Kubuntu i3-gaps

Be sure to clone recursively if you want to grab updated plugins / submodules included. For example, using Pathogen with Vim to manage plugins requires that the plugin to be installed are cloned to the ~/.vim/bundle/ directory. Cloning recursively allows git to clone these same nested repositories/submodules within this directory so Pathogen can handle running the Vim plugins.

These configs were created and tested on Kubuntu 20.04 using i3-gaps, and should only be used on similar systems. Any Ubuntu derivative is probably fine, especially if you're already familiar with i3. If you get stuck in a terminal with no internet, check out Linux Admin/Getting Started.

First, grab some packages used for status bar and desktop overlay

sudo apt install conky golang-go inxi python3 python3-pip jq tmux xbindkeys
sudo pip3 install powerline-shell
go get -u github.com/arl/gitmux

Next, we build Polybar from source

sudo apt install build-essential git cmake cmake-data pkg-config python3-sphinx python3-packaging libuv1-dev libcairo2-dev libxcb1-dev libxcb-util0-dev libxcb-randr0-dev libxcb-composite0-dev python3-xcbgen xcb-proto libxcb-image0-dev libxcb-ewmh-dev libxcb-icccm4-dev libxcb-xkb-dev libxcb-xrm-dev libxcb-cursor-dev libasound2-dev libpulse-dev i3-wm libjsoncpp-dev libmpdclient-dev libcurl4-openssl-dev libnl-genl-3-dev
git clone git@github.com:polybar/polybar.git
cd polybar
./build.sh

Build Brightnessctl from source and configure your user permissions for brightness control

git clone https://github.com/Hummer12007/brightnessctl
cd brightnessctl
sudo ./configure && sudo make install
sudo usermod -aG video <YOUR_USERNAME>

Optionally, you can modify the following keybinds in .xbindkeysrc. I wrote some addiitonal comments in the file and also you can check out Linux Admin/i3 for more help if needed.

# SETUP INSTRUCTIONS:
# Run `xbindkeys --key` and press a key to get the output
# Place the output under the correspondng action to trigger for that key press
# Useful for configuring media keys for laptops; They all differ
# These settings are for a Dell XPS 13 9310

#Volume Up
"pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ +10%"
    m:0x0 + c:123
    XF86AudioRaiseVolume

#Volume Down
"pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ -10%"
    m:0x0 + c:122
    XF86AudioLowerVolume

#Toggle Audio
"pactl set-sink-mute @DEFAULT_SINK@ toggle"
    m:0x0 + c:121
    XF86AudioMute

#Brightness Up
"brightnessctl s +2.5%"
    m:0x0 + c:233
    XF86MonBrightnessUp

#Brightness Down
"brightnessctl s 2.5%-"
    m:0x0 + c:232
    XF86MonBrightnessDown

Then install i3-gaps from speed-ricer PPA

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kgilmer/speed-rice
sudo apt install i3-gaps

Last, install these dotfiles to configure all of these applications by cloning repository into home directory and running stow . -

git clone -b ubuntu-i3 --recursive https://github.com/shaunrd0/dot ~/dot
cd ~/dot/
stow .

If you'd rather clone elsewhere you can

git clone -b ubuntu-i3 --recursive https://github.com/shaunrd0/dot /path/to/dot
cd /path/to/dot/
stow -t ~ .

If you forgot to clone recursively

cd ~/dot/
git submodule update --init

To configure tap to click on laptop touchpads, run the following commands

sudo mkdir /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d
sudoedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/90-touchpad.conf

And input the following lines into the 90-touchpad.conf file. Save, exit, then run sudo pkill -KILL -u <YOUR_USERNAME> to logout of your user and log back in to apply the changes.

Section "InputClass"
  Identifier "touchpad"
  MatchIsTouchpad "on"
  Driver "libinput"
  Option "Tapping" "on"
EndSection

stow --adopt . can be used to install conflicting files, but doing so will result in the loss of your local configurations. If you want to keep them, back up the conflicting files output in the error message before running this command.