Backend core objects

The backend core is the link between the Qtile objects (windows, layouts, groups etc.) and the specific backend (X11 or Wayland). This core should be largely invisible to users and, as a result, these objects do not expose many commands.

Nevertheless, both backends do contain important commands, notably set_keymap on X11 and change_vt used to change to a different TTY on Wayland.

The backend core has no access to other nodes on the command graph.

X11 backend

class libqtile.backend.x11.core.Core

API commands

To access commands on this object via the command graph, use one of the following options:

lazy.core.<command>()

qtile cmd-obj -o core -f <command>

The following commands are available for this object:

commands()	Returns a list of possible commands for this object
doc(name)	Returns the documentation for a specified command name
eval(code)	Evaluates code in the same context as this function
function(function, *args, **kwargs)	Call a function with current object as argument
info()	Get basic information about the running backend.
items(name)	Build a list of contained items for the given item class.

Command documentation

commands() → list[str]

Returns a list of possible commands for this object

Used by __qsh__ for command completion and online help

doc(name) → str

Returns the documentation for a specified command name

Used by __qsh__ to provide online help.

eval(code: str) → tuple[bool, str | None]

Evaluates code in the same context as this function

Return value is tuple (success, result), success being a boolean and result being a string representing the return value of eval, or None if exec was used instead.

function(function, *args, **kwargs) → None

Call a function with current object as argument

info() → dict[str, Any]

Get basic information about the running backend.

items(name: str) → tuple[bool, list[str | int] | None]

Build a list of contained items for the given item class.

Exposing this allows __qsh__ to navigate the command graph.

Returns a tuple (root, items) for the specified item class, where:

root: True if this class accepts a "naked" specification without an item seletion (e.g. "layout" defaults to current layout), and False if it does not (e.g. no default "widget").

items: a list of contained items

Wayland backend

class libqtile.backend.wayland.core.Core

API commands

To access commands on this object via the command graph, use one of the following options:

lazy.core.<command>()

qtile cmd-obj -o core -f <command>

The following commands are available for this object:

change_vt(vt)	Change virtual terminal to that specified
commands()	Returns a list of possible commands for this object
doc(name)	Returns the documentation for a specified command name
eval(code)	Evaluates code in the same context as this function
function(function, *args, **kwargs)	Call a function with current object as argument
get_inputs()	Get information on all input devices.
hide_cursor()	Hide the cursor.
info()	Get basic information about the running backend.
items(name)	Build a list of contained items for the given item class.
query_tree()	Get IDs of all mapped windows in ascending Z order.
set_keymap([layout, options, variant])	Set the keymap for the current keyboard.
unhide_cursor()	Unhide the cursor.

Command documentation

change_vt(vt: int) → bool

Change virtual terminal to that specified

commands() → list[str]

Returns a list of possible commands for this object

Used by __qsh__ for command completion and online help

doc(name) → str

Returns the documentation for a specified command name

Used by __qsh__ to provide online help.

eval(code: str) → tuple[bool, str | None]

Evaluates code in the same context as this function

Return value is tuple (success, result), success being a boolean and result being a string representing the return value of eval, or None if exec was used instead.

function(function, *args, **kwargs) → None

Call a function with current object as argument

get_inputs() → dict[str, list[dict[str, str]]]

Get information on all input devices.

hide_cursor() → None

Hide the cursor.

info() → dict[str, Any]

Get basic information about the running backend.

items(name: str) → tuple[bool, list[str | int] | None]

Build a list of contained items for the given item class.

Exposing this allows __qsh__ to navigate the command graph.

Returns a tuple (root, items) for the specified item class, where:

root: True if this class accepts a "naked" specification without an item seletion (e.g. "layout" defaults to current layout), and False if it does not (e.g. no default "widget").

items: a list of contained items

query_tree() → list[int]

Get IDs of all mapped windows in ascending Z order.

set_keymap(layout: str | None = None, options: str | None = None, variant: str | None = None) → None

Set the keymap for the current keyboard.

The options correspond to xkbcommon configuration environmental variables and if not specified are taken from the environment. Acceptable values are strings identical to those accepted by the env variables.

unhide_cursor() → None

Unhide the cursor.