/build-gpui-apps

Notification

A toast notification system for displaying temporary messages to users. Notifications appear at the top right of the window and can auto-dismiss after a timeout. Supports multiple variants (info, success, warning, error), custom content, titles, and action buttons. Perfect for status updates, confirmations, and user feedback.

Import

use gpui_kit::component::{
    notification::{Notification, NotificationType},
    WindowExt
};

Usage

Where notifications render

The window's Root automatically mounts and renders notifications. Open the window with gpui_kit::open_window, or wrap the application view in Root::new. Application views do not render overlay layers themselves.

Basic Notification

// Simple string notification
window.push_notification("This is a notification.", cx);

// Using Notification builder
Notification::new()
    .message("Your changes have been saved.")

Notification Types

// Info notification (blue)
window.push_notification(
    (NotificationType::Info, "File saved successfully."),
    cx,
);

// Success notification (green)
window.push_notification(
    (NotificationType::Success, "Payment processed successfully."),
    cx,
);

// Warning notification (yellow/orange)
window.push_notification(
    (NotificationType::Warning, "Network connection is unstable."),
    cx,
);

// Error notification (red)
window.push_notification(
    (NotificationType::Error, "Failed to save file. Please try again."),
    cx,
);

Notification with Title

Notification::new()
    .title("Update Available")
    .message("A new version of the application is ready to install.")
    .with_type(NotificationType::Info)

Auto-hide Control

// Disable auto-hide (manual dismiss only)
Notification::new()
    .message("This notification stays until manually closed.")
    .autohide(false)

// Default auto-hide after 5 seconds
Notification::new()
    .message("This will disappear automatically.")
    .autohide(true) // default

The countdown pauses while the pointer is over the notifications or one of them has keyboard focus, and resumes when the pointer leaves or focus moves on. It keeps running while the window is inactive, so a message that must not be missed should disable auto-hide or use system delivery.

Placement

Notifications appear at the top right of the window by default. Set a global default for all notifications, or override it for a single notification. Notifications are stacked separately for each placement.

use gpui_kit::Anchor;

// Global default (default: Anchor::TopRight)
Theme::update(cx, |theme| theme.notification.placement = Anchor::BottomRight);

// Per-notification override
Notification::info("Download complete.")
    .placement(Anchor::BottomLeft)

Supported values are Anchor::TopLeft, Anchor::TopCenter, Anchor::TopRight, Anchor::LeftCenter, Anchor::RightCenter, Anchor::BottomLeft, Anchor::BottomCenter, and Anchor::BottomRight.

With Action Button

Notification::new()
    .title("Connection Lost")
    .message("Unable to connect to server.")
    .with_type(NotificationType::Error)
    .autohide(false)
    .action(|_, cx| {
        Button::new("retry")
            .primary()
            .label("Retry")
            .on_click(cx.listener(|this, _, window, cx| {
                // Perform retry action
                println!("Retrying connection...");
                this.dismiss(window, cx);
            }))
    })

Clickable Notifications

Notification::new()
    .message("Click to view details")
    .on_click(cx.listener(|_, _, _, cx| {
        println!("Notification clicked");
        // Handle notification click
        cx.notify();
    }))

Custom Content

use gpui_kit::component::text::markdown;

let markdown_content = r#"
## Custom Notification
- **Feature**: New dashboard available
- **Status**: Ready to use
- [Learn more](https://example.com)
"#;

Notification::new()
    .content(|_, window, cx| {
        markdown(markdown_content).into_any_element()
    })

Unique Notifications

When you need to manage notifications manually, such as for long-running processes or persistent alerts, you can use unique IDs to push and remove notifications as needed.

In this case, you can create a special struct in local scope, and use id methods with this struct to identify the notification.

Then you can push the notification when needed, and later remove it using the same ID.

