A lightweight, grid-snapping widget system for Windows that lives directly on your desktop. No installers, no heavy frameworks—just pure performance and utility.
You can compile and launch the application directly from your terminal:
# 1. Download the repository
git clone https://github.com/Santaslileper/desktop-widgets.git
# 2. Compile and Launch
cd desktop-widgets/rust_variant
& "C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\csc.exe" /nologo /target:winexe /out:WidgetEngine.exe core/*.cs /reference:System.Windows.Forms.dll,System.Drawing.dll,System.Core.dll,System.Data.dll,System.Xml.dll /platform:x64; Start-Process .\WidgetEngine.exe- Grid Snapping: Widgets automatically align to your desktop icons for a pixel-perfect layout.
- Item Bumping: Dragging a widget into a occupied space "bumps" existing widgets or icons out of the way, similar to iOS.
- Specialized Types:
- 📝 Notes: Quick text containers that save instantly.
- 🕒 Clock: High-contrast digital time.
- ⏲️ Timer: Productive countdown with input.
- 🧮 Calculator: Simple math directly on your desktop.
- 🌐 Mini Browser: Keep a reference page or search bar open.
- Searchable Selector: Click [+] to search all available types, including native and mods.
- Drag-to-Spawn: Drag widget names directly from the selector onto your desktop.
- Modding System: Drop C# scripts (
.cs) into themods/directory. They compile and load at runtime automatically. - Recently Closed: Re-open previous widgets from the selector's "Recently Closed" tab.
- Persistence: Remembers position, size, and custom opacity (use mouse wheel on header) automatically.
- Always on Top: Toggle widgets to float above other windows or stick them to the desktop.
The engine uses a split architecture for maximum efficiency:
- Rust Core (
interaction.dll): Handles high-performance desktop icon detection and grid math. - C# UI (
WidgetEngine.exe): Manages the windowing system, specialized widget logic, and GDI+ rendering.
The project is designed to be built using the C# compiler already included in every Windows installation.
# Compile the entire project
& "C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\csc.exe" /target:winexe /out:WidgetEngine.exe core/*.cs /reference:System.Windows.Forms.dll,System.Drawing.dll,System.Core.dll,System.Data.dll,System.Xml.dll /platform:x64- Privacy: 100% Offline. Your notes and settings never leave your machine.
- License: MIT. Free to use, modify, and distribute.
In engineering, a flange is a projecting rim used for strengthening or attachment. Flangx applies this concept to your desktop: every widget is built with an invisible structural "rim" that couples it to the underlying Windows icon grid. This ensures that your layout isn't just a collection of floating boxes, but a rigid, synchronized system with mechanical-grade alignment.
Order is the foundation of flow. We believe that a chaotic desktop is a chaotic mind. By accepting the structure of the grid, you are freed from the friction of window management. When every tool has a "flanged" home, you stop managing your workspace and start inhabiting your work.