mako

Start the mako notification daemon

$ mako

$ mako [[-c|--config]] [path/to/config]

$ mako --max-visible [5]

$ mako --default-timeout [2000]

$ mako --group-by [app_name]

$ mako [[-h|--help]]

mako [options]

-h, --help
    Show a help message and exit.

-v, --version
    Show version information and exit.

-c , --config
    Specify an alternative path to the configuration file. Defaults to ~/.config/mako/config.

-r, --reload
    Send a signal to a running mako instance to reload its configuration file.

--ipc-only
    Run without displaying any notifications, only listen for IPC commands (e.g., for `mako --reload`).

--markup
    Control Pango markup parsing in notification bodies. Can be 'pango' (default) or 'none'.

Mako is a lightweight and highly configurable notification daemon designed specifically for Wayland compositors. It listens for notifications sent via the org.freedesktop.Notifications D-Bus interface and displays them on the screen.

As a simple and efficient tool, Mako allows extensive customization of notification appearance, position, and behavior primarily through its configuration file. It's a popular choice for Wayland desktop environments due to its native Wayland support and seamless integration with compositors like Sway. Mako aims to provide a reliable and unobtrusive way to receive system and application notifications without being resource-intensive, focusing on minimal overhead and high customizability.

Mako is a Wayland-only notification daemon and will not function on X11-based desktop environments. Its extensive configuration is primarily handled via a dedicated configuration file, making command-line options limited to general controls. It does not natively support interactive buttons within notifications, though click actions can be configured.

Mako's behavior and appearance are extensively controlled via a plain-text configuration file, typically located at ~/.config/mako/config. This file allows users to define parameters such as fonts, colors, positions, sizes, borders, timeouts, and specific rules for different types of notifications, offering unparalleled customization.

Mako communicates using the standard org.freedesktop.Notifications D-Bus specification. This ensures compatibility with a wide range of applications that send standard desktop notifications, allowing Mako to display alerts from various sources across the system.

Mako emerged as a native Wayland notification daemon, designed to fill the void for a simple, efficient, and highly configurable notification solution within the Wayland ecosystem. It is often associated with wlroots-based compositors like Sway, providing a seamless and performant experience for users transitioning away from X11. Its development emphasizes Wayland-specific features and minimal resource usage.

dunst(1), notify-send(1), sway(5)