dunstify

Show a notification with a given title and message

$ dunstify "[Title]" "[Message]"

$ dunstify "[Title]" "[Message]" [[-u|--urgency]] [low|normal|critical]

$ dunstify "[Title]" "[Message]" [[-r|--replace]] [123]

$ dunstify [[-?|--help]]

dunstify [options] message

-a, --appname APPNAME
    Specify the application name for the notification.

-u, --urgency [low, normal, critical]
    Set the urgency level of the notification.

-t, --timeout TIMEOUT
    Set the timeout (in seconds) after which the notification disappears.

-i, --icon [PATH|NAME]
    Specify an icon to display with the notification. Can be a file path or an icon name.

-m, --markup [auto, full, none]
    Specify the markup format used in the message. Auto detects html tags.

-r, --replace ID
    Replace an existing notification with the specified ID.

-n, --transient
    Make the notification transient (doesn't stick on screen).

-h, --hint NAME:TYPE:VALUE
    Pass a hint to the notification server.

-v, --version
    Display the version number and exit.

-f, --format FORMAT
    Specify a custom format for the notification.

dunstify is a lightweight and customizable notification daemon for Linux systems. It displays notifications in a simple, unobtrusive way, using a minimalist design. Unlike some other notification daemons, dunstify is designed to be simple to configure and use, focusing on displaying information clearly without unnecessary bloat. It can be used to display notifications from various applications, scripts, and services, providing a consistent and visually appealing notification experience across the desktop environment.

Users can customize the appearance, behaviour, and urgency levels of notifications. Notification history is not stored by default, reflecting the design for simplicity. It can be configured via configuration file typically located at `~/.config/dunst/dunstrc`.

dunstify relies on a running notification daemon to display notifications. If no daemon is running, the command will execute silently, but the notification will not be displayed. The default configuration file location may vary depending on the system.

The main configuration file is typically located at ~/.config/dunst/dunstrc. This file allows you to customize the appearance, behavior, and urgency rules for your notifications. The file uses an INI-like syntax.
Consult the dunstrc(5) manual page for detailed information on the available options.

dunstify supports different urgency levels: low, normal, and critical. Notifications with higher urgency levels may be displayed more prominently or with different behaviors, depending on the configuration. The default urgency level is normal.

dunstify emerged as a lightweight alternative to more resource-intensive notification daemons. Its development focused on providing a simple, configurable, and unobtrusive notification experience. It became popular among users who preferred minimal desktop environments and wanted a customizable notification solution without the overhead of larger daemons. Over time, dunstify gained features and improvements through community contributions, solidifying its position as a widely used notification daemon in Linux systems.

notify-send(1)