docs: README for the v1 QA batch (menu, swaync, idle, Plymouth, sys-update)

Options/keybinds/layout tables, sys-update/home-update workflow, the new
module tree, and roadmap updates (menu system + nm-applet shipped; theme
parity, branding round 2, swayosd, ask-Claude module remain).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

README.md

@@ -54,7 +54,10 @@ Flat on purpose. Two module trees, one options file each, no hidden layers.
 │       ├── hyprland.nix           #   all JSON-driven
 │       ├── waybar.nix
 │       ├── ghostty.nix
-│       └── btop.nix
+│       ├── btop.nix
+│       ├── fuzzel.nix             #   launcher + nomarchy-menu (power, clip)
+│       ├── swaync.nix             #   notifications, same JSON
+│       └── idle.nix               #   hyprlock + hypridle, same JSON
 ├── hosts/
 │   ├── default/                   # reference machine (thin: boot, user, hostname)
 │   └── live.nix                   # bootable live ISO (try the distro, no install)
@@ -144,6 +147,13 @@ sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake .#default   # system: rare
 home-manager switch --flake .#me              # desktop: every theme change, no sudo
 ```
 
+Day-to-day you'll use the shipped shortcuts instead:
+
+```sh
+sys-update    # nix flake update + system rebuild (BTRFS snapshot first when available)
+home-update   # home-manager switch (no flake update, no sudo)
+```
+
 Override anything with plain NixOS/HM options (the distro uses `mkDefault`
 throughout) or the `nomarchy.*` surface:
 
@@ -151,12 +161,18 @@ throughout) or the `nomarchy.*` surface:
 |---|---|---|
 | `nomarchy.stateFile` | — (required) | Path to your theme-state.json |
 | `nomarchy.terminal` | `"ghostty"` | Terminal for keybinds and `$TERMINAL` |
+| `nomarchy.keyboard.layout` | `"us"` | XKB layout for the Hyprland session (installer writes it; pairs with xkb + `console.useXkbConfig` in system.nix) |
+| `nomarchy.keyboard.variant` | `""` | XKB variant for the session |
 | `nomarchy.hyprland.enable` | `true` | Nomarchy's Hyprland config |
 | `nomarchy.waybar.enable` | `true` | Nomarchy's Waybar |
+| `nomarchy.fuzzel.enable` | `true` | Themed fuzzel + `nomarchy-menu` (power menu) |
+| `nomarchy.swaync.enable` | `true` | swaync notifications, themed |
+| `nomarchy.idle.enable` | `true` | hyprlock + hypridle (idle lock 5 min, display off 10, suspend 30) |
 | `nomarchy.ghostty.enable` | `true` | Nomarchy's Ghostty |
 | `nomarchy.btop.enable` | `true` | btop with per-theme colors |
 | `nomarchy.stylix.enable` | `true` | GTK/Qt/cursor theming |
 | `nomarchy.themesDir` | Nomarchy's `themes/` | Where per-theme app overrides are probed |
+| `nomarchy.system.plymouth.enable` | `true` | Branded boot splash, background from the theme JSON (recolors on system rebuilds) |
 | `nomarchy.system.greeter.enable` | `true` | greetd/tuigreet |
 | `nomarchy.system.audio.enable` | `true` | Pipewire stack |
 | `nomarchy.system.bluetooth.enable` | `true` | Bluetooth + blueman |
@@ -199,6 +215,7 @@ per theme — a single place to look, unlike the old distro's split:
 | `btop.theme` | baked into the generation (generated from the palette when absent) |
 | `waybar.css` | **whole-swap**: replaces the generated bar style entirely (probed at eval time, self-contained) |
 | `waybar.jsonc` | whole-swap for the bar *layout* (must be plain JSON) |
+| `fuzzel.ini` | **whole-swap**: replaces the generated launcher/menu config entirely |
 
 Six ported themes ship a `waybar.css` identity (catppuccin, lumon, nord,
 retro-82, summer-day, summer-night). Custom user themes can live in
@@ -214,11 +231,14 @@ nomarchy-theme-sync set ui.gapsOut 16  # tweak one knob (also a switch)
 nomarchy-theme-sync bg next            # cycle wallpapers — instant, no rebuild
 nomarchy-theme-sync bg auto            # back to the theme's default wallpaper
 nomarchy-theme-sync get colors.accent
+sys-update                             # update inputs + rebuild the system (snapshots first)
+home-update                            # rebuild just the desktop layer
 ```
 
 Keybinds: `SUPER+Return` terminal · `SUPER+D` launcher · `SUPER+T` theme
-picker · `SUPER+SHIFT+T` next wallpaper · `SUPER+Q` close · `SUPER+1..9`
-workspaces · `Print` region screenshot.
+picker · `SUPER+SHIFT+T` next wallpaper · `SUPER+Escape` power menu ·
+`SUPER+N` notifications · `SUPER+CTRL+V` clipboard history · `SUPER+Q`
+close · `SUPER+1..9` workspaces · `Print` region screenshot.
 
 ## 6. Extending
 
@@ -234,40 +254,45 @@ workspaces · `Print` region screenshot.
   on fuzzel — already shipped for SUPER+D/SUPER+T, dmenu mode does nested
   menus and per-entry icons, and its INI theme can be baked from
   theme-state.json like every other app:
-  - `modules/home/fuzzel.nix`: colors/fonts from the theme JSON (today the
-    launcher is the one surface that ignores the theme)
-  - `nomarchy-menu` dispatcher script over `fuzzel --dmenu`, Omarchy-style
-    nesting: Theme ▸ (apply/wallpaper) · Network ▸ nmtui · Bluetooth ▸
-    blueman · Power ▸ lock/suspend/reboot/poweroff · Capture ▸ screenshot;
-    actions delegate to nomarchy-theme-sync and friends
-  - script modules (each a small dmenu pipeline, no plugin framework):
-    calculator (`--prompt-only` → `qalc -t` → result re-shown via `--mesg`,
-    Enter copies / chains; needs libqalculate) · clipboard history
-    (cliphist ⇄ fuzzel ⇄ wl-copy; also adds clipboard persistence) · file
-    open (`fd . ~` → xdg-open) · web search (query → xdg-open) · **ask
-    Claude**: `--prompt-only` → `$TERMINAL -e claude "<question>"` — the
-    claude CLI auths via OAuth against a Pro/Max subscription (no API
-    key); REPL stays open for follow-ups (claude-code in nixpkgs is
-    unfree — needs a per-package allowUnfree)
+  - ✓ shipped: `modules/home/fuzzel.nix` (palette/fonts/border from the
+    theme JSON, `themes/<slug>/fuzzel.ini` whole-swap) and the
+    `nomarchy-menu` dispatcher: root picker (no args) · `power`
+    (lock/logout/suspend/hibernate/reboot/shutdown, SUPER+Escape) ·
+    `theme` (SUPER+T) · `clipboard` (cliphist, SUPER+CTRL+V) · `calc`
+    (qalc, copy/chain) · `files` (fd → xdg-open) · `web` (DuckDuckGo)
+  - next modules: Network ▸ nmtui · Bluetooth ▸ blueman · Capture ▸
+    screenshot · **ask Claude**: `--prompt-only` →
+    `$TERMINAL -e claude "<question>"` — the claude CLI auths via OAuth
+    against a Pro/Max subscription (no API key); REPL stays open for
+    follow-ups (claude-code in nixpkgs is unfree — allowUnfree is on)
   - known limits accepted for now: no live-as-you-type results (dmenu
     input is static per invocation) and no image previews
   - decision record: this resolves the old Walker/Lua question in favor of
     simplicity — no GTK4 launcher, no second theming pipeline, no image
     previews (instant `bg next` covers wallpaper browsing); the dispatcher
     owns the menu structure, so the renderer stays swappable
-- We need to add networkManager applet to waybar so user can easily connect to internet
+- **Theme parity with legacy:** summer-day/night now carry their legacy
+  bar layouts as `waybar.jsonc` whole-swaps (adapted: dead legacy script
+  modules dropped, Nerd-Fonts-v2 codepoints remapped to FontAwesome/v3,
+  logo button opens nomarchy-menu); the other four identity themes are
+  palette recolors and already match. Remaining: a visual pass over all
+  six on the live ISO
+- **Per-theme fuzzel identity:** the `themes/<slug>/fuzzel.ini` whole-swap
+  mechanism ships; what remains is authoring the inis for the six identity
+  themes from their legacy rofi.rasi files (per-element colors like
+  summer-night's green inputbar aren't expressible in fuzzel's flat
+  scheme — approximate, note the rest as a renderer limitation)
 - **Faster switches:** move `backgrounds/` out of the flake source (the 86 MB
   re-copy on every state write is the main eval tax), then pre-built theme
   variants if still needed
-- Plymouth + SDDM/greeter theming from the same JSON
+- Greeter (tuigreet/SDDM) theming from the same JSON (Plymouth ships since
+  v1: `nomarchy.system.plymouth.*`, background tinted from the state file)
 - Installer round 2: multi-disk BTRFS RAID, impermanence, BIOS/legacy
   boot (v1 `nomarchy-install` is single-disk UEFI — see `pkgs/nomarchy-install`)
-- `hyprlock`/`hypridle`, swayosd, launch-or-focus UX scripts
-- swaync notification center (notify-send currently renders bare)
-- **Distro branding:** replace the NixOS brand with Nomarchy everywhere it
-  surfaces — `system.nixos.distroName`/`distroId` (flows into
-  `/etc/os-release`, the live ISO's boot-menu label and the installed
-  system's systemd-boot entries), `isoImage.splashImage`/`grubTheme` for
-  the ISO boot screen, tuigreet/MOTD text. Caveats: `distroId` also
-  changes `DEFAULT_HOSTNAME` and some upstream `isNixos` checks, and
-  nixos-* CLI names stay (renaming tooling is not worth the drift)
+- swayosd (volume/brightness OSD), launch-or-focus UX scripts
+- **Distro branding, round 2:** `distroName = "Nomarchy"` ships
+  (os-release `PRETTY_NAME`, systemd-boot entries, ISO menu label).
+  Remaining: `isoImage.splashImage`/`grubTheme` art for the ISO boot
+  screen, tuigreet/MOTD text, and the `distroId` question (it changes
+  `DEFAULT_HOSTNAME` and upstream `isNixos` checks — needs a test pass;
+  nixos-* CLI names stay regardless)

