Karousel
A scrollable tiling script for KDE's KWin window manager that arranges windows in horizontally scrollable columns, ideal for ultrawide screens.
What is Karousel?
Karousel is a scrollable tiling script for KDE's KWin window manager that organizes application windows into horizontally scrollable columns. It solves the problem of inefficient window management on ultrawide screens by allowing users to control column widths and scroll through windows instead of maximizing them.
KDE Plasma users, especially those with ultrawide monitors, who want a tiling window manager with scrollable columns and fine-grained control over window layouts.
Developers choose Karousel for its unique scrollable tiling approach, seamless KDE integration, and extensive keyboard-driven workflow, offering a specialized alternative to traditional tiling window managers for wide screens.
Overview
Scrollable tiling Kwin script
Use Cases
Best For
- Managing multiple application windows on ultrawide monitors
- KDE Plasma users seeking a tiling window manager alternative
- Keyboard-centric desktop workflows with extensive shortcuts
- Scrolling through window columns when screen width is exceeded
- Adjusting column widths manually instead of auto-maximizing
- Integrating tiling features into KDE without replacing the entire window manager
Not Ideal For
- KDE users with multi-monitor setups seeking seamless tiling across all screens
- Users who heavily utilize KDE's virtual desktops or activities for window management
- Non-KDE desktop environment users looking for a tiling window manager solution
Pros & Cons
Pros
Specifically designed for wide screens, it allows horizontal scrolling of window columns when they don't fit, making it ideal for ultrawide monitors as highlighted in the README.
Users can adjust column widths with keyboard shortcuts like Meta+Ctrl++/-, providing fine-grained layout control instead of automatic maximization.
Offers comprehensive shortcuts for moving windows, columns, focus, and scrolling, configurable through KDE System Settings, enabling a keyboard-centric workflow.
Built as a KWin script, it integrates smoothly with KDE Plasma, allowing configuration via standard KDE settings without replacing the entire window manager.
Cons
As admitted in the limitations, it doesn't support multiple screens, which is a critical flaw for users with more than one monitor.
Doesn't support windows on all desktops or multiple activities, restricting its use in complex KDE environments that rely on these features.
Several default shortcuts clash with KDE's standard key bindings, requiring manual remapping and adding to the setup complexity, as noted in the README.
Frequently Asked Questions
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