--- /dev/null
+
+ ┌────────────────────────────┐
+ │ Release notes for i3 v4.0 │
+ └────────────────────────────┘
+
+This is the first release of the new major version of i3, v4.0. It has been a
+long time since v3.ε was released (over one year). A lot has been happening
+since then, we made 736 commits – compare that to the total number of 1664
+commits for i3.
+
+The reason for the high number of commits and long time for this release is the
+big refactoring we have been doing. Instead of using several lists and a table
+as data structures, we now use a single tree of containers. These containers
+represent invisible entities like your X11 root window, your different monitors
+and workspaces, but also visible entities like actual windows.
+
+Using a tree has made a lot of things cleaner and easier – in the code *and* in
+the user interface. Admittedly though, you will probably need a day or two to
+get used to a few more advanced movement commands if you are used to v3.ε right
+now.
+
+ ┌────────────────────────────┐
+ │ New features │
+ └────────────────────────────┘
+
+ • In addition to the proper flex/bison based parser for the config file
+ introduced in 3.δ, we now also have a flex/bison parser for commands. What
+ this means is that we can have more human-readable, beautiful command names
+ instead of cryptic commands like 'f' for fullscreen or 'mh' for move left.
+ In fact, the commands for the aforementioned functions *are* 'fullscreen'
+ and 'move left'!
+
+ • You can now chain commands using ';' (a semicolon). One example for that is
+ 'workspace 3 ; exec /usr/bin/urxvt' to switch to a new workspace and open a
+ terminal.
+
+ • You can specify which windows should be affected by your command by using
+ different criteria. A good example is '[class="Firefox"] kill' to get rid
+ of all Firefox windows.
+
+ • As the configuration file needs new commands (and a few options are
+ obsolete), you need to change it. To make this process a little bit easier
+ for you, this release comes with the script i3-migrate-config-to-v4. Just
+ run it on your current config file and it will spit out a v4 config file to
+ stdout. To make things even better, i3 automatically detects v3 config files
+ and calls that script, so you never end up with a non-working config :).
+
+ • Similarly to the criteria when using commands, we now have a 'for_window'
+ configuration directive, which lets you automatically apply certain commands
+ to certain windows. Use it to set border styles per window, for example with
+ 'for_window [class="XTerm"] border 1pixel'.
+
+ • Since dock clients (like dzen2) are now part of the layout tree (as opposed
+ to a custom data structure as before), it was easy to implement top and
+ bottom dock areas. Programs which properly specify the dock hint get placed
+ on the edge of the screen they request. i3bar has the -dtop and -dbottom
+ parameters, for example.
+
+ • The internal workspace bar is obsolete. Use i3bar instead.
+
+ • Resizing now works between all windows!
+
+ • Fullscreen now works for everything!
+
+ • Floating now works for everything!
+
+ • Your layout is now preserved when doing an inplace restart.
+
+ • When you have an error in your config file, a new program called i3-nagbar
+ will tell you so. It offers you two buttons: One to view the error in your
+ $PAGER and one to edit your config in your $EDITOR.
+
+ • The default config used key symbols (like 'bind Mod1+f fullscreen') instead
+ of key codes. If you use a non-qwerty layout, the program i3-config-wizard
+ can create a key symbol based config file based on your current layout. You
+ can also chose between Windows (Mod4) and Alt (Mod1) as your default
+ modifier. i3-config-wizard will automatically be started as long as you
+ don’t have a configuration file for i3.
+
+ • Custom X cursor themes are now supported.
+
+ • The RandR backend now respects the primary output.
+
+ • A wrong 'font' configuration in your config file will no longer make i3
+ exit. Instead, it will fall back to a different font and tell you about the
+ error in its log.
+
+ • The default split direction (whether a new window gets placed right next to
+ the current one or below the current one) is now automatically set to
+ horizontal if you have a monitor that is wider than high or vertical if you
+ a monitor which is higher than wide. This works great with rotated monitors.
+
+ • Sockets and temporary files are now placed in XDG_RUNTIME_DIR, if set (this
+ is used on systemd based systems).
+
+ • Tools like i3bar, i3-msg etc. use the I3_SOCKET_PATH property which is set
+ to the X11 root window, so you don’t have to configure your socket path
+ anywhere.
+
+ • The kill command kills single windows by default now. To kill a whole
+ application, use 'kill client'.
+
+ • IPC: Commands can now have custom replies. When the parser encounters an
+ error, a proper error reply is sent.
+
+ • There is now an 'exec_always' configuration directive which works like
+ 'exec' but will also be run when restarting.
+
+ ┌────────────────────────────┐
+ │ Future features │
+ └────────────────────────────┘
+
+Our plans were big but our time and manpower is limited. Therefore, the
+following features did not make it into this release. However, the foundation
+is now in place and implementing them is possible, so stay tuned!
+
+ • Saving/Restoring specific parts of your layout
+
+ • Session saving
+
+ • Sticky windows
+
+ ┌────────────────────────────┐
+ │ Thanks! │
+ └────────────────────────────┘
+
+Thanks for testing, bugfixes, discussions and everything I forgot go out to:
+
+ aniou, artoj, badboy, cloud, cradle, David Coppa, dbp, dothebart, eeemsi,
+ eelvex, f8l, fernando, jan, jimdigriz, jon, julien, kacper, ktosiek,
+ lexszero, litemotiv, lourens, madroach, marcus, merovius, mike, mirko, mseed,
+ mxf, phnom, quaec, rogutes, sardemff7, smartass, thepub, tiago, tucos,
+ woddf2, xpt, ys
+
+-- Michael Stapelberg, 2011-07-31
projects / i3 / i3.github.io / commitdiff