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what is tiles fr?

sidorares/tiles — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-18 · repo last pushed 2013-11-04

JavaScriptAudience · developerComplexity · 3/5DormantSetup · moderate

tl;dr

A minimal, code-based window manager for Linux written in JavaScript, letting you arrange your open windows without a full desktop environment.

vibe map

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Manages window layout
      Replaces heavy desktop
      Lightweight and minimal
    Tech stack
      JavaScript
      X11
      Xephyr testing
    Use cases
      Custom Linux setup
      Nested X testing
      Session startup tool
    Audience
      Linux enthusiasts
      Systems developers

Code map

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filefunction / class

what do people make with this?

VIBE 1

Replace a heavy desktop environment like GNOME with a minimal, script-driven window manager.

VIBE 2

Test window manager changes in a nested X display using Xephyr before using them for real.

VIBE 3

Set tiles to launch automatically at login for a lightweight daily driver desktop.

VIBE 4

Study a small, hackable window manager codebase to learn how X11 window management works.

what's the stack?

JavaScriptX11Xephyr

how it stacks up fr

sidorares/tiles3rd-eden/ircb.ioa15n/a15n
LanguageJavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript
Last pushed2013-11-042016-11-162019-04-07
MaintenanceDormantDormantDormant
Setup difficultymoderateeasyeasy
Complexity3/52/52/5
Audiencedeveloperdevelopergeneral

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

how do i run it?

Difficulty · moderate time til it works · 30min

Requires a Linux machine with X11 and Xephyr for testing before real use.

prompts (copy fr)

prompt 1
Help me set up tiles as my login session window manager on Ubuntu.
prompt 2
Show me how to test the tiles window manager inside a nested Xephyr display before installing it for real.
prompt 3
I want to add keyboard shortcuts to this JavaScript window manager. Where should I start in the codebase?
prompt 4
Explain how a minimal X11 window manager like tiles decides where to position new windows.

Frequently asked questions

what is tiles fr?

A minimal, code-based window manager for Linux written in JavaScript, letting you arrange your open windows without a full desktop environment.

What language is tiles written in?

Mainly JavaScript. The stack also includes JavaScript, X11, Xephyr.

Is tiles actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2013-11-04).

How hard is tiles to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is tiles for?

Mainly developer.

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