Waybar, a customizable status bar for Wayland compositors, is experiencing a notable increase in user-reported issues concerning time zone handling and module visibility, suggesting potential challenges in recent updates.
The project, developed by Alexis Rouillard and others, serves users of Wayland compositors like Sway and Wlroots by offering extensive customization options for displaying system information. It remains a popular tool within the Linux community.
Recent issues and pull requests (PRs) highlight recurring problems with time display due to tzdata package updates, affecting the clock module's accuracy (#3584, #3575). Additionally, users are reporting visibility issues where hidden modules cannot be restored (#3578). These issues suggest that recent updates may have introduced regressions or compatibility challenges.
Austin Horstman (khaneliman)
Aleksei Bavshin (alebastr)
Summary
Quantified Reports
Detailed Reportsgetaddrinfo calls, improving efficiency.Yang Ying-chao (yangyingchao)
Andrea Scarpino (ilpianista)
Scott Moreau (soreau)
Alexis Rouillard (Alexays)
tzdata updates (#3584, #3575).| Timespan | Opened | Closed | Comments | Labeled | Milestones |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Days | 19 | 1 | 74 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 Days | 47 | 5 | 110 | 3 | 1 |
| 90 Days | 154 | 70 | 391 | 10 | 1 |
| All Time | 2275 | 1513 | - | - | - |
Like all software activity quantification, these numbers are imperfect but sometimes useful. Comments, Labels, and Milestones refer to those issues opened in the timespan in question.
| Developer | Avatar | Branches | PRs | Commits | Files | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Moreau |  |
1 | 0/1/0 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
| Aleksei Bavshin |  |
1 | 2/1/0 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| None (github-actions[bot]) | 1 | 1/0/0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| Andrea Scarpino |  |
1 | 1/1/0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Yang, Ying-chao |  |
1 | 2/1/1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| None (3u13r) | 0 | 1/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Sonter (S0nter) | 0 | 1/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Ivan Molodetskikh (YaLTeR) | 0 | 1/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| None (davc0n) | 0 | 1/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Gregor Kleen (gkleen) | 0 | 1/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Alexis Rouillard |  |
0 | 0/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Khiet Tam Nguyen (nktnet1) | 0 | 1/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Michal Suchánek (hramrach) | 0 | 2/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Ikko Eltociear Ashimine (eltociear) | 0 | 1/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Justus Rossmeier (rossmeier) | 0 | 1/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Antoine Bolvy (saveman71) | 0 | 1/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| RockySpain (Rockyspade) | 0 | 1/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| cooltexture (cooltexture1) | 0 | 1/0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
PRs: created by that dev and opened/merged/closed-unmerged during the period
The Waybar project has seen significant activity recently, with a total of 762 open issues. Notably, several issues have emerged around the handling of time zones, module visibility, and crashes related to external monitor connections. A recurring theme is the impact of updates on module functionality, particularly concerning persistent workspaces and the tray module's behavior after system changes.
Several issues indicate a common problem with the tzdata package affecting time display across various modules, particularly the clock. Additionally, there are multiple reports of crashes when interacting with external monitors or during specific actions like toggling visibility or changing configurations.
Issue #3586: [HELP] Space between icon and text
Issue #3584: Clock module showing UTC time instead of local time
Issue #3583: [Example VPN module] Small module for VPN
Issue #3582: Update dependency spdlog
Issue #3578: Once hidden waybar cannot be shown
Issue #3577: Garbage after end of JSON config document ignored
Issue #3576: "Rotate" documentation unclear
Issue #3575: Everywhere in system date is correct, but waybar shows UTC time
This analysis highlights ongoing challenges within the Waybar project that could affect user experience and functionality across various modules.
The dataset contains a total of 56 open pull requests (PRs) for the Waybar project, with notable contributions ranging from minor fixes to significant feature additions. The activity reflects ongoing development and community engagement, with several PRs addressing bugs, enhancing documentation, and introducing new features.
PR #3585: A minor fix to update error logging in power_profiles_daemon.cpp. This change corrects a typo in the error message.
PR #3580: Clarifies documentation regarding the 'rotate' option across multiple modules, fixing previous ambiguities and adding warnings for invalid properties.
PR #3579: Reverts a previous change related to visibility toggling in the bar, aiming to restore expected behavior as described in issue #3578.
PR #3573: Introduces click coordinates for scripts, allowing custom actions based on mouse position within the widget, particularly useful for tablet mode.
PR #3565: Adds HiDPI support for the image module to improve rendering quality on high-resolution displays.
PR #3555: Automated update of the flake.lock file via GitHub Actions, ensuring dependencies are current.
PR #3554: Fixes selection issues in the upower module when multiple devices are present, ensuring correct device handling.
PR #3551: Adds new modules for the Niri Wayland compositor, providing functionality for workspaces and window management.
PR #3523: Enhances the cava module with new configuration options for silent states and CSS triggers.
PR #3518: Corrects frequency unit documentation in the network module manual from MHz to GHz.
PR #3420: Addresses an issue with wlr/taskbar where actions were incorrectly executed, leading to confusion during user interactions.
