Desktop notifications

Related articles

• GTK+
• Libcanberra

Desktop notifications are small, passive popup dialogs that notify the user of particular events in an asynchronous manner.

Libnotify

Libnotify is an implementation of the Desktop Notifications Specification which provides support for GTK+ and Qt applications and is desktop independent: it is already used by many open source apps like Evolution and Pidgin. Libnotify can be installed with the libnotify package.

In order to use libnotify, you have to install a notification server.

Notification servers

Built-in

Cinnamon, Deepin, Enlightenment, GNOME, GNOME Flashback and KDE Plasma use their own implementations to display notifications, and it cannot be replaced. Their notification servers are started automatically on login to receive notifications from applications via DBus.

Standalone

In other desktop environments, the notification server needs to be launched using your WM's/DE's "autostart" option.

After install the notification-daemon package, the notification server can be launched on the first call via D-Bus, adding the following configuration to its services directory /usr/share/dbus-1/services respectively $XDG_DATA_HOME/dbus-1/services, e.g.

org.freedesktop.Notifications.service

[D-BUS Service]
Name=org.freedesktop.Notifications
Exec=/usr/lib/notification-daemon-1.0/notification-daemon

You can choose one of the following implementations:

• Avant Window Navigator — A notification-daemon applet is available for AWN.

https://github.com/p12tic/awn-extras || awn-extras-applets^AUR

• Dunst — Minimalistic notification daemon for Linux designed to fit nicely into minimalistic windowmanagers like dwm.

https://dunst-project.org/ || dunst

• LXQt Notification Daemon — Notification server for LXQt.

https://github.com/lxde/lxqt-notificationd || lxqt-notificationd

• mako — A lightweight notification daemon for Wayland; it currently works on Sway 1.0 alpha.

https://github.com/emersion/mako || mako^AUR mako-git^AUR

• MATE Notification Daemon — Notification server for MATE.

https://github.com/mate-desktop/mate-notification-daemon/ || mate-notification-daemon

• Notification Daemon — The original notification server.

https://github.com/GNOME/notification-daemon || notification-daemon

You can run it manually using /usr/lib/notification-daemon-1.0/notification-daemon.

• Notify OSD — Notification server for Unity.

https://launchpad.net/notify-osd || notify-osd

• statnot — Small, lightweight notification daemon that can output notifications to the root window's title, stdout or FIFO pipes, making it integrate very well with tiling window managers.

https://github.com/halhen/statnot || statnot^AUR

• twmn — Notification system for tiling window managers.

https://github.com/sboli/twmn || twmn-git^AUR

• Xfce Notification Daemon — Notification server for Xfce.

https://docs.xfce.org/apps/notifyd/start || xfce4-notifyd

You can run it manually using /usr/lib/xfce4/notifyd/xfce4-notifyd.

You can also run it via systemd for the current user: systemctl --user start xfce4-notifyd.

Tip: To configure xfce4-notifyd, run the following command: xfce4-notifyd-config.

Usage in programming

You can write your own libnotify display messages easily in many programming languages through GObject-Introspection or bindings, or you can simply use bash.

The following examples display simple a "Hello world" notification.

Bash

• Dependency: libnotify

hello_world.sh

#!/bin/bash
notify-send 'Hello world!' 'This is an example notification.' --icon=dialog-information

Tip:

• An overview on the available icons can be found here.
• To send desktop notification from a background script running as root (replace X_user and X_userid with the user and userid running X respectively):

  # sudo -u X_user DISPLAY=:0 DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/X_userid/bus notify-send 'Hello world!' 'This is an example notification.'

Boo

• Dependency: notify-sharp-3 (boo^AUR)
• Makedependency: boo^AUR
• Build with: booc hello_world.boo
• Run with: mono hello_world.exe (or booi hello_world.boo)

hello_world.boo

import Notifications from "notify-sharp"
Hello = Notification()
Hello.Summary  = "Hello world!"
Hello.Body     = "This is an example notification."
Hello.IconName = "dialog-information"
Hello.Show()

C

• Dependency: glib2
• Build with: gcc -o hello_world `pkg-config --cflags --libs gio-2.0` hello_world.c

hello_world.c

#include <gio/gio.h>
int main() {
	GApplication *application = g_application_new ("hello.world", G_APPLICATION_FLAGS_NONE);
	g_application_register (application, NULL, NULL);
	GNotification *notification = g_notification_new ("Hello world!");
	g_notification_set_body (notification, "This is an example notification.");
	GIcon *icon = g_themed_icon_new ("dialog-information");
	g_notification_set_icon (notification, icon);
	g_application_send_notification (application, NULL, notification);
	g_object_unref (icon);
	g_object_unref (notification);
	g_object_unref (application);
	return 0;
}

