox(1)](/startfluxbox/1.md)** is Han Boetes \<han at fluxbox.org\>

This manpage was converted to asciidoc format by Jim Ramsay \<i.am at jimramsay.com\> for fluxbox-1.1.2

## SEE ALSO

[fluxbox(1)](/fluxbox/1.md)

## AUTHOR

**Jim Ramsay** \<i.am@jimramsay.com\>

Author.