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What a BetterTouchTool replacement needs to do
BetterTouchTool combines several jobs: window snapping, gesture- or shortcut-triggered snapping actions, and moving or resizing windows without dragging a title bar. A Linux setup usually has to assemble those functions from desktop gestures, a gesture daemon, and an automation tool.
The most important first choice is your display server. Ubuntu may run a GNOME Wayland session by default, while an X11 session exposes different automation interfaces. A tool that works by injecting X11 keyboard or mouse events cannot automatically provide the same control on Wayland.
Check whether Ubuntu is using X11 or Wayland
- In a terminal, run
echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE. - If the result is
x11, Touchégg, Fusuma and xdotool are viable building blocks. - If the result is
wayland, prioritize GNOME-integrated gestures and Wayland-aware automation such as AutoKey for Wayland. - Also confirm that the touchpad or touchscreen exposes usable events through libinput; software cannot map gestures that the hardware does not report.
Do this check before installing anything. Ubuntu release defaults and extension compatibility change over time.
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Best options compared
| What you want | Best starting point | Works best on | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three- or four-finger gesture mappings | Touchégg | Ubuntu X11 | Touchégg’s FAQ states that it works only on X11. |
| Explicit gesture-to-command rules in YAML | Fusuma | Primarily X11 workflows | More manual configuration; action examples are X11-oriented. |
| Gestures in a current Ubuntu GNOME session | Built-in Ubuntu/GNOME gestures or GNOME Window Gestures | Wayland or GNOME-supported sessions | Available gestures depend on the GNOME and extension versions. |
| Hotkeys, text expansion and scripts | AutoKey for Wayland or X11 | Wayland and X11 | Wayland security restrictions limit unrestricted desktop control. |
| Scripted key, mouse and window actions | xdotool | X11 | It performs actions but does not recognize touchpad gestures. |
Touchégg: the closest direct replacement on Ubuntu X11
Touchégg runs in the background and transforms touchpad or touchscreen gestures into desktop actions. Its documented examples include a three-finger swipe up to maximize a window and a four-finger swipe left to switch virtual desktops.
How to set it up
- Confirm that the session is X11 and that the input device is supported through libinput.
- Install Touchégg using the project’s official Ubuntu PPA,
ppa:touchegg/stable, or the package supplied by your Ubuntu release. Package names and installation commands can vary by release. - Use Touchégg’s graphical configurator or configuration files to assign gestures to actions.
- Start with a reversible mapping, test it in several applications, and only then add window-management shortcuts or scripts.
What it can and cannot replace
Touchégg is the most direct answer to “What is the BetterTouchTool equivalent on Ubuntu?” when the requirement is gesture recognition. It can trigger visible desktop actions, but its own documentation explicitly limits it to X11. Installing it in a Wayland session will not turn it into a Wayland gesture engine.
Fusuma: a configurable gesture-to-command framework
Fusuma is a Ruby-based touchpad gesture daemon for users who want explicit, file-based mappings rather than a primarily graphical setup. Its README describes configurable gestures and plugins that emit keyboard events; examples use xdotool commands, including sending a keyboard combination with a mouse click.
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When Fusuma is the better choice
- You want YAML-style rules that can be reviewed and backed up.
- A gesture should run a command, script or custom shortcut rather than a fixed built-in action.
- You are comfortable troubleshooting plugins, permissions and the action program separately.
Important boundary
Fusuma is a building block, not a polished all-in-one BetterTouchTool clone. Pairing it with xdotool makes the action layer powerful on X11. On Wayland, verify that the specific desktop and plugin path support the action you need; an X11-oriented example should not be assumed to work unchanged.
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Wayland: use GNOME’s input layer first
On a current Ubuntu GNOME Wayland session, the least invasive approach is to use the gestures already provided by Ubuntu and GNOME. Ubuntu’s help documents touchpad and touchscreen gestures as part of the desktop input experience. GNOME’s Window Gestures extension adds window-management gestures, although its behavior and compatibility follow the installed GNOME and extension versions.
A practical Wayland setup
- Enable and test the gestures available in Ubuntu’s Settings and in your installed GNOME session.
- If you need window movement or snapping gestures beyond the built-in set, check whether the GNOME Window Gestures extension supports your GNOME version.