• Dependency: libnotify
• Build with: gcc -o hello_world `pkg-config --cflags --libs libnotify` hello_world.c

hello_world.c

#include <libnotify/notify.h>
int main() {
	notify_init ("Hello world!");
	NotifyNotification * Hello = notify_notification_new ("Hello world", "This is an example notification.", "dialog-information");
	notify_notification_show (Hello, NULL);
	g_object_unref(G_OBJECT(Hello));
	notify_uninit();
	return 0;
}

C++

• Dependency: glibmm
• Build with: g++ -o hello_world `pkg-config --cflags --libs giomm-2.4` hello_world.cc

hello_world.cc

#include <giomm-2.4/giomm.h>
int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
	auto Application = Gio::Application::create("hello.world", Gio::APPLICATION_FLAGS_NONE);
	Application->register_application();
	auto Notification = Gio::Notification::create("Hello world");
	Notification->set_body("This is an example notification.");
	auto Icon = Gio::ThemedIcon::create("dialog-information");
	Notification->set_icon (Icon);
	Application->send_notification(Notification);
	return 0;
}

• Dependency: libnotifymm^AUR
• Build with: g++ -o hello_world `pkg-config --cflags --libs libnotifymm-1.0` hello_world.cc

hello_world.cc

#include <libnotifymm.h>
int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
	Notify::init("Hello world!");
	Notify::Notification Hello("Hello world", "This is an example notification.", "dialog-information");
	Hello.show();
	return 0;
}

C#

• Dependency: notify-sharp-3
• Build with: mcs -pkg:notify-sharp-3.0 hello_world.cs
• Run with: mono hello_world.exe

hello_world.cs

using Notifications;
public class HelloWorld {
	static void Main() {
		var Hello = new Notification();
		Hello.Summary  = "Hello world!";
		Hello.Body     = "This is an example notification.";
		Hello.IconName = "dialog-information";
		Hello.Show();
	}
}

Cobra

• Dependency: notify-sharp-3
• Makedependency: cobra^AUR
• Build with: cobra -c hello_world
• Run with: mono hello_world.exe

hello_world.cobra

@args -pkg:notify-sharp-3.0
use Notifications
class HelloWorld
    def main
        hello = Notification()
        hello.summary  = "Hello world!"
        hello.body     = "This is an example notification."
        hello.iconName = "dialog-information"
        hello.show

Crystal

• Dependency: woodruffw/notify.cr (from shards)
• Build with: shards build

hello_world.fs

require "notify"
notifier = Notify.new
notifier.notify "Hello", body: "World!"

F#

• Dependency: notify-sharp-3
• Makedependency: fsharp^AUR
• Build with: fsharpc -r:notify-sharp.dll -I:/usr/lib/mono/notify-sharp-3.0/ -I:/usr/lib/mono/gtk-sharp-3.0/ hello_world.fs
• Run with: mono hello_world.exe

hello_world.fs

open Notifications
let Hello = new Notification()
Hello.Summary  <- "Hello world!"
Hello.Body     <- "This is an example notification."
Hello.IconName <- "dialog-information"
Hello.Show()

Genie

• Dependency: glib2
• Makedependency: vala
• Build with: valac --pkg gio-2.0 hello_world.gs

hello_world.gs

uses 
	GLib

init
	var Application = new GLib.Application ("hello.world", GLib.ApplicationFlags.FLAGS_NONE);
	Application.register ();
	var Notification = new GLib.Notification ("Hello world");
	Notification.set_body ("This is an example notification.");
	var Icon = new GLib.ThemedIcon ("dialog-information");
	Notification.set_icon (Icon);
	Application.send_notification (null, Notification);

• Dependency: libnotify
• Makedependency: vala
• Build with: valac --pkg libnotify hello_world.gs

hello_world.gs

uses 
	Notify

init
	Notify.init ("Hello world")
	var Hello=new Notify.Notification ("Hello world!","This is an example notification.","dialog-information")
	Hello.show ()

Go

• Dependency: libnotify
• Makedependency: go-notify-git^AUR
• Build with: go build hello_world.go
• (Or run with: go run hello_world.go)

hello_world.go

package main
import ("github.com/mqu/go-notify")

func main() {
	notify.Init("Hello world")
	hello := notify.NotificationNew("Hello World!", "This is an example notification.","dialog-information")
	hello.Show()
}

Groovy

• Dependencies: groovy, java-gnome^AUR
• Build with: groovyc -cp /usr/share/java/gtk.jar HelloWorld.groovy && jar cfe HelloWorld.jar HelloWorld HelloWorld.class
• Run with: java -cp /usr/share/groovy/embeddable/groovy-all.jar:/usr/share/java/gtk.jar:HelloWorld.jar HelloWorld or groovy -cp /usr/share/java/gtk.jar HelloWorld.groovy

