> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.otter-shell.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Session setup

> What to autostart at login, how to bind hotkeys, and where otter-greeter fits in.

Otter Shell runs on your Wayland compositor. The metapackage installs apps; it does not configure your compositor. This page covers autostart and hotkeys.

## What runs at login

Autostart these for a working desktop:

| Daemon                                    | Required    | Purpose                                                      |
| ----------------------------------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `otter-bar`                               | Recommended | Status bar, system tray, workspace indicator                 |
| `otter-wallpaper`                         | Recommended | Desktop background                                           |
| `otter-theme-gen`                         | Optional    | Wallpaper-reactive `theme.conf` (use with `otter-wallpaper`) |
| `otter-notifications`                     | Recommended | `notify-send` and app notifications                          |
| `otter-osd`                               | Recommended | Volume/brightness/lock-key overlays                          |
| `otter-idle`                              | Recommended | Screen lock and DPMS on idle                                 |
| `otter-polkit`                            | Recommended | Authentication for privileged actions                        |
| `otter-clip daemon`                       | Optional    | Clipboard history                                            |
| `otter-search`                            | Optional    | File and content search (launcher `file` / `grep` modes)     |
| `otter-weather --watch 900 --write-cache` | Optional    | Bar weather widget data                                      |
| `otter-jade`                              | Optional    | Desktop pet                                                  |
| `otter-transcribe`                        | Optional    | Speech transcription (needs `otter-shell-extras`)            |
| `otter-assist`                            | Optional    | Local AI backend for Otter Assistant (`otter-shell-extras`)  |

Do not autostart one-shot apps: `otter-launcher`, `otter-logout`, `otter-screenshot`. Bind hotkeys instead.

## Compositor autostart examples

### Hyprland

Add to `~/.config/hypr/hyprland.conf`:

```ini theme={null}
exec-once = otter-bar
exec-once = otter-wallpaper
exec-once = otter-theme-gen
exec-once = otter-notifications
exec-once = otter-osd
exec-once = otter-idle
exec-once = otter-polkit
exec-once = otter-clip daemon
exec-once = otter-search
exec-once = otter-weather --watch 900 --write-cache
# Optional: otter-shell-extras
# exec-once = otter-assist
# exec-once = otter-transcribe
```

### Sway

Add to `~/.config/sway/config`:

```
exec otter-bar
exec otter-wallpaper
exec otter-theme-gen
exec otter-notifications
exec otter-osd
exec otter-idle
exec otter-polkit
exec otter-clip daemon
exec otter-weather --watch 900 --write-cache
```

### Niri

Add to `~/.config/niri/config.kdl`:

```kdl theme={null}
spawn-at-startup "otter-bar"
spawn-at-startup "otter-wallpaper"
spawn-at-startup "otter-theme-gen"
spawn-at-startup "otter-notifications"
spawn-at-startup "otter-osd"
spawn-at-startup "otter-idle"
spawn-at-startup "otter-polkit"
spawn-at-startup "otter-clip" "daemon"
spawn-at-startup "otter-weather" "--watch" "900" "--write-cache"
```

## Display manager

`otter-greeter` is Otter Shell's Wayland display manager:

* `otter-greeterd`: root daemon for PAM, logind, and session launch
* `otter-greeter-ui`: login UI on Hyprland (greeter only, not your user session)

Enable after install:

```bash theme={null}
sudo systemctl enable otter-greeter.service
```

Config: `/etc/otter-shell/otter-greeter.conf`. See [otter-greeter](/desktop/otter-greeter).

## Session security flow

1. **otter-idle**: Detects inactivity; runs `loginctl lock-session` or DPMS
2. **otter-lock**: Session lockscreen via `ext-session-lock-v1`
3. **otter-logout**: Power menu for lock, logout, suspend, reboot, shutdown
4. **otter-polkit**: Password dialog for elevated privileges

| Action       | Command                 |
| ------------ | ----------------------- |
| Lock session | `loginctl lock-session` |
| Power menu   | `otter-logout`          |

## Protocol requirements

| Component                                       | Protocol / dependency                                           |
| ----------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Bar, launcher, notifications, OSD, logout, lock | `zwlr_layer_shell_v1` (wlroots layer shell)                     |
| Lock screen                                     | `ext-session-lock-v1`                                           |
| Screenshot, pick, shot                          | `ext_image_copy_capture_v1`                                     |
| Idle daemon                                     | `ext-idle-notify-v1` (optional; compositor IPC fallbacks exist) |

If something fails, check compositor protocol support first.

## Next steps

<Tip>
  After autostart, open **`otter-settings`** for bar layout, theme, and terminal fonts.
</Tip>

* [otter-settings](/desktop/otter-settings): graphical config editor
* [Keybinds](/configuration/keybinds): compositor hotkey reference
* [otter-bar](/desktop/otter-bar): status bar setup