xdotool

TLDR

Search for windows by name

$ xdotool search --onlyvisible --name firefox

Perform mouse click

$ xdotool click 1

Get active window ID

$ xdotool getactivewindow

Focus on specific window

$ xdotool windowfocus --sync 12345

Type text with delay

$ xdotool type --delay 500 "Hello world"

Press a key

$ xdotool key Return

Move mouse to position

$ xdotool mousemove 100 200

Get mouse location

$ xdotool getmouselocation

SYNOPSIS

xdotool command [options] [args]

DESCRIPTION

xdotool simulates keyboard and mouse input in X11. It can search for windows, send keystrokes, move/click the mouse, and manipulate windows, making it useful for automation and scripting.

PARAMETERS

--delay milliseconds

Delay between keystrokes when typing

--clearmodifiers

Clear modifier keys before command

--sync

Wait for window to be visible

--onlyvisible

Search only visible windows

--name

Search by window name

--class

Search by window class

--window window_id

Target specific window

COMMANDS

search [options] pattern

Search for windows matching pattern

getactivewindow

Output currently active window ID

getwindowfocus

Output currently focused window ID

windowfocus [options] window_id

Focus a window

windowactivate [options] window_id

Activate (focus and raise) a window

windowmove [options] window_id x y

Move a window

windowsize [options] window_id width height

Resize a window

windowminimize window_id

Minimize a window

key [options] keystroke

Send a keystroke

keydown/keyup key

Press/release a key

type [options] text

Type a string of characters

click [options] button

Click mouse button (1=left, 2=middle, 3=right)

mousedown/mouseup button

Press/release mouse button

mousemove [options] x y

Move mouse cursor

getmouselocation

Get current mouse position

CAVEATS

Only works with X11, not Wayland. Some applications may not respond to synthetic input. Window IDs are session-specific and change between restarts.

HISTORY

xdotool was written by Jordan Sissel as an automation tool for X11. It provides scriptable access to the XTEST extension for simulating input events.