HelloWorld.groovy

import org.gnome.gtk.*
import org.gnome.notify.*

Gtk.init()
Notify.init("Hello world")
def Hello = new Notification("Hello world!", "This is an example notification.", "dialog-information")
Hello.show()

Haskell

• Makedependency: haskell-fdo-notify
• Build with: ghc hello_world

hello_world.hs

import DBus.Notify
main = do
         client <- connectSession
         let hello = blankNote { summary="Hello world!",
                                 body=(Just $ Text "This is an example notification."),
                                 appImage=(Just $ Icon "dialog-information") }
         notification <- notify client hello
         return 0

IronPython

• Dependencies: notify-sharp-3, ironpython^AUR
• Run with: ipy hello_world.py

hello_world.py

import clr
clr.AddReference('notify-sharp')
import Notifications
Hello = Notifications.Notification()
Hello.Summary  = "Hello world!"
Hello.Body     = "This is an example notification."
Hello.IconName = "dialog-information"
Hello.Show()

Java

• Dependency: java-gnome^AUR
• Makedependency: java-environment
• Build with: javac -cp /usr/share/java/gtk.jar HelloWorld.java && jar cfe HelloWorld.jar HelloWorld HelloWorld.class
• Run with: java -cp /usr/share/java/gtk.jar:HelloWorld.jar HelloWorld

HelloWorld.java

import org.gnome.gtk.Gtk;
import org.gnome.notify.Notify;
import org.gnome.notify.Notification;

public class HelloWorld
{
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Gtk.init(args);
        Notify.init("Hello world");
        Notification Hello = new Notification("Hello world!", "This is an example notification.", "dialog-information");
        Hello.show();
    }
}

JavaScript

• Dependency: gjs

hello_world.js

#!/usr/bin/gjs
const Gio = imports.gi.Gio;
var Application = new Gio.Application ({application_id: "hello.world"});
Application.register (null);
var Notification = new Gio.Notification ();
Notification.set_title ("Hello world");
Notification.set_body ("This is an example notification.");
var Icon = new Gio.ThemedIcon ({name: "dialog-information"});
Notification.set_icon (Icon);
Application.send_notification (null, Notification);

• Dependencies: libnotify, gjs

hello_world.js

#!/usr/bin/gjs
const Notify = imports.gi.Notify;
Notify.init ("Hello world");
var Hello=new Notify.Notification ({summary: "Hello world!",
                                    body: "This is an example notification.",
                                    "icon-name": "dialog-information"});
Hello.show ();

JRuby

• Dependencies: java-gnome^AUR, jruby
• Build with: jrubyc hello_world.rb && jar cfe hello_world.jar hello_world hello_world.class
• Run with: java -cp /opt/jruby/lib/jruby.jar:hello_world.jar hello_world or jruby hello_world.rb

hello_world.rb

require '/usr/share/java/gtk.jar'
import Java::OrgGnomeGtk::Gtk
import Java::OrgGnomeNotify::Notify
import Java::OrgGnomeNotify::Notification

Gtk.init(nil)
Notify.init("Hello world")
Hello = Notification.new("Hello world!", "This is an example notification.", "dialog-information")
Hello.show

Jython

• Dependencies: java-gnome^AUR, jython
• Run with: jython -Dpython.path=/usr/share/java/gtk.jar hello_world.py

hello_world.py

from org.gnome.gtk import Gtk
from org.gnome.notify import Notify, Notification
Gtk.init(None)
Notify.init("Hello world")
Hello=Notification("Hello world!", "This is an example notification.", "dialog-information")
Hello.show()

Lua

• Dependency: lua-lgi

hello_world.lua

#!/usr/bin/lua
lgi = require 'lgi'
Gio = lgi.require('Gio')
Application = Gio.Application.new("hello.world",Gio.ApplicationFlags.FLAGS_NONE);
Application:register();
Notification = Gio.Notification.new("Hello world");
Notification:set_body("This is an example notification.");
Icon = Gio.ThemedIcon.new("dialog-information");
Notification:set_icon(Icon);
Application:send_notification(nil, Notification);

• Dependencies: libnotify, lua-lgi

hello_world.lua

#!/usr/bin/lua
lgi = require 'lgi'
Notify = lgi.require('Notify')
Notify.init("Hello world")
Hello=Notify.Notification.new("Hello world","This is an example notification.","dialog-information")
Hello:show()

Nemerle

• Dependency: notify-sharp-3
• Makedependency: nemerle^AUR
• Build with: ncc -pkg:notify-sharp-3.0 -out:hello_world.exe hello_world.n
• Run with: mono hello_world.exe

hello_world.n

using Notifications;
public class HelloWorld {
	static Main() : void {
		def Hello = Notification();
		Hello.Summary  = "Hello world!";
		Hello.Body     = "This is an example notification.";
		Hello.IconName = "dialog-information";
		Hello.Show();
	}
}

Pascal

• Dependency: libnotify
• Makedependency: fpc, libnotify binding
• Build with: fpc hello_world

hello_world.pas

program	hello_world;
uses	libnotify;
var	hello : PNotifyNotification;
begin
	notify_init(argv[0]);
	hello := notify_notification_new ('Hello world', 'This is an example notification.', 'dialog-information');
	notify_notification_show (hello, nil);
end.