flake.nix

@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@
         specialArgs = { inherit username; };
         modules = [
           self.nixosModules.nomarchy
+          { nomarchy.system.stateFile = ./theme-state.json; }
           ./hosts/default/configuration.nix
         ];
       };
@@ -251,6 +252,20 @@
                       ({ lib, ... }: {
                         nomarchy.system.snapper.enable = true;
                         nomarchy.system.greeter.autoLogin = username;
+                        # The installer writes these (keyboard-everywhere
+                        # incl. the LUKS prompt) — mirror them or the
+                        # initrd/vconsole pins don't match an offline
+                        # install's rebuild set.
+                        console.useXkbConfig = true;
+                        boot.initrd.systemd.enable = true;
+                        # nixos-generate-config keys microcode off
+                        # enableRedistributableFirmware (now on): the
+                        # real machine enables exactly one vendor —
+                        # pin both, or the offline install builds
+                        # amd-ucode/intel-ucode from source (found the
+                        # hard way: the 2700s regression hang).
+                        hardware.cpu.amd.updateMicrocode = true;
+                        hardware.cpu.intel.updateMicrocode = true;
                         swapDevices = [{ device = "/swap/swapfile"; }];
                         boot.resumeDevice = "/dev/disk/by-uuid/00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000";
                         boot.kernelParams = [ "resume_offset=1" ];
@@ -298,6 +313,11 @@
                   representativeInstall.config.system.build.etc.inputDerivation
                   representativeInstall.config.system.build.initialRamdisk.inputDerivation
                   template.homeConfigurations.${username}.activationPackage.inputDerivation
+                  # home-files COPIES user-dbus-services instead of
+                  # referencing it (same story as the self pin above) —
+                  # a custom-username install rebuilds home-files and
+                  # needs its direct inputs present.
+                  template.homeConfigurations.${username}.config.home-files.inputDerivation
                 ] ++ [
                   # A theme switch re-renders stylix's base16 templates
                   # (gtk.css, kvantum, …) on the machine: the renderer and
@@ -328,6 +348,18 @@
                   # tries to BUILD remarshal, whose test closure pulls
                   # matplotlib/ffmpeg/x265 (the ~1900-drv cascade).
                   pkgs.remarshal
+                  # system-path/initrd-bin-env are buildEnvs rebuilt per
+                  # machine; their shared builder.pl is build-time-only
+                  # (never in any runtime closure) — an empty env's
+                  # inputDerivation retains it.
+                  (pkgs.buildEnv { name = "nomarchy-pin-buildenv"; paths = [ ]; }).inputDerivation
+                  # /etc/dbus-1 reassembly wants this setup hook.
+                  pkgs.findXMLCatalogs
+                  # nixos-generate-config keys microcode off
+                  # enableRedistributableFirmware (now on): exactly one
+                  # vendor per real machine, so pin both ucode cpios.
+                  pkgs.microcode-amd
+                  pkgs.microcode-intel
 
                   # …and one representative disko script: its tool closure
                   # (file, which, wrapper hooks, …) isn't otherwise on the

hosts/live.nix

@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@
   # Ghostty silently falls back to the wrong font (seen on the
   # Latitude 5410). Normal priority (100) beats the override.
   fonts.fontconfig.enable = true;
+
+  # No boot splash on the install medium: the installer ISO boots its
+  # own initrd path (squashfs), and visibility of boot messages is
+  # worth more than polish here. Installed systems get the splash.
+  nomarchy.system.plymouth.enable = false;
   xdg.icons.enable = true;
   xdg.mime.enable = true;
   xdg.autostart.enable = true;
@@ -85,6 +90,12 @@
 
   # ── Live-session desktop tweaks ─────────────────────────────────────
   home-manager.users.${username} = {
+    # No idle lock/suspend on the install medium: an offline install
+    # runs 20-30 min unattended, and hypridle would blank the display
+    # then SUSPEND the machine mid-install (it did — the install-hung
+    # regression). Installed systems keep idle management.
+    nomarchy.idle.enable = false;
+
     wayland.windowManager.hyprland.settings = {
       # QEMU (and some panels) report a tiny "preferred" mode; ask for
       # the highest resolution instead.

lib.nix

@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@
             # (`nomarchy-theme-sync apply` → `home-manager switch`) works
             # out of the box — same pinned input as the desktop modules.
             { environment.systemPackages = [ home-manager.packages.${system}.home-manager ]; }
+            # System-side theme consumers (Plymouth splash background)
+            # read the same JSON the desktop does.
+            { nomarchy.system.stateFile = src + "/theme-state.json"; }
           ]
           ++ hardwareModules
           ++ [

modules/home/default.nix

@@ -12,8 +12,20 @@
     ./waybar.nix
     ./ghostty.nix
     ./btop.nix
+    ./fuzzel.nix    # launcher theming + the nomarchy-menu dispatcher
+    ./swaync.nix    # notification daemon, themed from the same JSON
+    ./idle.nix      # hyprlock + hypridle, themed from the same JSON
   ];
 
+  # Clipboard history (wl-paste watcher); browsed via the SUPER+CTRL+V
+  # menu module.
+  services.cliphist.enable = true;
+
+  # Wifi from the bar: nm-applet lives in waybar's tray (SNI flag via
+  # preferStatusNotifierItems — without it there is no tray icon).
+  services.network-manager-applet.enable = true;
+  xsession.preferStatusNotifierItems = true;
+
   home.stateVersion = "26.05";
 
