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We welcome contributions to Better Blur DX! Whether you’re reporting bugs, suggesting features, or submitting code, your help is appreciated.

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Repository

Better Blur DX is hosted on GitHub at xarblu/kwin-effects-better-blur-dx.

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How to Contribute

1

Fork and clone the repository

Fork the repository on GitHub and clone it to your local machine:
git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/kwin-effects-better-blur-dx
cd kwin-effects-better-blur-dx
2

Set up your development environment

Install the required dependencies for your distribution. See the Building guide for detailed dependency lists.For Arch Linux (Wayland):
sudo pacman -S base-devel git extra-cmake-modules qt6-tools kwin
3

Build the effect locally

Create a build directory and compile the effect:
mkdir build
cd build
cmake .. -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr
make -j$(nproc)
For X11 support, add -DBETTERBLUR_X11=ON to the cmake command.
4

Install and test your changes

Install the effect locally:
sudo make install
After installing an updated version of the effect, you need to restart KWin (e.g., via logout and login) to load the changes.
Test your changes thoroughly:
  • Enable the Better Blur DX effect in System Settings > Desktop Effects
  • Disable any conflicting blur effects
  • Test with various window types and transparency settings
5

Make your changes

Create a new branch for your changes:
git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
Make your changes and commit them with clear, descriptive commit messages.
6

Submit a pull request

Push your changes to your fork:
git push origin feature/your-feature-name
Open a pull request on GitHub with:
  • A clear title describing the change
  • A detailed description of what the PR does
  • References to any related issues
  • Screenshots or videos if relevant (especially for visual changes)

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Reporting Issues

If you encounter bugs or have feature requests, please open an issue on GitHub. When reporting bugs, include:
  • Your Plasma version (check with plasmashell --version)
  • Your KWin version (check with kwin_wayland --version or kwin_x11 --version)
  • Whether you’re using Wayland or X11
  • Steps to reproduce the issue
  • Expected vs. actual behavior
  • Relevant logs or error messages

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Development Guidelines

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Compatibility

  • The effect should work on the current stable version of Plasma
  • Currently supported versions: Plasma 6.5 and 6.6
  • X11 support is maintained but considered secondary to Wayland

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Building for Different Targets

Wayland (default): 
cmake .. -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr
X11: 
cmake .. -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr -DBETTERBLUR_X11=ON
The effect only works for the exact KWin version it was built for. After a system upgrade, you’ll need to rebuild the effect.

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Rebuilding

When rebuilding the effect, always remove the build directory first: 
cd ..
rm -rf build
mkdir build
cd build
cmake .. -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install

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Credits

Better Blur DX builds upon the work of several projects: We’re grateful to these projects and their contributors for laying the groundwork that made Better Blur DX possible.

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