- Use the extension’s documented gesture assignments rather than trying to force an X11-only daemon into the session.
- Add AutoKey when a gesture or shortcut needs to launch a script, insert text or perform a repeatable hotkey sequence.
This approach is closer to the Wayland security model: the compositor handles desktop gestures, while automation tools operate within the permissions Wayland allows.
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AutoKey: scripts and hotkeys on Wayland or X11
AutoKey for Wayland documents installation on Debian and Ubuntu and supports both Wayland and X11. It is useful for text expansion, hotkeys and scripts, so it complements rather than replaces a gesture recognizer.
What to expect on Wayland
Wayland intentionally restricts the unrestricted desktop interaction that was available under X11. AutoKey for Wayland uses Linux evdev input integration and may require additional setup for some GNOME configurations. A script that can move a window, inject arbitrary mouse input or control another application under X11 may therefore be unavailable or behave differently under Wayland.
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Use Ubuntu/GNOME gestures or a compatible GNOME extension to detect the gesture, then let AutoKey handle the resulting hotkey or script. This split avoids treating AutoKey as a universal gesture engine.
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xdotool: an X11 action backend, not a gesture tool
The Ubuntu xdotool manpage describes it as a command-line X11 automation tool that can simulate keyboard input and mouse activity and move or resize windows. That makes it useful after Touchégg or Fusuma has recognized a gesture.
- Good use: send a shortcut, click at a location, move a window or resize it in an X11 session.
- Not its job: detect two-, three- or four-finger touchpad gestures.
- Compatibility warning: do not assume an xdotool action designed for X11 will work in a Wayland session.
Recipes for common BetterTouchTool-style tasks
Map a three-finger swipe to a keyboard shortcut on X11
- Log into an X11 session and confirm the touchpad produces libinput events.
- Configure Touchégg for the three-finger swipe, or define the gesture in Fusuma.
- Set the action to emit the target keyboard shortcut.
- If the target requires scripted mouse or window control, call an X11 action such as xdotool from the mapping.
- Test the shortcut in a disposable application before assigning it to window-management commands.
Snap or move windows with gestures
On X11, use Touchégg or Fusuma to trigger the desktop’s snapping shortcut or an xdotool-based window action. On Wayland, use GNOME’s built-in window gestures or a compatible Window Gestures extension; direct X11 window injection is not a drop-in substitute.
Build a script-driven workflow
Choose Fusuma when the gesture-to-command relationship itself is the main requirement. Choose AutoKey when the trigger is already available as a desktop gesture or hotkey and the work belongs in a script, text expansion rule or keyboard macro.
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Troubleshooting
Touchégg does nothing
- Check that the session is X11; Touchégg’s FAQ says it does not support Wayland.
- Verify that the touchpad or touchscreen exposes libinput events.
- Check the Touchégg configuration and test a simple documented action before adding scripts.
The gesture is detected but the action fails
- Test the action independently of the gesture daemon.
- On X11, confirm that the command or shortcut targets the intended window.
- If the action uses xdotool while you are on Wayland, replace it with a GNOME-integrated action or a Wayland-aware automation path.
A GNOME extension stops working after an Ubuntu upgrade
Extension support follows the GNOME version. Check compatibility for the installed release and temporarily disable the extension to distinguish an extension problem from a touchpad or compositor problem.
AutoKey cannot perform a desktop-wide action
Review its Wayland evdev and GNOME setup requirements. Some X11-style unrestricted interactions are deliberately unavailable on Wayland, so redesign the workflow around a compositor gesture, an allowed shortcut or a script that does not require global injection.
Which option should you choose?
- Ubuntu X11 and simple multi-finger gestures: start with Touchégg.
- Ubuntu X11 and custom commands: use Fusuma, adding xdotool where its X11 actions fit.
- Ubuntu GNOME Wayland: start with built-in gestures or GNOME Window Gestures.
- Wayland scripts, hotkeys or text expansion: add AutoKey for Wayland, with its GNOME setup requirements.
- Only need scripted mouse, keyboard or window actions on X11: use xdotool, but pair it with a separate gesture recognizer if gestures are required.
No reliable comparative performance or adoption statistic is established for these projects, so the practical choice should be based on session type, required actions and how much configuration you are willing to maintain.
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