Gestures

[gestures] maps a recorded stroke to a Kanade verb. The mapping is config-file only, and the verb must act on the shell or the session’s state.

Key	Type	Default	Notes
gestures.<name>	Kanade verb	unset	Gesture name = the verb it runs, like "island collapse"; file only

[gestures]
check = "island collapse"
circle = "launcher open"

kanade gesture record check   # draw the stroke three times
kanade gesture list           # each recorded gesture with the verb it runs
kanade gesture forget check

A name is 1 to 32 letters, digits, - or _, and the strokes are stored in $XDG_STATE_HOME/kanade/gestures.toml.

Caution

A gesture runs a Kanade verb, never a program. For your own command, use a hook or a verb that runs one. Verbs that wait on you (dmenu, capture color), run a program (activity run, activity hook), or end the session are refused when the config is read.

Recognition uses one stroke: its start and direction matter, so a circle drawn clockwise is not one drawn counterclockwise. A stroke under 60 px long matches nothing, and a gesture of several strokes is not supported.

See also

Keybinds, CLI, and gesture gaps.