   home.packages = with pkgs; [

modules/home/fuzzel.nix

@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+# Fuzzel — launcher, dmenu renderer for the menu system, themed from
+# theme-state.json like every other surface. Also home of nomarchy-menu,
+# the dispatcher script all menu modules grow out of.
+#
+# Per-theme identity: themes/<slug>/fuzzel.ini is a whole-swap (like
+# waybar.css) — it replaces the generated config entirely, probed at
+# eval time.
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
+
+let
+  cfg = config.nomarchy;
+  t = cfg.theme;
+  c = t.colors;
+
+  # Per-theme override probe (same convention as waybar.nix).
+  iniOverride = cfg.themesDir + "/${t.slug}/fuzzel.ini";
+  hasIniOverride = builtins.pathExists iniOverride;
+
+  # fuzzel.ini colors are rrggbbaa, no leading #.
+  hexa = color: alpha: "${lib.removePrefix "#" color}${alpha}";
+
+  nomarchy-menu = pkgs.writeShellScriptBin "nomarchy-menu" ''
+    # Nomarchy menu dispatcher — thin presentation layer over
+    # `fuzzel --dmenu`; actions delegate to nomarchy-theme-sync,
+    # systemctl, hyprctl and friends. Icons are nf-md glyphs (any
+    # shipped Nerd Font carries them). `nomarchy-menu` with no
+    # argument shows the module picker.
+
+    urlencode() {
+      local s="$1" out="" ch
+      for ((i = 0; i < ''${#s}; i++)); do
+        ch=''${s:i:1}
+        case "$ch" in
+          [a-zA-Z0-9.~_-]) out+="$ch" ;;
+          ' ') out+="+" ;;
+          *) printf -v ch '%%%02X' "'$ch"; out+="$ch" ;;
+        esac
+      done
+      printf '%s' "$out"
+    }
+
+    case "''${1:-}" in
+      power)
+        choice=$(printf '%s\n' \
+          "󰌾  Lock" \
+          "󰍃  Logout" \
+          "󰤄  Suspend" \
+          "󰒲  Hibernate" \
+          "󰜉  Reboot" \
+          "󰐥  Shutdown" \
+          | fuzzel --dmenu --prompt "power " --lines 6 --width 24) || exit 0
+        case "$choice" in
+          *Lock)      loginctl lock-session ;;
+          *Logout)    hyprctl dispatch exit ;;
+          *Suspend)   systemctl suspend ;;
+          *Hibernate) systemctl hibernate ;;
+          *Reboot)    systemctl reboot ;;
+          *Shutdown)  systemctl poweroff ;;
+        esac ;;
+
+      theme)
+        choice=$(nomarchy-theme-sync list \
+          | fuzzel --dmenu --prompt "theme ") || exit 0
+        [ -n "$choice" ] && exec nomarchy-theme-sync apply "$choice" ;;
+
+      clipboard)
+        sel=$(cliphist list | fuzzel --dmenu --prompt "clip " --width 60) || exit 0
+        printf '%s' "$sel" | cliphist decode | wl-copy ;;
+
+      calc)
+        expr=$(fuzzel --prompt-only "= ") || exit 0
+        [ -n "$expr" ] || exit 0
+        result=$(qalc -t -- "$expr" 2>&1 | tail -n 1)
+        choice=$(printf '%s\n' "󰆏  Copy result" "󰃬  New calculation" \
+          | fuzzel --dmenu --lines 2 --width 40 \
+              --prompt "= " --mesg "$expr = $result") || exit 0
+        case "$choice" in
+          *Copy*) printf '%s' "$result" | wl-copy ;;
+          *New*)  exec "$0" calc ;;
+        esac ;;
+
+      files)
+        sel=$(fd . "$HOME" --type f --hidden --exclude .git --exclude .cache 2>/dev/null \
+          | head -n 50000 \
+          | sed "s|^$HOME/||" \
+          | fuzzel --dmenu --prompt "file " --width 60) || exit 0
+        [ -n "$sel" ] && exec xdg-open "$HOME/$sel" ;;
+
+      web)
+        q=$(fuzzel --prompt-only "search ") || exit 0
+        [ -n "$q" ] || exit 0
+        exec xdg-open "https://duckduckgo.com/?q=$(urlencode "$q")" ;;
+
+      "")
+        choice=$(printf '%s\n' \
+          "󰀻  Apps" \
+          "󰏘  Theme" \
+          "󰅌  Clipboard" \
+          "󰃬  Calculator" \
+          "󰈞  Files" \
+          "󰖟  Web search" \
+          "󰐥  Power" \
+          | fuzzel --dmenu --prompt "menu " --lines 7 --width 24) || exit 0
+        case "$choice" in
+          *Apps*)      exec fuzzel ;;
+          *Theme*)     exec "$0" theme ;;
+          *Clipboard*) exec "$0" clipboard ;;
+          *Calc*)      exec "$0" calc ;;
+          *Files*)     exec "$0" files ;;
+          *Web*)       exec "$0" web ;;
+          *Power*)     exec "$0" power ;;
+        esac ;;
+
+      *)
+        echo "usage: nomarchy-menu [power|theme|clipboard|calc|files|web]" >&2
+        exit 64 ;;
+    esac
+  '';
+in
+{
+  config = lib.mkIf cfg.fuzzel.enable {
+    home.packages = [
+      nomarchy-menu
+      pkgs.libqalculate # qalc, the calc module's engine
+      pkgs.fd           # files module
+      pkgs.xdg-utils    # xdg-open for files/web
+    ];
+
+    programs.fuzzel = {
+      enable = true;
+      # Whole-swap themes bring their own fuzzel.ini; otherwise the
+      # config is generated from the palette.
+      settings = lib.mkIf (!hasIniOverride) {
+        main = {
+          # UI font first; the mono Nerd Font follows so menu icons
+          # (nf-md glyphs) resolve — fcft falls back per glyph.
+          font = "${t.fonts.ui}:size=${toString (t.fonts.size + 1)}, ${t.fonts.mono}:size=${toString (t.fonts.size + 1)}";
+          terminal = cfg.terminal;
+          layer = "overlay";
+          lines = 12;
+          width = 40;
+          horizontal-pad = 24;
+          vertical-pad = 16;
+          inner-pad = 8;
+        };
+
+        colors = {
+          background = hexa c.base "f2";
+          text = hexa c.text "ff";
+          prompt = hexa c.subtext "ff";
+          placeholder = hexa c.muted "ff";
+          input = hexa c.text "ff";
+          match = hexa c.accent "ff";
+          selection = hexa c.surface "ff";
+          selection-text = hexa c.text "ff";
+          selection-match = hexa c.accent "ff";
+          border = hexa c.accent "ee";
+        };
+
+        border = {
+          width = t.ui.borderSize;
+          radius = t.ui.rounding;
+        };
+      };
+    };
+
+    xdg.configFile."fuzzel/fuzzel.ini" = lib.mkIf hasIniOverride {
+      source = iniOverride;
+    };
+  };
+}

modules/home/hyprland.nix

@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ in
 
       # ── Behaviour ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
       input = {
-        kb_layout = "us";
+        kb_layout = config.nomarchy.keyboard.layout;
+        kb_variant = config.nomarchy.keyboard.variant;
         follow_mouse = 1;
         touchpad.natural_scroll = true;
       };
@@ -120,12 +121,21 @@ in
         "$mod, V, togglefloating"
         "$mod SHIFT, E, exit"
 
-        # Theme picker: fuzzel menu over the presets; apply writes the
-        # state and runs home-manager switch (progress via notify-send).
-        "$mod, T, exec, nomarchy-theme-sync apply \"$(nomarchy-theme-sync list | fuzzel --dmenu --prompt 'theme> ')\""
+        # Theme picker (menu dispatcher): apply writes the state and
+        # runs home-manager switch (progress via notify-send).
+        "$mod, T, exec, nomarchy-menu theme"
         # Cycle the current theme's wallpapers (instant, no rebuild).
         "$mod SHIFT, T, exec, nomarchy-theme-sync bg next"
 
+        # Power menu (fuzzel dmenu via the nomarchy-menu dispatcher).
+        "$mod, Escape, exec, nomarchy-menu power"
+
+        # Notification centre (swaync).
+        "$mod, N, exec, swaync-client -t"
+
+        # Clipboard history (cliphist via the menu dispatcher).
+        "$mod CTRL, V, exec, nomarchy-menu clipboard"
+
         # Focus
         "$mod, H, movefocus, l"
         "$mod, L, movefocus, r"

