---
type: howto
title: Niri Tips and Gotchas
description: Practical tips for working with niri — Mod key behavior, shell expansion, config reload, vim keys, and programmatic invocation.
tags:
  - niri
  - tips
  - gotchas
verified: 2026-08-28
---

# Helpful Tips

## 1. Mod key

Use `Mod` instead of `Super` for configs that work both on TTY and in nested windows.

## 2. No shell expansion in spawn

`spawn` does not expand `$VAR` or `~`. Use `spawn-sh` or wrap in `sh -c`.

## 3. Config reload

niri supports live-reloading config without restart.

## 4. Alternative navigation

Vim-like keys (H/J/K/L) are bound by default alongside arrow keys.

## 5. Programmatic invocation

Every action can be invoked via `niri msg action <action-name>`.

## 6. Find XKB keys

Use `wev` to discover key names.

## Related

* [Key Bindings Syntax](/tools/niri/key-bindings-syntax.md) — Configuration details
* [Action Reference](/tools/niri/action-reference.md) — All available actions