NETWMICON

NETWMICON is a standard for window management in the X Window System, which is a widely-used windowing system for Unix-like operating systems. It is part of the Extended Window Manager Hints (EWMH) specification, which provides a set of conventions for how X applications and window managers should interact. The primary purpose of NETWMICON is to define a protocol for window managers to communicate with applications regarding the icons used to represent windows.

The standard specifies how applications should provide icons for their windows, including different sizes and formats. This allows window managers to display appropriate icons in taskbars, pagers, and other desktop components. The icons can be in various formats, such as XPM (X Pixmap) or PNG, and can be provided in different sizes to accommodate different display requirements.

NETWMICON also includes guidelines for how window managers should handle icon changes. For example, if an application updates its icon, the window manager should be able to detect this change and update the displayed icon accordingly. This ensures that the user interface remains consistent and up-to-date.

The standard is designed to be flexible and extensible, allowing for future enhancements and compatibility with new icon formats and display technologies. By adhering to the NETWMICON specification, both applications and window managers can ensure a more cohesive and user-friendly desktop environment.