modules/home/idle.nix

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+# hyprlock + hypridle — screen locking and idle management, themed from
+# theme-state.json. One concern, one file: hypridle drives WHEN (idle
+# lock, display off, suspend, lock-before-sleep), hyprlock is the
+# themed lock screen itself (also behind the power menu's Lock entry).
+{ config, lib, ... }:
+
+let
+  cfg = config.nomarchy;
+  t = cfg.theme;
+  c = t.colors;
+  inherit (config.nomarchy.lib) rgb;
+in
+{
+  config = lib.mkIf cfg.idle.enable {
+    programs.hyprlock = {
+      enable = true;
+      settings = {
+        general.hide_cursor = true;
+
+        background = [{
+          monitor = "";
+          color = rgb c.base;
+        }];
+
+        input-field = [{
+          monitor = "";
+          size = "300, 50";
+          outline_thickness = t.ui.borderSize;
+          dots_size = 0.25;
+          outer_color = rgb c.accent;
+          inner_color = rgb c.surface;
+          font_color = rgb c.text;
+          check_color = rgb c.warn;
+          fail_color = rgb c.bad;
+          rounding = t.ui.rounding;
+          placeholder_text = "<i>password…</i>";
+        }];
+
+        label = [{
+          monitor = "";
+          text = "$TIME";
+          color = rgb c.text;
+          font_size = 64;
+          font_family = t.fonts.ui;
+          position = "0, 120";
+          halign = "center";
+          valign = "center";
+        }];
+      };
+    };
+
+    services.hypridle = {
+      enable = true;
+      settings = {
+        general = {
+          lock_cmd = "pidof hyprlock || hyprlock";
+          before_sleep_cmd = "loginctl lock-session";
+          after_sleep_cmd = "hyprctl dispatch dpms on";
+        };
+        listener = [
+          { timeout = 300; on-timeout = "loginctl lock-session"; }
+          {
+            timeout = 600;
+            on-timeout = "hyprctl dispatch dpms off";
+            on-resume = "hyprctl dispatch dpms on";
+          }
+          { timeout = 1800; on-timeout = "systemctl suspend"; }
+        ];
+      };
+    };
+  };
+}

modules/home/options.nix

@@ -23,6 +23,25 @@
       description = "Terminal emulator command, used by keybinds and $TERMINAL.";
     };
 
+    keyboard.layout = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.str;
+      default = "us";
+      example = "de";
+      description = ''
+        XKB layout for the Hyprland session. The console (and the LUKS
+        passphrase prompt) take theirs from the system side — the
+        installer writes services.xserver.xkb + console.useXkbConfig
+        into system.nix with the same value.
+      '';
+    };
+
+    keyboard.variant = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.str;
+      default = "";
+      example = "nodeadkeys";
+      description = "XKB variant for the Hyprland session.";
+    };
+
     package = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.package;
       default = pkgs.nomarchy-theme-sync;
@@ -44,6 +63,9 @@
     # ── Component toggles ──────────────────────────────────────────
     hyprland.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Nomarchy's Hyprland configuration" // { default = true; };
     waybar.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Nomarchy's Waybar configuration" // { default = true; };
+    fuzzel.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Nomarchy's themed fuzzel + the nomarchy-menu dispatcher (power menu)" // { default = true; };
+    swaync.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "swaync notifications, themed from the state file" // { default = true; };
+    idle.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "hyprlock + hypridle (idle lock, display off, suspend)" // { default = true; };
     ghostty.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Nomarchy's Ghostty configuration" // { default = true; };
     btop.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "btop with the per-theme nomarchy theme" // { default = true; };
     stylix.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Stylix theming for the long tail of apps (GTK, Qt, cursors)" // { default = true; };

modules/home/swaync.nix

@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+# swaync — notification daemon + control centre, themed from
+# theme-state.json. Until this shipped, nothing rendered notify-send at
+# all: the theme-switch progress toasts, the CLI's font warnings and the
+# live ISO's welcome message were all invisible.
+{ config, lib, ... }:
+
+let
+  cfg = config.nomarchy;
+  t = cfg.theme;
+  c = t.colors;
+  r = toString t.ui.rounding;
+in
+{
+  config = lib.mkIf cfg.swaync.enable {
+    services.swaync = {
+      enable = true;
+
+      settings = {
+        positionX = "right";
+        positionY = "top";
+        control-center-margin-top = t.ui.gapsOut;
+        control-center-margin-right = t.ui.gapsOut;
+        control-center-width = 420;
+        notification-window-width = 400;
+        notification-icon-size = 48;
+        timeout = 6;
+        timeout-low = 3;
+        timeout-critical = 0; # critical stays until dismissed
+      };
+
+      style = ''
+        /* Palette baked from theme-state.json */
+        @define-color base ${c.base};
+        @define-color surface ${c.surface};
+        @define-color text ${c.text};
+        @define-color subtext ${c.subtext};
+        @define-color accent ${c.accent};
+        @define-color bad ${c.bad};
+
+        .notification {
+          background: alpha(@base, 0.95);
+          border: ${toString t.ui.borderSize}px solid alpha(@accent, 0.4);
+          border-radius: ${r}px;
+          color: @text;
+        }
+
+        .notification-content .summary {
+          color: @text;
+          font-weight: bold;
+        }
+
+        .notification-content .body {
+          color: @subtext;
+        }
+
+        .notification.critical {
+          border-color: @bad;
+        }
+
+        .control-center {
+          background: alpha(@base, 0.95);
+          border: ${toString t.ui.borderSize}px solid alpha(@accent, 0.4);
+          border-radius: ${r}px;
+          color: @text;
+        }
+
+        .control-center .notification-row:focus,
+        .control-center .notification-row:hover {
+          background: alpha(@surface, 0.6);
+          border-radius: ${r}px;
+        }
+
+        .widget-title {
+          color: @text;
+          font-weight: bold;
+        }
+
+        .widget-title > button {
+          background: @surface;
+          color: @text;
+          border: none;
+          border-radius: ${r}px;
+        }
+
+        .widget-title > button:hover {
+          background: @accent;
+          color: @base;
+        }
+      '';
+    };
+  };
+}

modules/home/waybar.nix

@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ let
       format = "{icon} {volume}%";
       format-muted = "󰝟";
       format-icons.default = [ "󰕿" "󰖀" "󰕾" ];
-      on-click = "pamixer -t";
+      on-click = "wpctl set-mute @DEFAULT_AUDIO_SINK@ toggle";
     };
 
     network = {
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ let
       format-ethernet = "󰈀";
       format-disconnected = "󰤭";
       tooltip-format = "{ipaddr} via {gwaddr}";
+      # nm-applet sits in the tray for the GUI path; this is the
+      # keyboard-friendly one.
+      on-click = "${config.nomarchy.terminal} -e nmtui";
     };
 
     cpu.format = "󰍛 {usage}%";

modules/nixos/default.nix

@@ -11,9 +11,15 @@ let
   cfg = config.nomarchy.system;
 in
 {
-  imports = [ ./options.nix ];
+  imports = [ ./options.nix ./plymouth.nix ];
 
   config = {
+    # The safe half of distro branding: distroName flows into
+    # /etc/os-release PRETTY_NAME, systemd-boot entry titles and the
+    # ISO boot-menu label. distroId stays "nixos" on purpose — it feeds
+    # DEFAULT_HOSTNAME and upstream isNixos checks (see roadmap).
+    system.nixos.distroName = lib.mkDefault "Nomarchy";
+
     # Unfree allowed distro-wide: pragmatic-desktop territory (claude-code
     # for the menu's ask-Claude module, vendor drivers, …). The custom
     # nixpkgs-config type can't carry a nested mkDefault; disagree with
@@ -114,6 +120,9 @@ in
         inter
         noto-fonts
         noto-fonts-color-emoji
+        # The legacy-ported waybar identities (summer-day/night) use
+        # FontAwesome codepoints in their layouts and list it in css.
+        font-awesome
       ];
       fontconfig.defaultFonts = {
         monospace = lib.mkDefault [ "JetBrainsMono Nerd Font" ];
@@ -125,6 +134,31 @@ in
     # ── Essential packages ───────────────────────────────────────────
     environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
       nomarchy-theme-sync # provided by overlays.default
+
+      # Friendly wrappers for the two rebuild paths (README §3). Run as
+      # your user: `nix flake update` must NOT run as root (libgit2
+      # refuses the user-owned flake repo) — sudo happens inside, only
+      # for the system switch.
+      (pkgs.writeShellScriptBin "sys-update" ''
+        set -e
+        if [ "$(id -u)" -eq 0 ]; then
+          echo "sys-update: run as your normal user (it sudos the rebuild itself)" >&2
+          exit 1
+        fi
+        flake="''${NOMARCHY_PATH:-$HOME/.nomarchy}"
+        echo "sys-update: updating flake inputs in $flake"
+        nix flake update --flake "$flake"
+        if command -v nixos-rebuild-snap >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+          sudo nixos-rebuild-snap "$@"   # BTRFS snapshot first
+        else
+          sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake "$flake#default" "$@"
+        fi
+      '')
+      (pkgs.writeShellScriptBin "home-update" ''
+        set -e
+        exec home-manager switch --flake "''${NOMARCHY_PATH:-$HOME/.nomarchy}" "$@"
+      '')
+
       git
       vim
       wget
@@ -152,6 +186,9 @@ in
         nixos-rebuild switch --flake /etc/nixos#default "$@"
       '');
 
