Build glimpse from source

Install the dependencies

You need Rust 1.95 or newer, just, blueprint-compiler, gettext, clang, ripgrep and python3, plus the development files for GTK4, libadwaita, gtk4-layer-shell, PulseAudio, PipeWire, PAM and udev.

Debian or Ubuntu

sudo apt-get install libgtk-4-dev libadwaita-1-dev libgtk4-layer-shell-dev libheif-dev \
    libpam0g-dev libglib2.0-dev libclang-dev libpulse-dev libpipewire-0.3-dev libudev-dev \
    libsystemd-dev pkg-config blueprint-compiler desktop-file-utils gettext ripgrep python3

Arch

sudo pacman -S --needed base-devel rust just blueprint-compiler gettext clang ripgrep python \
    desktop-file-utils gtk4 libadwaita gtk4-layer-shell libpulse libpipewire pam

The Debian and Ubuntu line is the one CI builds with. It does not include Rust or just: install Rust with rustup and just from its releases page, because the packaged Rust is usually older than 1.95. Older releases may also not carry GTK 4.22 and libadwaita 1.9, which glimpse needs.

Clone and verify

git clone https://github.com/alex-oleshkevich/glimpse
cd glimpse
just

just alone lists every recipe. Run what CI runs before you send a change: formatting, the type check, clippy with warnings as errors, the tests and the translation checks.

just verify

Install

Build as yourself, then copy the files as root:

just build-release-binaries build-translations
sudo GLIMPSE_BINARIES="$(just --evaluate binaries)" scripts/install.sh

The second line copies the binaries, systemd units, D-Bus services, the PAM entry for the lock screen and the data files under /usr and /etc. Your config.toml and panel.toml are written the first time a glimpse program starts. The units and D-Bus services expect the binaries in /usr/bin, so keep the default prefix for a working desktop. To stage the files for a package instead, set DESTDIR:

DESTDIR=/tmp/glimpse-stage just install

Then start the shell once, from a terminal inside your Wayland session:

systemctl --user enable --now glimpse-session.target

Install glimpse covers starting the shell and checking the install in more detail.