Niri Wayland Compositor for Scrollable Tiling

Niri is a scrollable-tiling Wayland compositor that changes how Linux desktop windows are organized. Instead of automatically resizing windows to fit a fixed grid, Niri arranges them in columns along a horizontally scrolling workspace. This approach gives users more room to manage applications while keeping existing window sizes consistent.

Designed for modern Linux desktops, Niri combines keyboard-driven window management, flexible workspaces, multi-monitor support, and visual customization. It is worth exploring for developers, power users, and anyone looking for an alternative to traditional floating or conventional tiling window managers.

Key Features of Niri

1. Scrollable Tiling Layout

Niri places windows in columns across a continuous horizontal strip. Opening another window adds it to the layout without automatically shrinking the windows already open. Users can scroll horizontally to navigate between columns, making it easier to work with several terminals, browser windows, editors, and documentation pages.

2. Dynamic Workspaces

Workspaces are arranged vertically and can be created as needed. Each monitor maintains its own workspace layout, allowing users to separate tasks without mixing windows across displays. Niri also preserves monitor-specific workspace state when displays are disconnected and later reconnected, helping keep multi-monitor workflows organized.

3. Multi-Monitor and Scaling Support

Niri is designed for multiple displays, keeping each monitor’s window layout independent. It supports mixed display configurations, including different resolutions and scaling settings. Fractional scaling is useful for high-resolution laptop panels and external monitors that require different interface sizes.

4. Layout and Appearance Customization

Users can customize window gaps, borders, sizes, animations, and other layout settings through Niri’s configuration file. Gradient borders with Oklab and Oklch color support provide additional visual options. Its live configuration reloading lets users apply many changes without restarting the compositor.

5. Screenshots and Screen Casting

Niri includes a screenshot interface and supports window or monitor screen casting through compatible desktop portal components. These capabilities are useful for documentation, demonstrations, remote collaboration, and recording workflows. Screen-casting availability depends on the portal implementation and desktop environment installed on the system.

6. Touchpad, Tablet, and Touchscreen Support

Niri supports a range of input devices, including touchpads, tablets, and touchscreens. Touchpad gestures can help users navigate workspaces and window columns, while tablet-to-monitor mapping provides control over where pen input is directed. Touchscreen gesture support may vary by feature and version.

Performance and Application Compatibility

Niri is designed to run efficiently on Linux hardware, although performance depends on the GPU, drivers, display configuration, and applications in use. Its Wayland-native architecture makes it suitable for modern Linux desktops, including systems with multiple displays.

For applications that still depend on X11, Niri can work with Xwayland-compatible components. Tools such as Niri’s official project resources explain the compositor’s supported setup and compatibility options. Some applications, games, and desktop utilities may require additional configuration.

Installing Niri on Linux

The installation method depends on your Linux distribution. Check the official Niri repository for current packages, release instructions, dependencies, and configuration guidance before installing.

On distributions that provide Niri through their package manager, search for the package first:

apt search niri
dnf search niri
pacman -Ss niri

These commands search the respective package repositories; they do not install Niri. Availability varies by distribution and repository configuration. Follow the installation instructions for your specific system, then review the example configuration and session-launch instructions before selecting Niri at login.

Niri Compared With Other Tiling Options

Niri draws inspiration from PaperWM, which brings scrollable tiling to GNOME Shell, while implementing its own Wayland compositor architecture. Users may also want to explore alternatives such as Karousel for KDE Plasma or Hyprland’s scrollable layout options. The right choice depends on whether you prefer a standalone compositor, an existing desktop environment, or extensive visual customization.

For related Linux desktop workflows, see our guide to Nautilus and Linux file management. Niri is a compelling option for users who want predictable window sizes, independent monitor layouts, keyboard-driven navigation, and a customizable Wayland desktop.