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SPECIFICTION
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Eww

github.com

Free plan Linux
Visit github.com
Spec score 7.6 #13 of 29 in Desktop Widget Software

What it is

Eww is a free, MIT-licensed widget system for Linux. It lets you build desktop widgets that work with any window manager, without depending on that manager. You define widget structure, window geometry, behavior, state, and data in the Yuck language. Styling uses CSS or SCSS through GTK’s CSS engine, whose web-CSS support is incomplete for some animations and layout properties. Built-in variables can expose CPU, RAM, disk, battery, network, and time information. Polling variables rerun shell scripts repeatedly, while listening variables update when script output produces a new line. Available widgets include labels, buttons, images, inputs, progress displays, calendars, graphs, tooltips, overlays, stacks, and layout containers. Documentation shows xprop and playerctl integrations. Separate build commands cover X11 and Wayland. Building requires Rust, Cargo, GTK3, Pango, Cairo, and GLib. Window arguments remain constant after opening.

Spec sheet

Purpose
Eww is a standalone widget system written in Rust for creating custom widgets in any window manager.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Intended users
Eww is for people who want to define and customize their own desktop widgets, such as bars and dashboards, for a window manager.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Integrations
The documentation gives examples of using xprop to track the focused desktop and playerctl to monitor the currently playing song.Read 8 Oct 2026 · elkowar.github.io
License
The GitHub repository identifies the project as MIT licensed.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Build requirements
Building Eww requires Rust and Cargo, plus dynamic libraries including GTK3, Pango, Cairo, and GLib.Read 8 Oct 2026 · elkowar.github.io
Built-in system data
Built-in variables expose data including CPU, RAM, disk, battery, network, and time information.Read 8 Oct 2026 · elkowar.github.io
Configuration
Widgets, window geometry, behavior, state, and data are configured with Eww’s Yuck language.Read 8 Oct 2026 · elkowar.github.io
Display backends
The installation guide provides separate build commands for X11 and Wayland.Read 8 Oct 2026 · elkowar.github.io
Dynamic data
Polling variables can repeatedly run shell scripts, while listening variables read a script’s output and update when it produces a new line.Read 8 Oct 2026 · elkowar.github.io
Efficiency note
The documentation says dynamically rendering a widget tree with the literal widget is not very efficient and recommends using it only when necessary.Read 8 Oct 2026 · elkowar.github.io
Notable limit
Window arguments are constant and cannot be updated after a window has opened.Read 8 Oct 2026 · elkowar.github.io
Styling
Eww uses CSS or SCSS through GTK’s CSS engine, which does not support all web CSS features, including some animations and layout properties.Read 8 Oct 2026 · elkowar.github.io
Support and contribution
The project invites contributions through GitHub pull requests and links to a beginner-friendly introductory guide.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com
Window manager independence
Eww lets users create widgets independently of their window manager.Read 8 Oct 2026 · elkowar.github.io

Plans and prices

Free Free Standalone widget system · MIT licensed Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com

Every Eww plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free plan at free
  • Works independently of the window manager
  • Built-in CPU, RAM, disk, battery, network, time data
  • Supports X11 and Wayland builds
  • MIT licensed and open to contributions

Limits

  • Linux only
  • Requires Rust, Cargo, and GTK-related libraries to build
  • Window arguments cannot change after opening
  • Dynamic literal widget trees are inefficient

Who it suits

Eww suits Linux users who want to define their own bars, dashboards, and desktop widgets independently of a window manager. It is aimed at people comfortable configuring Yuck, CSS or SCSS, and building software dependencies.

Verdict

Eww provides a configurable Linux widget system with broad widget, layout, and system-data support. Its build requirements and incomplete web-CSS support matter when planning a setup.

Where Specifiction places it

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