+    # Don't let boot entries fill the ESP over the years.
+    boot.loader.systemd-boot.configurationLimit = lib.mkDefault 10;
+
     # ── Nix itself ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
     nix = {
       settings = {

modules/nixos/options.nix

@@ -21,6 +21,22 @@
       '';
     };
 
+    plymouth.enable = lib.mkEnableOption ''
+      the Nomarchy Plymouth boot splash (logo + progress + LUKS prompt),
+      background-tinted from theme-state.json via nomarchy.system.stateFile.
+      Recolors on system rebuilds — theme switches don't touch the initrd'' // { default = true; };
+
+    stateFile = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.nullOr lib.types.path;
+      default = null;
+      example = lib.literalExpression "./theme-state.json";
+      description = ''
+        theme-state.json for the system-side consumers (currently the
+        Plymouth splash background). lib.mkFlake wires it automatically
+        from your flake; null falls back to the Tokyo Night base color.
+      '';
+    };
+
     audio.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "the Pipewire audio stack" // { default = true; };
     bluetooth.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Bluetooth support with blueman" // { default = true; };
 

modules/nixos/plymouth.nix

@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+# Plymouth boot splash — Nomarchy-branded (ported from the legacy
+# iteration), background tinted from the same theme-state.json that
+# drives the desktop (nomarchy.system.stateFile, wired automatically by
+# lib.mkFlake). One caveat by design: theme switches are Home
+# Manager-only and never touch the initrd, so the splash follows the
+# theme as of the last SYSTEM rebuild (`sys-update`), not the last
+# `nomarchy-theme-sync apply`.
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
+
+let
+  cfg = config.nomarchy.system;
+
+  state =
+    if cfg.stateFile != null
+    then builtins.fromJSON (builtins.readFile cfg.stateFile)
+    else { };
+  base = lib.removePrefix "#" ((state.colors or { }).base or "#1a1b26");
+
+  # Plymouth's Window.SetBackgroundTopColor takes three floats in
+  # 0.0–1.0; the .plymouth metadata's ConsoleLogBackgroundColor takes a
+  # 0xRRGGBB hex. Nix has no float math: multiply, integer-divide, pad.
+  byteToFloat = n:
+    let
+      thousandths = (n * 1000) / 255;
+      s = toString thousandths;
+      padded =
+        if lib.stringLength s == 1 then "00${s}"
+        else if lib.stringLength s == 2 then "0${s}"
+        else s;
+    in "0.${padded}";
+  channel = off: byteToFloat (lib.fromHexString (lib.substring off 2 base));
+
+  nomarchy-plymouth = pkgs.stdenv.mkDerivation {
+    pname = "nomarchy-plymouth";
+    version = "1.0";
+
+    src = ./plymouth;
+
+    installPhase = ''
+      mkdir -p $out/share/plymouth/themes/nomarchy
+      cp * $out/share/plymouth/themes/nomarchy/
+
+      # Point the .plymouth metadata into the store
+      sed -i "s|/usr/share/plymouth/themes/nomarchy|$out/share/plymouth/themes/nomarchy|g" \
+        $out/share/plymouth/themes/nomarchy/nomarchy.plymouth
+
+      # Bake the theme's base color: RGB floats for the script's
+      # Window.SetBackground* calls, 0xRRGGBB for ConsoleLogBackground.
+      sed -i \
+        -e 's|@BG_R@|${channel 0}|g' \
+        -e 's|@BG_G@|${channel 2}|g' \
+        -e 's|@BG_B@|${channel 4}|g' \
+        $out/share/plymouth/themes/nomarchy/nomarchy.script
+      sed -i 's|@BG_HEX@|${base}|g' \
+        $out/share/plymouth/themes/nomarchy/nomarchy.plymouth
+    '';
+  };
+in
+{
+  config = lib.mkIf cfg.plymouth.enable {
+    # Plymouth wants the systemd initrd (also what applies the keyboard
+    # layout to the LUKS prompt) and a quiet console around it.
+    boot.initrd.systemd.enable = lib.mkDefault true;
+    boot.initrd.verbose = lib.mkDefault false;
+    console.earlySetup = lib.mkDefault true;
+    boot.consoleLogLevel = lib.mkDefault 0;
+
+    boot.plymouth = {
+      enable = lib.mkDefault true;
+      themePackages = lib.mkDefault [ nomarchy-plymouth ];
+      theme = lib.mkDefault "nomarchy";
+    };
+
+    # Not mkDefault: kernelParams is a list other modules add to at
+    # normal priority — a mkDefault def would be dropped entirely,
+    # losing the quiet/splash boot. These merge with the rest.
+    boot.kernelParams = [
+      "quiet"
+      "splash"
+      "loglevel=3"
+      "rd.systemd.show_status=false"
+      "rd.udev.log_level=3"
+      "udev.log_priority=3"
+      "boot.shell_on_fail"
+    ];
+  };
+}

modules/nixos/plymouth/nomarchy.plymouth

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[Plymouth Theme]
+Name=Nomarchy
+Description=Nomarchy splash screen.
+ModuleName=script
+
+[script]
+ImageDir=/usr/share/plymouth/themes/nomarchy
+ScriptFile=/usr/share/plymouth/themes/nomarchy/nomarchy.script
+ConsoleLogBackgroundColor=0x@BG_HEX@
+MonospaceFont=Cantarell 11
+Font=Cantarell 11