Perl

• Dependencies: libnotify, perl-glib-object-introspection

hello_world.pl

#!/usr/bin/perl
use Glib::Object::Introspection;
Glib::Object::Introspection->setup (
	basename => 'Notify',
	version => '0.7',
	package => 'Notify');
Notify->init;
my $hello = Notify::Notification->new("Hello world!", "This is an example notification.", "dialog-information");
$hello->show;

Python

• Dependency: python-gobject (or python2-gobject for Python 2)

hello_world.py

#!/usr/bin/python
import gi
gi.require_version('Gio', '2.0')
from gi.repository import Gio
Application = Gio.Application.new("hello.world", Gio.ApplicationFlags.FLAGS_NONE)
Application.register()
Notification = Gio.Notification.new("Hello world")
Notification.set_body("This is an example notification.")
Icon = Gio.ThemedIcon.new("dialog-information")
Notification.set_icon(Icon)
Application.send_notification(None, Notification)

• Dependencies: libnotify, python-gobject (or python2-gobject for Python 2)

hello_world.py

#!/usr/bin/python
import gi
gi.require_version('Notify', '0.7')
from gi.repository import Notify
Notify.init("Hello world")
Hello = Notify.Notification.new("Hello world", "This is an example notification.", "dialog-information")
Hello.show()

Ruby

• Dependencies: libnotify, ruby-gir_ffi^AUR

hello_world.rb

#!/usr/bin/ruby
require 'gir_ffi'
GirFFI.setup :Notify
Notify.init("Hello world")
Hello = Notify::Notification.new("Hello world!", "This is an example notification.", "dialog-information")
Hello.show

Rust

Using notify-rust.

• Makedependency: rust
• Build with: cargo build
• Run with: target/debug/hello_world or cargo run

Cargo.toml

[package]
name = "hello_world"
version = "0.1.0"

[dependencies]
notify-rust = "^3"

src/main.rs

extern crate notify_rust;
use notify_rust::Notification;
fn main(){
    Notification::new()
        .summary("Hello world")
        .body("This is an example notification.")
        .icon("dialog-information")
        .show().unwrap();
}

Scala

• Dependency: java-gnome^AUR (and scala)
• Makedependency: scala
• Build with: scalac -cp /usr/share/java/gtk.jar -d HelloWorld.jar HelloWorld.scala
• Run with: java -cp /usr/share/java/gtk.jar:HelloWorld.jar HelloWorld (or scala -cp /usr/share/java/gtk.jar HelloWorld.scala)

HelloWorld.scala

import org.gnome.gtk._
import org.gnome.notify._

object HelloWorld {
  def main(args: Array[String]) {
    Gtk.init(args)
    Notify.init("Hello world")
    var Hello = new Notification("Hello world!", "This is an example notification.", "dialog-information")
    Hello.show()
  }
}

Vala

• Dependency: glib2
• Makedependency: vala
• Build with: valac --pkg gio-2.0 hello_world.vala

hello_world.vala

using GLib;
public class HelloWorld {
	static void main () {
		var Application = new GLib.Application ("hello.world", GLib.ApplicationFlags.FLAGS_NONE);
		Application.register ();
		var Notification = new GLib.Notification ("Hello world");
		Notification.set_body ("This is an example notification.");
		var Icon = new GLib.ThemedIcon ("dialog-information");
		Notification.set_icon (Icon);
		Application.send_notification (null, Notification);
	}
}

• Dependency: libnotify
• Makedependency: vala
• Build with: valac --pkg libnotify hello_world.vala

hello_world.vala

using Notify;
public class HelloWorld {
	static void main () {
		Notify.init ("Hello world");
		var Hello = new Notify.Notification("Hello world!", "This is an example notification.", "dialog-information");
		Hello.show ();
	}
}

Visual Basic .NET

• Dependency: notify-sharp-3
• Makedependency: mono-basic^AUR
• Build with: vbnc -r:/usr/lib/mono/notify-sharp-3.0/notify-sharp.dll hello_world.vb
• Run with: mono hello_world.exe

hello_world.vb

Imports Notifications
Public Class Hello
	Public Shared Sub Main
		Dim Hello As New Notification
		Hello.Summary  = "Hello world!"
		Hello.Body     = "This is an example notification."
		Hello.IconName = "dialog-information"
		Hello.Show
	End Sub
End Class

See also

• Libnotify Reference Manual
• C example
• Python notification examples
• Python notify example (french article)