Desktop Overview
Kira's desktop is Wayland only, and it is meant to be a tool, not a crutch. The terminal always stays the primary interface. XWayland is available as an optional package for the rare application that still needs X11, it is not enabled by default.
Two desktop environments
| Desktop | Role | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Sleex | Primary | Hyprland, with Quickshell |
| SwayFX | Second choice | Sway, with extra compositor effects |
Sleex is the primary desktop, brought over through the Kira x AxOS collaboration. SwayFX is the second choice, for a simpler, more tiling-window-manager-like feel.
Everything shared between them, the terminal, launcher, notification daemon, GTK theme, and the desktop portal, is desktop-agnostic and reused automatically regardless of which one you run.
Login
Kira uses greetd as its login manager. It hands off to whichever desktop session you select at the greeter.
Installing and switching
Each desktop environment is its own flux meta-package:
flux install kira-desktop-sleex
flux install kira-desktop-swayfxYou can have both installed at once and choose between them at the greeter. Installing one does not remove the other.
Where to go next
- Sleex
- SwayFX
- Kira x AxOS, for the story behind Sleex's place in Kira.