modules/nixos/plymouth/nomarchy.script

@@ -0,0 +1,271 @@
+# Nomarchy Plymouth Theme Script
+
+Window.SetBackgroundTopColor(@BG_R@, @BG_G@, @BG_B@);
+Window.SetBackgroundBottomColor(@BG_R@, @BG_G@, @BG_B@);
+
+logo.image = Image("logo.png");
+
+# Calculate scale factor to make logo ~15% of screen height
+logo_scale_factor = (Window.GetHeight() * 0.15) / logo.image.GetHeight();
+logo_width = logo.image.GetWidth() * logo_scale_factor;
+logo_height = logo.image.GetHeight() * logo_scale_factor;
+logo.image = logo.image.Scale(logo_width, logo_height);
+
+logo.sprite = Sprite(logo.image);
+logo.sprite.SetX (Window.GetWidth()  / 2 - logo.image.GetWidth()  / 2);
+logo.sprite.SetY (Window.GetHeight() / 2 - logo.image.GetHeight() / 2);
+logo.sprite.SetOpacity (1);
+
+# Use these to adjust the progress bar timing
+global.fake_progress_limit = 0.7;  # Target percentage for fake progress (0.0 to 1.0)
+global.fake_progress_duration = 15.0;  # Duration in seconds to reach limit
+
+# Progress bar animation variables
+global.fake_progress = 0.0;
+global.real_progress = 0.0;
+global.fake_progress_active = 0; # 0 / 1 boolean
+global.animation_frame = 0;
+global.fake_progress_start_time = 0;  # Track when fake progress started
+global.password_shown = 0;  # Track if password dialog has been shown
+global.max_progress = 0.0;  # Track the maximum progress reached to prevent backwards movement
+
+fun refresh_callback ()
+  {
+    global.animation_frame++;
+    
+    # Animate fake progress to limit over time with easing
+    if (global.fake_progress_active == 1)
+      {
+        # Calculate elapsed time since start
+        elapsed_time = global.animation_frame / 50.0;  # Convert frames to seconds (50 FPS)
+        
+        # Calculate linear progress ratio (0 to 1) based on time
+        time_ratio = elapsed_time / global.fake_progress_duration;
+        if (time_ratio > 1.0)
+          time_ratio = 1.0;
+        
+        # Apply easing curve: ease-out quadratic
+        # Formula: 1 - (1 - x)^2
+        eased_ratio = 1 - ((1 - time_ratio) * (1 - time_ratio));
+        
+        # Calculate fake progress based on eased ratio
+        global.fake_progress = eased_ratio * global.fake_progress_limit;
+        
+        # Update progress bar with fake progress
+        update_progress_bar(global.fake_progress);
+      }
+  }
+
+
+Plymouth.SetRefreshFunction (refresh_callback);
+
+#----------------------------------------- Helper Functions --------------------------------
+
+fun update_progress_bar(progress)
+  {
+    # Only update if progress is moving forward
+    if (progress > global.max_progress)
+      {
+        global.max_progress = progress;
+        width = Math.Int(progress_bar.original_image.GetWidth() * progress);
+        if (width < 1) width = 1;  # Ensure minimum width of 1 pixel
+        
+        progress_bar.image = progress_bar.original_image.Scale(width, progress_bar.original_image.GetHeight());
+        progress_bar.sprite.SetImage(progress_bar.image);
+      }
+  }
+
+fun show_progress_bar()
+  {
+    progress_box.sprite.SetOpacity(1);
+    progress_bar.sprite.SetOpacity(1);
+  }
+
+fun hide_progress_bar()
+  {
+    progress_box.sprite.SetOpacity(0);
+    progress_bar.sprite.SetOpacity(0);
+  }
+
+fun show_password_dialog()
+  {
+    lock.sprite.SetOpacity(1);
+    entry.sprite.SetOpacity(1);
+  }
+
+fun hide_password_dialog()
+  {
+    lock.sprite.SetOpacity(0);
+    entry.sprite.SetOpacity(0);
+    for (index = 0; bullet.sprites[index]; index++)
+      bullet.sprites[index].SetOpacity(0);
+  }
+
+fun start_fake_progress()
+  {
+    # Don't reset if we already have progress
+    if (global.max_progress == 0.0)
+      {
+        global.fake_progress = 0.0;
+        global.real_progress = 0.0;
+        update_progress_bar(0.0);
+      }
+    global.fake_progress_active = 1;
+    global.animation_frame = 0;
+  }
+
+fun stop_fake_progress()
+  {
+    global.fake_progress_active = 0;
+  }
+
+#----------------------------------------- Dialogue --------------------------------
+
+lock.image = Image("lock.png");
+entry.image = Image("entry.png");
+bullet.image = Image("bullet.png");
+
+entry.sprite = Sprite(entry.image);
+entry.x = Window.GetWidth()/2 - entry.image.GetWidth() / 2;
+entry.y = logo.sprite.GetY() + logo.image.GetHeight() + 40;
+entry.sprite.SetPosition(entry.x, entry.y, 10001);
+entry.sprite.SetOpacity(0);
+
+# Scale lock to be slightly shorter than entry field height
+# Original lock is 84x96, entry height determines scale
+lock_height = entry.image.GetHeight() * 0.8;
+lock_scale = lock_height / 96;
+lock_width = 84 * lock_scale;
+
+scaled_lock = lock.image.Scale(lock_width, lock_height);
+lock.sprite = Sprite(scaled_lock);
+lock.x = entry.x - lock_width - 15;
+lock.y = entry.y + entry.image.GetHeight()/2 - lock_height/2;
+lock.sprite.SetPosition(lock.x, lock.y, 10001);
+lock.sprite.SetOpacity(0);
+
+# Bullet array
+bullet.sprites = [];
+
+fun display_normal_callback ()
+  {
+    hide_password_dialog();
+    
+    # Get current mode
+    mode = Plymouth.GetMode();
+    
+    # Only show progress bar for boot and resume modes
+    if (mode == "boot" || mode == "resume")
+      {
+        show_progress_bar();
+        start_fake_progress();
+      }
+  }
+
+fun display_password_callback (prompt, bullets)
+  {
+    global.password_shown = 1;  # Mark that password dialog has been shown
+    
+    # Reset progress when password dialog appears
+    stop_fake_progress();
+    hide_progress_bar();
+    global.max_progress = 0.0;
+    global.fake_progress = 0.0;
+    global.real_progress = 0.0;
+    show_password_dialog();
+    
+    # Clear all bullets first
+    for (index = 0; bullet.sprites[index]; index++)
+      bullet.sprites[index].SetOpacity(0);
+    
+    # Create and show bullets for current password (max 21)
+    max_bullets = 21;
+    bullets_to_show = bullets;
+    if (bullets_to_show > max_bullets)
+      bullets_to_show = max_bullets;
+    
+    for (index = 0; index < bullets_to_show; index++)
+      {
+        if (!bullet.sprites[index])
+          {
+            # Scale bullet image to 7x7 pixels
+            scaled_bullet = bullet.image.Scale(7, 7);
+            bullet.sprites[index] = Sprite(scaled_bullet);
+            bullet.x = entry.x + 20 + index * (7 + 5);
+            bullet.y = entry.y + entry.image.GetHeight() / 2 - 3.5;
+            bullet.sprites[index].SetPosition(bullet.x, bullet.y, 10002);
+          }
+        bullet.sprites[index].SetOpacity(1);
+      }
+  }
+
+Plymouth.SetDisplayNormalFunction(display_normal_callback);
+Plymouth.SetDisplayPasswordFunction(display_password_callback);
+
+#----------------------------------------- Progress Bar --------------------------------
+
+progress_box.image = Image("progress_box.png");
+progress_box.sprite = Sprite(progress_box.image);
+
+progress_box.x = Window.GetWidth() / 2 - progress_box.image.GetWidth() / 2;
+progress_box.y = entry.y + entry.image.GetHeight() / 2 - progress_box.image.GetHeight() / 2;
+progress_box.sprite.SetPosition(progress_box.x, progress_box.y, 0);
+progress_box.sprite.SetOpacity(0);
+
+progress_bar.original_image = Image("progress_bar.png");
+progress_bar.sprite = Sprite();
+progress_bar.image = progress_bar.original_image.Scale(1, progress_bar.original_image.GetHeight());
+
+progress_bar.x = Window.GetWidth() / 2 - progress_bar.original_image.GetWidth() / 2;
+progress_bar.y = progress_box.y + (progress_box.image.GetHeight() - progress_bar.original_image.GetHeight()) / 2;
+progress_bar.sprite.SetPosition(progress_bar.x, progress_bar.y, 1);
+progress_bar.sprite.SetOpacity(0);
+
+fun progress_callback (duration, progress)
+  {
+    global.real_progress = progress;
+    
+    # If real progress is above limit, stop fake progress and use real progress
+    if (progress > global.fake_progress_limit)
+      {
+        stop_fake_progress();
+        update_progress_bar(progress);
+      }
+  }
+
+Plymouth.SetBootProgressFunction(progress_callback);
+
+#----------------------------------------- Quit --------------------------------
+
+fun quit_callback ()
+{
+  logo.sprite.SetOpacity (1);
+}
+
+Plymouth.SetQuitFunction(quit_callback);
+
+#----------------------------------------- Message --------------------------------
+
+message_sprite = Sprite();
+message_sprite.SetPosition(10, 10, 10000);
+
+fun display_message_callback (text)
+{
+  my_image = Image.Text(text, 1, 1, 1);
+  message_sprite.SetImage(my_image);
+}
+
+fun hide_message_callback (text)
+{
+  message_sprite.SetOpacity(0);
+}
+
+Plymouth.SetDisplayMessageFunction (display_message_callback);
+Plymouth.SetHideMessageFunction (hide_message_callback);
+
+# Initialize progress bar immediately for normal boots
+if (Plymouth.GetMode() == "boot" || Plymouth.GetMode() == "resume")
+  {
+    show_progress_bar();
+    start_fake_progress();
+  }

