sway-config

To reliably start a daemon on sway reload, use the `exec_always` command in your sway config and include a script to kill existing instances before launching. This ensures background services restart cleanly without duplicate processes during configuration reloads.

In sway configuration, `exec` runs a command only once on initial startup, while `exec_always` runs the command every time the config file is reloaded. Use `exec_always` for daemons that need to restart on configuration changes.

Organize a sway config by defining variables for colors and workspaces, then use `include` directives to split configurations into modular files. This approach maintains alphabetical ordering and simplifies managing complex window manager setups.

Sway configuration parsing fails when shell commands are not properly quoted or when block syntax is incorrect. Sway has specific command parsing rules that require understanding shell scripting nuances and correct quoting for reliable execution.

Yes, understanding shell scripting is required for sway window manager configuration. You need knowledge of shell scripting to properly format daemon management commands, understand quoting rules, and handle `exec` and `exec_always` nuances.

Common sway setup pitfalls include incorrect quoting in keybinding blocks, failing to properly restart status bars on reload, and mismanaging daemon startup. Following best practices for syntax and modular file structure prevents these configuration issues.