PR #3401: Implements scrolling functionality on the background of Waybar, allowing users to scroll even when not over a specific module.
PR #3544: Introduces a new Hyprland module to display window counts per workspace, responding to community requests.
PR #3528: Draft PR aimed at fixing various Sway modes and improving wlr_scene support based on user feedback.
PR #3526: Adds an option to ignore certain streams in the privacy module, enhancing user control over privacy settings.
PR #3517: Introduces a Docker image configuration for easier deployment and testing of Waybar.
PR #3504: Adds an option to show only active tags in the dwl/tags module, improving usability for users with many tags.
PR #3481: Draft PR for a new cosmic/workspaces module that aligns with recent protocol changes in Wayland compositors.
PR #3474: Re-establishes battery module updates upon plugging/unplugging events using udev netlink kernel events instead of inotify.
PR #3464: Updates the volume indicator behavior in PulseAudio when switching default output devices.
PR #3460: Fixes frequency unit display issues in network-related modules and documentation.
PR #3436: Allows river tags to be styled based on monitor focus, enhancing visual clarity for multi-monitor setups.
PR #3421: Adds a sink-mapping configuration option to PulseAudio modules for improved audio management flexibility.
PR #3406: Fixes keyboard layout handling issues related to commas in names within Hyprland events.
PR #3382: Updates river/tags module behavior to utilize toggle-tags for determining tag status rather than relying solely on button indices.
PR #3370: Introduces dynamic timeout settings for idle inhibitors based on user input, improving usability during extended periods of inactivity.
PR #3311: Adds format-icons support for river/layout modules, allowing icons instead of text labels for layouts.
PR #3151: Proposes a new images module capable of rendering multiple images under one GTK container with custom styles and commands.
PR #3088: Adds an option to capture scroll events across the entire bar in Hyprland workspaces, improving user interaction consistency with Sway's behavior.
PR #2965 - PR #2441 (Older PRs): Various enhancements and fixes across different modules including keyboard layout handling, Bluetooth battery percentage fetching, and network link speed reporting.
The analysis reveals several key themes and trends among the open pull requests:
The high number of open pull requests (56) indicates that Waybar is undergoing continuous development with active contributions from various developers within the community. This activity suggests that there is a robust interest in enhancing the functionality of Waybar and addressing user feedback promptly.
The contributions range from minor bug fixes (e.g., PRs like #3585) to significant feature additions (e.g., PRs like #3551 and PRs related to new modules). This diversity highlights that contributors are not only focused on maintaining existing functionalities but are also keen on expanding Waybar's capabilities across different environments (Sway, Hyprland).
Several pull requests focus on clarifying or enhancing documentation (e.g., PRs like #3580 and PRs related to man pages). This emphasis on documentation is crucial as it aids users in understanding how to configure and utilize various features effectively, which can lead to increased adoption of Waybar among new users or those transitioning from other systems.
Many pull requests address specific user requests or issues raised within the community (e.g., PRs like #3544 and PRs related to privacy features). This responsiveness demonstrates a commitment to user satisfaction and highlights how community feedback directly influences development priorities.
There are indications that contributors are actively working on reducing technical debt through refactoring efforts (e.g., PRs like those addressing clang-tidy warnings). Such efforts are essential for maintaining code quality over time and ensuring that future development can proceed smoothly without being hindered by legacy code issues.
While there is significant activity regarding new features and improvements, some older pull requests remain open without resolution or have been marked as drafts (e.g., PRs like those from 2023). This could indicate potential bottlenecks or challenges in merging these contributions due to complexity or lack of consensus among maintainers regarding implementation approaches.
In conclusion, Waybar's current state reflects a vibrant project with active contributions aimed at enhancing its usability and functionality across various environments while maintaining a strong focus on community engagement and documentation improvements.
Alexis Rouillard (Alexays)
Scott Moreau (soreau)
Andrea Scarpino (ilpianista)
Yang Ying-chao (yangyingchao)
Aleksei Bavshin (alebastr)
Austin Horstman (khaneliman)
Others (e.g., github-actions[bot], Robert Mueller II, etc.)
Collaboration: There is a strong collaborative effort among team members, particularly between Alexis Rouillard and other contributors like soreau, ilpianista, and yangyingchao. This indicates a cohesive team dynamic focused on improving the project collectively.
Focus on Bug Fixes: The recent activities show a clear emphasis on addressing bugs and enhancing existing features rather than introducing new major functionalities. This is evident from the numerous merged PRs that focus on fixing crashes and improving code quality.
Low Activity from Some Members: A few team members, such as Alexays, have not made any commits in the last month despite their historical contributions. This could suggest varying levels of engagement or shifting responsibilities within the team.
High Volume of Open Issues/PRs: The project has a significant number of open issues and pull requests (818), indicating ongoing development challenges or feature requests that need attention.
The development team for Waybar demonstrates active engagement in maintaining and improving the software through collaborative efforts focused primarily on bug fixes and minor enhancements. While some members are highly active, others show reduced recent involvement, which may impact future development velocity. The high number of open issues suggests that while the project is popular and actively developed, it may also face challenges in managing community expectations and maintaining momentum.