---
name: "wayfire"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "wayfire"
version: "0.11.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/wayfire"
---

# wayfire(1)

modular and extensible wayland compositor

## NAME

**wayfire** – modular and extensible wayland compositor

## SYNOPSIS

**wayfire** \[**-c**, **--config** *config\_file*\] \[**-B**, **--config-backend** *config\_backend*\] \[**-d**, **--debug**\] \[**-D**, **--damage-debug**\] \[**-h**, **--help**\] \[**-R**, **--damage-renderer**\] \[**-v**, **--version**\]

## DESCRIPTION

**wayfire** is a wayland compositor focusing on modularity and extensibility by providing a small core compositor implementation with all major functionality being provided by plugins. The default plugins provide 3D effects similar to compiz, such as 3D cube, wobbly windows, blur, fish eye, etc.

The optional flags are described as follows:

- **-c**, **--config** *config\_file*

  Start **wayfire** with an alternative configuration file. The default configuration file is searched first in the ${WAYFIRE\_CONFIG\_FILE} environment variable, or paths *${XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME}/wayfire/wayfire.ini*, *${HOME}/.config/wayfire/wayfire.ini*, *${XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME}/wayfire.ini*, *${HOME}/.config/wayfire.ini*.

- **-B**, **--config-backend** *config\_backend*

  Specify config backend to use.

- **-d**, **--debug**

  Enable debug logging.

- **-D**, **--damage-debug**

  Enable additional debug for damaged regions.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Print a short help message.

- **-R**, **--damage-renderer**

  Rerender damaged regions.

- **-v**, **--version**

  Print the version.

## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

**wayfire** respects the following environment variables:

- WAYFIRE\_CONFIG\_FILE

  The config file to use.

- WAYFIRE\_PLUGIN\_XML\_PATH

  A string of paths, separated by : , in which to look for plugin configuration files. By default **wayfire** looks for configuration files in */usr/share/wayfire/metadata* and *${XDG\_DATA\_HOME}/wayfire/metadata*.

- WAYFIRE\_PLUGIN\_PATH

  A string of paths, separated by : , in which to look for plugins. By default **wayfire** looks for plugins in */usr/lib/wayfire* and *${XDG\_DATA\_HOME}/wayfire/plugins*.

- \_WAYFIRE\_SOCKET

  Socket override to use to communicate with a specific **wayfire** instance using the IPC. Useful incase of multiple running instances of **wayfire**.

In addition, **wayfire** also sets the following environment variables:

- WAYFIRE\_SOCKET

  Socket to use when communicating with **wayfire**.

- WAYLAND\_DISPLAY

  Wayland display currently in effect.

- CONFIG\_FILE\_ENV

  Which config file is being used.

- \_JAVA\_AWT\_WM\_NONREPARENTING

  Needed for java based windows and it is set to 1.

- DISPLAY

  - XCURSOR\_SIZE

  - XCURSOR\_THEME

  Variables for use with legacy xwayland(1) windows.

## SEE ALSO

xwayland(1)