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Polybar

A customizable status bar for Linux desktops, mainly used with X11 window managers.

GitHub Download 3.7.2
Stars
15.4k
Forks
736
Licence
MIT
Language
C++
Last update
1.1 years ago
Type
App

No commits in over a year — check for forks or alternatives before adopting.

What it is

Polybar is a program that draws a status bar along the edge of your Linux desktop. The bar can show things like workspaces, the window title, volume, battery, network, CPU and memory load, and the time. It is configured through a settings file rather than by writing scripts, and the README says it is built to avoid needing shell-scripting skills.

  • Show i3 or bspwm workspaces and the focused window title on a top bar
  • Display ALSA or PulseAudio volume and MPD playback controls
  • Show CPU, memory, battery and network details on the bar
  • Run a time-based script or tail command output and show the result in the bar

Great for

  • Linux users who run a tiling window manager such as i3 or bspwm
  • People who want a custom desktop bar without writing much shell code
  • Users who want built-in modules for audio, music player, network and battery
  • Users who want a lightweight bar and are comfortable editing a config file

Not ideal for

  • Users on macOS or Windows, since the README and topics focus on Linux and X11 window managers
  • Users who want a bar that works out of the box with no configuration, because the README points to the wiki for setup and configuration
  • Users of Wayland-only desktops, since the README does not describe Wayland support
Step-by-step guide: how to use PolybarInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs
Polybar alternativesAeroSpace vs Polybareww vs PolybarPolybar vs Waybar

How to get it

  1. 1

    Install with a package manager

    Debian or Ubuntu install

    sudo apt install polybar

    Arch Linux install

    sudo pacman -S polybar

    Fedora install

    sudo dnf install polybar
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Install polybar with your distribution's package manager using one of the commands listed in the README
    • Read the wiki page on running and configuring polybar, linked from the README
    • Create or edit a configuration file following the wiki guidance
    • Start polybar from your window manager or terminal as described in the wiki
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Use the built-in modules listed in the README, such as workspaces, volume, MPD and battery, rather than writing custom scripts
    • Use the time-based script execution and command output tailing features to show custom information
    • Use the user-defined menu tree feature for launching actions from the bar
    • Check the Discussion page or r/polybar subreddit for community examples, as linked in the README

Downloads

Source code (.zip)master branch · straight from GitHubRelease 3.7.22 files incl. polybar-3.7.2.tar.gzOfficial website & docspolybar.github.io

Strengths

  • The README describes it as fast and easy to use, and it has built-in modules for many common services
  • It is free and open source under the MIT license
  • It is packaged for many Linux distributions, so it is often installable with the system package manager

Trade-offs

  • Setup depends on editing configuration and reading the wiki, which the README sends users to for details
  • The README focuses on X11 and window managers such as i3 and bspwm, so fit with other environments is unclear from the text provided

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
polybar (this)15.4kAppintermediate1.1 years agoLinux users who run a tiling window manager such as i3 or bspwm
Waybar12.1kAppintermediate9 days agoSway or Hyprland users who want a configurable status bar
eww12.7kAppintermediate4 months agoLinux users who run a tiling or minimal window manager and want custom bars or panels
lvgl25.1kLibraryintermediate4 days agoEngineers adding a touchscreen or display UI to an embedded device
AeroSpace23.7kAppintermediate5 days agoKeyboard-centric users who want to manage windows without the mouse
DearPyGui15.7kLibrarybeginner18 days agoPython developers who want a desktop GUI for a script or internal tool

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.