wid

Wid is a term that can refer to several concepts depending on context. In computing, wid is a common shorthand for window identifier, the unique handle a windowing system assigns to a window. Window IDs are used by applications and window managers to target operations such as moving, resizing, focusing, or decorating a window. In the X Window System, a window’s ID is a numeric handle seen in APIs and tools; it may be represented as a decimal or hexadecimal value and is valid only within the lifetime of the X session. Software libraries frequently store a window’s identifier in a variable named wid or winid, enabling scripts and programs to script interactions with the window manager or other clients.

Beyond computing, wid may appear as a word or acronym in different contexts, and is not tied to a single, universal meaning. In such cases, the meaning is determined by surrounding text, and WID can stand for different organizations, standards, or projects. When encountering wid, readers should seek contextual clues or additional sources to disambiguate. In databases, documentation, or source code, wid is often used as a generic variable name representing a unique identifier, not necessarily limited to windows. The precise interpretation of wid thus depends on the discipline, software, and surrounding information.