Free guide · Oct 5, 2026
driftwm: try the infinite-canvas desktop without losing your old one
A step-by-step setup guide with requirements, checks and common problems.
The short version
driftwm is a free, open source window manager for Linux where your windows live on one endless 2D canvas and your screen is a camera you pan and zoom around it. No workspaces, no tiling. Windows keep their own size, and when two come close they snap together into a group you can move as one. It's built for laptop trackpads first.
•What you need: Linux. driftwm is a Wayland compositor, which means it replaces the desktop session itself (the part GNOME, KDE Plasma or Sway normally run). It doesn't run on macOS or Windows.
•What you get: a desktop you move around with swipes and pinches: three fingers to pan, pinch to zoom, four fingers to jump between windows.
What's in the full guide
- 01Which install is yours
- 02Step 1: Install it
- 03Step 2: Try it inside your current desktop first
- 04Step 3: The keys to learn first
- 05Step 4: Use it as your real desktop
- 06How to get back to your old desktop
- 07Honest limits
- 08Where to go next