BitPop

A sleek access menu for Linux. Built with GTK4 and Rust.

What is BitPop?

BitPop is a keyboard-triggered system control hub designed as an alternative to traditional status bars and bottom/top app launchers. Instead of occupying permanent screen space, BitPop appears instantly via a keyboard shortcut and provides a clean, centralized interface for essential system interactions.

• Clock & Date Large, easy-to-read 12-hour time display with AM/PM.
• Battery Status Real-time battery percentage and charging state.
• App Launcher Fast search and launch for installed applications.
• Quick Controls Toggle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and view connected networks and devices.
• Power Actions Log out, suspend, restart, or shut down the system.

Design Philosophy

• No persistent UI clutter
• Keyboard-first workflow
• Native GTK theme integration
• System icon consistency

BitPop provides a minimal, focused system menu that stays out of the way until you need it.

Features

• Clean Design - Minimal, centered popup that doesn't clutter your screen
• Keyboard Friendly - Full keyboard navigation with Tab and Enter
• Quick Access - Press Super/Command key again to toggle close
• Smart Search - Type to filter apps instantly
• System Integration - Uses your existing GTK icon theme and colors
• Auto-Close - Click outside the menu or press ESC to dismiss

Requirements

• Linux system with GTK4
• NetworkManager (for WiFi controls)
• BlueZ/bluetoothctl (for Bluetooth controls)
• systemd (for power actions)

Install Dependencies

Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S gtk4 networkmanager bluez

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt install libgtk-4-dev network-manager bluez

Fedora:

sudo dnf install gtk4-devel NetworkManager bluez

Installation

From Source

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/ganeshspeaks/bitpop.git
cd bitpop

2. Build the project:

cargo build --release

3. Install to your system:

sudo cp target/release/bitpop /usr/local/bin/
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/bitpop

4. (Optional) Copy desktop file for application menu:

sudo cp bitpop.desktop /usr/share/applications/

Create Keyboard Shortcut

To open BitPop with a keyboard shortcut:

GNOME:

1. Open Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts
2. Click "+" to add custom shortcut
3. Name: BitPop
4. Command: bitpop
5. Set your preferred key combination (e.g., Super+Space)

KDE:

1. Open System Settings → Shortcuts → Custom Shortcuts
2. Edit → New → Global Shortcut → Command/URL
3. Trigger: Set your key combination
4. Action: bitpop

i3/Sway: Add to your config:

bindsym $mod+space exec bitpop

Usage

Opening the Menu

• Use your configured keyboard shortcut, or
• Run bitpop from terminal, or
• Click the BitPop icon in your application menu

Navigation

• Type - Search for apps immediately
• Tab - Move focus from search to quick controls
• Enter - Launch selected app or activate focused button
• ESC - Close menu (clears search first if text present)
• Super/Command - Toggle menu open/close
• Click outside - Close menu

Quick Controls

• WiFi - Shows "On" or "Off". Displays connected network name when available
• Bluetooth - Shows "On" or "Off". Displays connected device name when available
• Airplane Mode - Disables all radios

Configuration

BitPop automatically uses your system's GTK theme and icon theme. To customize appearance:

1. Change your GTK theme in system settings
2. Change your icon theme in system settings
3. Restart BitPop to apply changes

Troubleshooting

Icons not showing

Make sure you have a complete icon theme installed:

# Arch
sudo pacman -S adwaita-icon-theme

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install adwaita-icon-theme

# Fedora
sudo dnf install adwaita-icon-theme

WiFi controls not working

Ensure NetworkManager is running:

systemctl status NetworkManager

Bluetooth controls not working

Ensure Bluetooth service is running:

systemctl status bluetooth

Menu doesn't appear

• Check if another instance is running (lock file at /tmp/bitpop.lock)
• Try running from terminal to see error messages: bitpop
• Ensure GTK4 is properly installed

Project Structure

src/
├── main.rs      # Application entry point
├── ui.rs        # Main window and UI components
├── system.rs    # WiFi, Bluetooth, and battery functions
├── apps.rs      # App launcher and desktop file parsing
└── icons.rs     # Icon loading utilities

Development

Build

cargo build

Run

cargo run

Build Release

cargo build --release

License

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details

Credits

Built with:

• GTK4 - GUI toolkit
• Rust - Programming language
• Inspired by macOS Control Center