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Getting Started

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Bobby Comet edited this page Jul 31, 2026 · 2 revisions

Getting Started

What you need

  • A Linux desktop where Conky can run (X11 is the most predictable; Wayland depends on the compositor; see Troubleshooting)
  • Conky Studio itself (AppImage, no sudo / no package manager required for Studio)
  • Optional but useful: playerctl (music), lm-sensors (temps), a Conky build with Wayland support if you are on Wayland

First launch

  1. Open Conky Studio.
  2. You may see the Theme Wizard (category, resolution, panels). Create a starter HUD or skip to a blank canvas. You can opt out of showing the wizard on every launch.
  3. Switch to the Studio tab if you are not already there.
  4. Optional: Help → Learn Studio… for a guided tour of the UI. Help → Getting Started for the in-app text guide.

Rename the HUD early (name field at the top of Studio). That name becomes the folder under ~/.config/conky/ when you Build & Install.

Your first widget (~30 seconds)

  1. From the Nodes palette (left), drag a Source (e.g. CPU %).
  2. Drag a Visual (e.g. Arc / Ring Gauge or Bar).
  3. Drag from the source’s output socket (right side of the node) to the visual’s input (left side of a property row).
  4. Select the visual; set position/size/color in Properties.
  5. Use Live Preview → Start to run a real Conky process.
  6. When happy: Project → Build & Install to Manager, then open the Manager tab and Start the theme.

Data flow is always:

Source  →  (optional Logic)  →  Visual

If a property has no wire, the constant in the property panel is used.

The three tabs

Tab Role
Manager Installed themes under ~/.config/conky/ (and related paths). Start/stop, README / theme.json, drop-in folders
Studio Node editor: palette, canvas, properties, layers, live preview
Store Community themes / assets when a source is configured (see Store & Community)

Studio layout

Area Purpose
HUD name Project / install folder name
Nodes palette Sources, Logic, Visuals, plugins — drag or double-click to add
Canvas Graph editor (not the desktop HUD). Pan empty space; Ctrl+scroll zoom; Shift+drag multi-select; Delete removes selection; right-click for group/label actions
Properties All fields for the selected node; bindable rows accept wires
Layers Visual nodes only — draw order, visibility (eye), lock
Live Preview Start/stop a real Conky using generated files

Canvas size = workable resolution

Select the Canvas node. Width and height are the HUD’s drawable size (e.g. 460×1080 side panel or 1920×1080 overlay). Alignment and gap_x / gap_y place that window on the desktop. Changing size does not auto-rescale existing visuals; reposition after you change resolution.

Build options

Menu Result
Project → Build to Folder Writes a theme directory you choose
Project → Build & Install to Manager Writes under ~/.config/conky/<name>/ and lists it in Manager
Project → New HUD Theme Wizard starter
Project → New Blank HUD Empty graph + Canvas node
Project → Import Legacy Theme See Legacy Import

Suggested learning path

  1. Run the wizard once and press Start in preview.
  2. Change one color and one position; preview again.
  3. Break a wire and reconnect it.
  4. Insert a Logic node (e.g., smooth or threshold) between source and visual.
  5. Build & Install, launch from Manager.
  6. Skim Sharing Projects before you send a project to someone else.

More detail: in-app Help → Getting Started… and Help → Learn Studio…. Full capability list: Features.

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