pkgs/nomarchy-install/nomarchy-install.sh

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #   NOMARCHY_UNATTENDED=1 NOMARCHY_DISK=/dev/vda NOMARCHY_USERNAME=me \
 #   NOMARCHY_PASSWORD=secret [NOMARCHY_HOSTNAME=nomarchy] \
 #   [NOMARCHY_TIMEZONE=UTC] [NOMARCHY_LUKS_PASSPHRASE=...] \
+#   [NOMARCHY_LOCALE=en_US.UTF-8] [NOMARCHY_KB_LAYOUT=us] [NOMARCHY_KB_VARIANT=] \
 #   [NOMARCHY_SWAP_GB=N (default: RAM size; 0 = none)] \
 #   [NOMARCHY_HW="auto"|"none"|"mod1 mod2"] [NOMARCHY_FINISH=none|reboot|poweroff]
 #   nomarchy-install
@@ -150,6 +151,9 @@ if [[ "$UNATTENDED" == "1" ]]; then
     PASSWORD="${NOMARCHY_PASSWORD:?}"
     HOSTNAME_="${NOMARCHY_HOSTNAME:-nomarchy}"
     TIMEZONE="${NOMARCHY_TIMEZONE:-UTC}"
+    LOCALE="${NOMARCHY_LOCALE:-en_US.UTF-8}"
+    KB_LAYOUT="${NOMARCHY_KB_LAYOUT:-us}"
+    KB_VARIANT="${NOMARCHY_KB_VARIANT:-}"
 else
     while true; do
         USERNAME=$(gum input --placeholder "username (lowercase, e.g. ada)")
@@ -169,6 +173,26 @@ else
         warn "Invalid hostname."
     done
     TIMEZONE=$(timedatectl list-timezones | gum filter --placeholder "timezone (type to search)" || echo UTC)
+    # Curated UTF-8 locales: the live system only generates en_US, so
+    # `locale -a` can't enumerate what the TARGET could use.
+    LOCALE=$(printf '%s\n' \
+        en_US en_GB de_DE fr_FR es_ES es_MX pt_PT pt_BR it_IT nl_NL \
+        pl_PL ru_RU uk_UA cs_CZ sk_SK sv_SE nb_NO da_DK fi_FI tr_TR \
+        el_GR hu_HU ro_RO bg_BG hr_HR sl_SI lt_LT lv_LV et_EE ja_JP \
+        ko_KR zh_CN zh_TW ar_EG he_IL hi_IN th_TH vi_VN id_ID \
+        | sed 's/$/.UTF-8/' \
+        | gum filter --placeholder "language / locale (type to search)" \
+        || echo en_US.UTF-8)
+    KB_LAYOUT=$(localectl list-x11-keymap-layouts 2>/dev/null \
+        | gum filter --placeholder "keyboard layout (type to search)" \
+        || echo us)
+    KB_VARIANT=""
+    if [[ "$KB_LAYOUT" != "us" ]] || gum confirm --default=No "Pick a keyboard variant (intl, nodeadkeys, …)?"; then
+        KB_VARIANT=$( { echo "(none)"; localectl list-x11-keymap-variants "$KB_LAYOUT" 2>/dev/null; } \
+            | gum filter --placeholder "variant for $KB_LAYOUT (pick '(none)' for the default)" \
+            || echo "(none)")
+        [[ "$KB_VARIANT" == "(none)" ]] && KB_VARIANT=""
+    fi
 fi
 [[ "$USERNAME" =~ ^[a-z_][a-z0-9_-]*$ ]] || fail "Invalid username '$USERNAME'."
 [[ -f "/usr/share/zoneinfo/$TIMEZONE" || -e "/etc/zoneinfo/$TIMEZONE" ]] \
@@ -177,6 +201,7 @@ fi
 HASHED_PASSWORD=$(printf '%s' "$PASSWORD" | mkpasswd -m sha-512 -s)
 unset PASSWORD
 info "User: $USERNAME @ $HOSTNAME_ ($TIMEZONE)"
+info "Locale: $LOCALE · keyboard: $KB_LAYOUT${KB_VARIANT:+ ($KB_VARIANT)}"
 
 # ─── Hardware profile ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
 section "Hardware detection"
@@ -320,9 +345,35 @@ nixos-generate-config --root /mnt
 mv /mnt/etc/nixos/hardware-configuration.nix "$FLAKE_DIR/"
 rm -rf /mnt/etc/nixos
 
-cp "$SHARE/template/home.nix" "$FLAKE_DIR/"
 cp "$SHARE/template/theme-state.json" "$FLAKE_DIR/"
 
+# home.nix is generated (not copied from the template) so the chosen
+# keyboard layout reaches the Hyprland session — standalone HM cannot
+# read system.nix.
+cat > "$FLAKE_DIR/home.nix" <<EOF
+# Your user environment. The Nomarchy desktop (Hyprland, Waybar,
+# Ghostty, theming engine, Stylix) comes from homeModules.nomarchy;
+# tune it via the nomarchy.* options, add your own packages and
+# programs below.
+{ pkgs, ... }:
+
+{
+  # Keyboard for the desktop session; console + LUKS prompt get the
+  # same layout from system.nix (xkb + console.useXkbConfig).
+  nomarchy.keyboard.layout = "$KB_LAYOUT";
+  nomarchy.keyboard.variant = "$KB_VARIANT";
+
+  # Examples:
+  # nomarchy.terminal = "kitty";        # swap the default terminal
+  # nomarchy.waybar.enable = false;     # bring your own bar
+  # nomarchy.stylix.enable = false;     # opt out of GTK/Qt theming
+
+  home.packages = with pkgs; [
+    # firefox
+  ];
+}
+EOF
+
 hw_nix=""
 for p in "${HW_PROFILES[@]:-}"; do
     [[ -n "$p" ]] && hw_nix+=" \"$p\""
@@ -371,7 +422,17 @@ cat > "$FLAKE_DIR/system.nix" <<EOF
 
   networking.hostName = "$HOSTNAME_";
   time.timeZone = "$TIMEZONE";
-  i18n.defaultLocale = "en_US.UTF-8";
+  i18n.defaultLocale = "$LOCALE";
+
+  # One keyboard layout everywhere: xkb is the source of truth, the
+  # virtual console derives from it (greeter/ttys), and the systemd
+  # initrd applies it to the LUKS passphrase prompt too (the classic
+  # script initrd cannot). The Hyprland session reads the same layout
+  # from nomarchy.keyboard.* in home.nix.
+  services.xserver.xkb.layout = "$KB_LAYOUT";
+  services.xserver.xkb.variant = "$KB_VARIANT";
+  console.useXkbConfig = true;
+  boot.initrd.systemd.enable = true;
 
   # Your login user — \`username\` flows in from flake.nix automatically.
   users.users.\${username} = {
@@ -410,6 +471,9 @@ fi
 # outright. The first normal NixOS user is always 1000:users(100); the
 # account doesn't exist in the target yet, so numeric ids it is.
 chown -R 1000:100 "$FLAKE_DIR"
+# The templates come out of the nix store mode 0444 and cp preserves
+# that — without this the user owns home.nix but can't edit it.
+chmod -R u+w "$FLAKE_DIR"
 
 # /etc/nixos on the installed system points at the user-owned flake.
 mkdir -p /mnt/etc
@@ -464,6 +528,25 @@ success "System installed (bootloader in place)"
 # fully themed desktop, not bare Hyprland. Best-effort: a failure here
 # only costs the user one `home-manager switch` after logging in.
 section "Baking the desktop"
+
+# Build the generation HERE in the live environment, not in the chroot:
+# the live store always carries the offline pin set, while the target
+# store only gets the full ISO store on OFFLINE installs — an online
+# install skips that copy, and the old in-chroot build (substituters
+# deliberately empty) then tried to compile the world from source.
+# Building against the live store is the exact path the live session's
+# own theme switching exercises, online or off.
+info "Building the desktop generation..."
+hm_out=""
+if hm_out=$(nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" \
+        build --no-link --print-out-paths \
+        --option substituters "" \
+        "path:$FLAKE_DIR#homeConfigurations.$USERNAME.activationPackage"); then
+    nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" \
+        copy --no-check-sigs --to "local?root=/mnt" "$hm_out" \
+        || hm_out=""
+fi
+[[ -n "$hm_out" ]] || warn "live-side desktop build failed — retrying inside the chroot"
 # NOT /mnt/tmp: nixos-enter mounts a fresh tmpfs over /tmp inside the
 # chroot, which silently vaporizes any script staged there (cost us a
 # full verification round to find). /root persists into the chroot.
@@ -471,10 +554,15 @@ cat > /mnt/root/nomarchy-hm-activate.sh <<EOF
 set -ex
 exec > /var/log/nomarchy-hm-preactivate.log 2>&1
 export PATH=/run/current-system/sw/bin:\$PATH
-out=\$(nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" \
-    build --no-link --print-out-paths \
-    --option substituters "" \
-    "path:/home/$USERNAME/.nomarchy#homeConfigurations.$USERNAME.activationPackage")
+# Normally pre-built in the live env and copied over; the in-chroot
+# build (default substituters — the live-side build already proved the
+# no-network case) is a last-resort fallback.
+out="$hm_out"
+if [ -z "\$out" ]; then
+    out=\$(nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" \
+        build --no-link --print-out-paths \
+        "path:/home/$USERNAME/.nomarchy#homeConfigurations.$USERNAME.activationPackage")
+fi
 install -d -o "$USERNAME" -g users /nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/$USERNAME
 install -d -o "$USERNAME" -g users /nix/var/nix/gcroots/per-user/$USERNAME
 # activate's profile ops need store access; as the user that means a