Like this:

// Using type-based ID for uniqueness
struct UpdateNotification;

Notification::new()
    .id::<UpdateNotification>()
    .message("System update available")
    .autohide(false)

// Using type + element ID for multiple unique notifications
struct TaskNotification;

Notification::warning("Task failed to complete")
    .id1::<TaskNotification>("task-123")
    .title("Task Failed")

Then remove the notification with window.remove_notification::<UpdateNotification>, like this:

// Later, dismiss the notification
window.remove_notification::<UpdateNotification>(cx);

System Notification

A notification can also be delivered to the operating system's notification center. Use NotificationDelivery to choose where a notification goes: as an in-app toast (InApp, the default), in the OS notification center (System), or both (InAppAndSystem).

use gpui_kit::component::notification::{Notification, NotificationDelivery};

// Per-notification override; `.system()` and `.in_app_and_system()` are
// shorthands for `.delivery(NotificationDelivery::...)`.
Notification::info("Your download is ready.")
    .title("Download complete")
    .system()

// Or set a global default for all notifications
Theme::update(cx, |theme| {
    theme.notification.delivery = NotificationDelivery::InAppAndSystem
});

The notification's title and message become the system notification's title and body; a notification with neither is not posted. Pushing again with the same .id::<T>() replaces the previous system notification, and window.remove_notification::<T>(cx) / window.clear_notifications(cx) retract it. When the toast auto-hides, the system notification stays in the notification center.

Clicking the system notification activates the application and its window, closes the in-app toast (if any), and fires on_click with a default ClickEvent. With NotificationDelivery::System no toast exists, so on_close is never called.

gpui_kit::component::init registers the app-global on_system_notification_response handler, so do not register your own after it — gpui keeps only one. Notifications your application posts directly via cx.show_system_notification are left untouched.

Platform requirements:

Examples

Form Validation Error

Notification::error("Please correct the following errors before submitting.")
    .title("Validation Failed")
    .autohide(false)
    .action(|_, _, cx| {
        Button::new("review")
            .outline()
            .label("Review Form")
            .on_click(cx.listener(|this, _, window, cx| {
                // Navigate to form
                this.dismiss(window, cx);
            }))
    })

File Upload Progress

struct UploadNotification;

// Start upload notification
window.push_notification(
    Notification::info("Uploading file...")
        .id::<UploadNotification>()
        .title("File Upload")
        .autohide(false),
    cx,
);

// Update to success when complete
window.push_notification(
    Notification::success("File uploaded successfully!")
        .id::<UploadNotification>()
        .title("Upload Complete"),
    cx,
);

System Status Updates

// Warning about maintenance
Notification::warning("System maintenance will begin in 30 minutes.")
    .title("Scheduled Maintenance")
    .autohide(false)
    .action(|_, cx| {
        Button::new("details")
            .link()
            .label("View Details")
            .on_click(cx.listener(|this, _, window, cx| {
                // Show maintenance details
                this.dismiss(window, cx);
            }))
    })

Batch Operation Results

use gpui_kit::component::text::markdown;

let results_content = r#"
## Batch Operation Complete

**Processed**: 150 items
**Success**: 147 items
**Failed**: 3 items

[View failed items](/)
"#;

Notification::success("Batch operation completed with some failures.")
    .title("Operation Results")
    .content(|window, cx| {
        markdown(results_content).into_any_element()
    })
    .autohide(false)

Interactive Confirmation

struct SaveConfirmation;

Notification::new()
    .id::<SaveConfirmation>()
    .title("Unsaved Changes")
    .message("You have unsaved changes. Save before leaving?")
    .autohide(false)
    .action(|_, cx| {
        Button::new("save")
            .primary()
            .label("Save")
            .on_click(cx.listener(|this, _, window, cx| {
                // Perform save
                println!("Saving changes...");
                this.dismiss(window, cx);
            }))
    })
    .on_click(cx.listener(|_, _, _, cx| {
        println!("Save reminder clicked");
        cx.notify();
    }))

Documentation license: original prose and illustrations for which GPUI Kit holds licensing rights are also offered under CC BY 4.0. When copying or adapting, credit GPUI Kit, link the source (https://gpui-kit.com/component/notification) and https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, and indicate changes. Code examples and software source use Apache-2.0; third-party material retains its terms; existing Apache-2.0 permissions remain.

Bundled from GPUI Kit. Documentation prose: CC BY 4.0; code examples: Apache-2.0. Changes: documentation links localized, asset URLs made absolute, and this attribution added.