imv

View multiple images

$ imv [path/to/image1.ext path/to/image2.ext ...]

$ imv -f [path/to/image.ext]

$ imv -r --slideshow [path/to/directory]

$ find . -type f -name "[*.svg]" | imv

$ imv -t 10 [path/to/directory]

$ curl [[-Osw|--remote-name --silent --write-out]] '%{filename_effective}\n' '[http://www.example.com/[1-10].jpg]' | imv

imv [options] [files …]

-h, --help
    Print help and exit

-v, --version
    Print version and exit

-c, --config=PATH, -C PATH
    Load config from PATH (use - for stdin)

-i, --input-config=PATH, -I PATH
    Load input bindings from PATH (use - for stdin)

-o, --option=OPTION, -O OPTION
    Override config option

-b, --background=COLOR, -B COLOR
    Set background (#rrggbb or #rrggbbaa)

-s, --scale-mode=MODE, -S MODE
    Initial scale: contain, cover, stop, fill

-l, --log=LEVEL
    Log level: panic, error, warn, info, debug, trace

-d, --debug
    Set log to debug

-f, --file-selector-command=COMMAND
    Command for interactive file selection

imv is a lightweight, suckless-inspired image viewer for X11 and Wayland. Designed for simplicity and speed, it is controlled entirely via keyboard bindings and a configuration file, ideal for tiling window managers. It supports popular formats like JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, BMP, and more via imlib2. Features include zoom/pan/rotate/flip, multiple scaling modes (contain, cover, fill), slideshows, thumbnails, EXIF overlays, and multi-image loading. File selection integrates with tools like dmenu. No GUI dependencies beyond windowing system; mouse optional. Highly customizable with per-option overrides.

Requires imlib2, libgif, etc.; Wayland support may need wlroots. No built-in animation playback. Config errors silently ignored.

~/.config/imv/config uses INI-style: [options] for scale=contain; [binds] for key=action like q=quit.

q=quit
arrows/hjkl=navigate
+=zoom in
-=zoom out
r=rotate 90°
f=flip
space=pause slideshow

Developed by David Demelier starting 2019 as Wayland-capable sxiv alternative. Actively maintained, version 4.x+ adds better Wayland, thumbs, overlays.

sxiv(1), nsxiv(1), feh(1), chafa(1)