templates/downstream/home.nix

@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
   # nomarchy.terminal = "kitty";        # swap the default terminal
   # nomarchy.waybar.enable = false;     # bring your own bar
   # nomarchy.stylix.enable = false;     # opt out of GTK/Qt theming
+  # nomarchy.keyboard.layout = "de";    # session keyboard (pair with
+  #                                     # xkb + console.useXkbConfig in
+  #                                     # system.nix for tty/LUKS)
 
   home.packages = with pkgs; [
     # firefox

themes/summer-day/waybar.css

@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ window#waybar {
 #pulseaudio,
 #network,
 #battery,
+#tray,
 #custom-powermenu {
   background-color: @bg0;
   color: @fg;

themes/summer-day/waybar.jsonc

@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+{
+  "margin-top": 0,
+  "margin-left": 120,
+  "margin-bottom": 0,
+  "margin-right": 120,
+  "height": 60,
+  "layer": "top",
+  "position": "top",
+  "spacing": 15,
+  "reload_style_on_change": true,
+
+  "modules-left": ["custom/launcher", "clock", "clock#date"],
+  "modules-center": ["hyprland/workspaces"],
+  "modules-right": ["pulseaudio", "network", "battery", "tray", "custom/powermenu"],
+
+  "hyprland/workspaces": {
+    "disable-scroll": true,
+    "all-outputs": true,
+    "on-click": "activate",
+    "on-scroll-up": "hyprctl dispatch workspace e+1",
+    "on-scroll-down": "hyprctl dispatch workspace e-1",
+    "persistent-workspaces": {
+      "1": [], "2": [], "3": [], "4": [], "5": [],
+      "6": [], "7": [], "8": [], "9": [], "10": []
+    }
+  },
+
+  "custom/launcher": {
+    "interval": "once",
+    "format": "󰣇",
+    "on-click": "nomarchy-menu",
+    "tooltip-format": "Nomarchy menu"
+  },
+
+  "pulseaudio": {
+    "format": "{icon} {volume}%",
+    "format-bluetooth": "{icon}  {volume}%",
+    "format-bluetooth-muted": "  muted",
+    "format-muted": " muted",
+    "format-icons": {
+      "headphone": "",
+      "hands-free": "",
+      "headset": "",
+      "phone": "",
+      "portable": "",
+      "car": "",
+      "default": ["", "", ""]
+    },
+    "on-click": "wpctl set-mute @DEFAULT_AUDIO_SINK@ toggle",
+    "tooltip-format": "Playing at {volume}%"
+  },
+
+  "network": {
+    "format-wifi": " {signalStrength}%",
+    "format-ethernet": "",
+    "format-disconnected": "󰤭",
+    "on-click": "sh -c '$TERMINAL -e nmtui'",
+    "tooltip-format": "{ipaddr} via {gwaddr}"
+  },
+
+  "battery": {
+    "interval": 60,
+    "states": { "warning": 30, "critical": 15 },
+    "max-length": 10,
+    "format": "{icon} {capacity}%",
+    "format-charging": " {capacity}%",
+    "format-plugged": " {capacity}%",
+    "format-full": " 100%",
+    "format-icons": ["", "", "", "", ""],
+    "on-click": "nomarchy-menu power",
+    "tooltip-format": "Battery status"
+  },
+
+  "clock": {
+    "format": " {:%H:%M}",
+    "tooltip": true,
+    "tooltip-format": "<tt><small>{calendar}</small></tt>"
+  },
+
+  "clock#date": {
+    "format": " {:%A, %B %d, %Y}",
+    "tooltip": false
+  },
+
+  "tray": { "spacing": 8 },
+
+  "custom/powermenu": {
+    "format": "",
+    "on-click": "nomarchy-menu power",
+    "tooltip": false
+  }
+}

themes/summer-night/waybar.css

@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@ window#waybar {
 #clock.date,
 #workspaces,
 #pulseaudio,
+#network,
 #idle_inhibitor,
-#custom-battery,
+#battery,
 #custom-powermenu {
   background-color: @bg0;
   color: @fg;
@@ -98,7 +99,6 @@ window#waybar {
   margin-left: 15px;
   padding-left: 20px;
   padding-right: 21px;
-  font-family: Nomarchy;
   font-size: 20px;
 }
 
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ window#waybar {
   padding-right: 23px;
 }
 
-#custom-battery.preservation {
+#battery.charging {
   color: @green;
 }
 

themes/summer-night/waybar.jsonc

@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+{
+  "margin-top": 0,
+  "margin-left": 120,
+  "margin-bottom": 0,
+  "margin-right": 120,
+  "height": 61,
+  "layer": "top",
+  "position": "top",
+  "spacing": 15,
+  "reload_style_on_change": true,
+
+  "modules-left": ["custom/nomarchy", "clock", "clock#date"],
+  "modules-center": ["hyprland/workspaces"],
+  "modules-right": ["idle_inhibitor", "pulseaudio", "network", "battery", "tray", "custom/powermenu"],
+
+  "hyprland/workspaces": {
+    "disable-scroll": true,
+    "all-outputs": true,
+    "on-click": "activate",
+    "on-scroll-up": "hyprctl dispatch workspace r+1",
+    "on-scroll-down": "hyprctl dispatch workspace r-1",
+    "persistent-workspaces": {
+      "1": [], "2": [], "3": [], "4": [], "5": [],
+      "6": [], "7": [], "8": [], "9": [], "10": []
+    }
+  },
+
+  "custom/nomarchy": {
+    "interval": "once",
+    "format": "󱄅",
+    "on-click": "nomarchy-menu",
+    "tooltip-format": "Nomarchy menu"
+  },
+
+  "idle_inhibitor": {
+    "format": "{icon}",
+    "format-icons": {
+      "activated": " 󰅶 ",
+      "deactivated": " 󰾪 "
+    }
+  },
+
+  "pulseaudio": {
+    "scroll-step": 5,
+    "format": "{icon} {volume}%",
+    "format-bluetooth": "{icon} {volume}%",
+    "format-bluetooth-muted": " {icon}",
+    "format-muted": "  muted",
+    "format-icons": {
+      "headphone": "",
+      "hands-free": "",
+      "headset": "",
+      "phone": "",
+      "portable": "",
+      "car": "",
+      "default": ["", "", ""]
+    },
+    "on-click": "wpctl set-mute @DEFAULT_AUDIO_SINK@ toggle",
+    "tooltip-format": "{desc} | {volume}%"
+  },
+
+  "network": {
+    "format-wifi": " {essid}",
+    "format-ethernet": "",
+    "format-disconnected": "󰤭",
+    "on-click": "sh -c '$TERMINAL -e nmtui'",
+    "tooltip-format": "{ipaddr} via {gwaddr}"
+  },
+
+  "battery": {
+    "interval": 30,
+    "states": { "warning": 25, "critical": 10 },
+    "format": "{icon} {capacity}%",
+    "format-charging": " {capacity}%",
+    "format-plugged": " {capacity}%",
+    "format-icons": ["", "", "", "", ""],
+    "on-click": "nomarchy-menu power",
+    "tooltip-format": "Battery status"
+  },
+
+  "clock": {
+    "format": " {:%H:%M}",
+    "tooltip": true,
+    "tooltip-format": "<tt><small>{calendar}</small></tt>"
+  },
+
+  "clock#date": {
+    "format": " {:%A, %B %d, %Y}",
+    "tooltip": false
+  },
+
+  "tray": { "spacing": 8 },
+
+  "custom/powermenu": {
+    "format": "",
+    "on-click": "nomarchy-menu power",
+    "tooltip": false
+  }
+}

tools/test-install.sh

@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ if df --output=fstype "$TARGET_DIR" | tail -1 | grep -q tmpfs; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
-OVMF=""
-for c in /run/current-system/sw/share/qemu/edk2-x86_64-code.fd \
+OVMF="${NOMARCHY_OVMF:-}"
+[ -n "$OVMF" ] || for c in /run/current-system/sw/share/qemu/edk2-x86_64-code.fd \
          /run/current-system/sw/share/OVMF/OVMF_CODE.fd \
          /usr/share/OVMF/OVMF_CODE.fd; do
     [ -f "$c" ] && { OVMF="$c"; break; }