diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 06ca0cbc..038845e9 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -338,6 +338,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-sys 0.52.0",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "error_reporter"
+version = "1.0.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "31ae425815400e5ed474178a7a22e275a9687086a12ca63ec793ff292d8fdae8"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "futures-core"
 version = "0.3.30"
@@ -487,6 +493,12 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "2a7558cc96ddcaf0b4144d7149984ace2899bb29d4ee2999979d429efc305200"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "itoa"
+version = "1.0.10"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b1a46d1a171d865aa5f83f92695765caa047a9b4cbae2cbf37dbd613a793fd4c"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "jay"
 version = "0.1.0"
@@ -535,9 +547,12 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "backtrace",
  "bincode",
+ "bstr",
+ "error_reporter",
  "futures-util",
  "log",
  "serde",
+ "serde_json",
  "thiserror",
  "uapi",
 ]
@@ -873,6 +888,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-sys 0.52.0",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "ryu"
+version = "1.0.17"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e86697c916019a8588c99b5fac3cead74ec0b4b819707a682fd4d23fa0ce1ba1"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "scopeguard"
 version = "1.2.0"
@@ -899,6 +920,17 @@ dependencies = [
  "syn 2.0.48",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "serde_json"
+version = "1.0.114"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c5f09b1bd632ef549eaa9f60a1f8de742bdbc698e6cee2095fc84dde5f549ae0"
+dependencies = [
+ "itoa",
+ "ryu",
+ "serde",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "shaderc"
 version = "0.8.3"
diff --git a/jay-config/Cargo.toml b/jay-config/Cargo.toml
index bead5f1c..e5bd2f87 100644
--- a/jay-config/Cargo.toml
+++ b/jay-config/Cargo.toml
@@ -13,3 +13,6 @@ futures-util = {  version = "0.3.30", features = ["io"] }
 uapi = "0.2.12"
 thiserror = "1.0.57"
 backtrace = "0.3.69"
+error_reporter = "1.0.0"
+serde_json = "1.0.114"
+bstr = { version = "1.9.0", default-features = false, features = ["std"] }
diff --git a/jay-config/src/_private/client.rs b/jay-config/src/_private/client.rs
index b23a6c44..305690e9 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/_private/client.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/_private/client.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use {
         input::{acceleration::AccelProfile, capability::Capability, InputDevice, Seat},
         keyboard::Keymap,
         logging::LogLevel,
-        tasks::JoinSlot,
+        tasks::{JoinHandle, JoinSlot},
         theme::{colors::Colorable, sized::Resizable, Color},
         timer::Timer,
         video::{
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ pub(crate) struct Client {
     read_interests: RefCell<HashMap<PollableId, Interest>>,
     write_interests: RefCell<HashMap<PollableId, Interest>>,
     tasks: Tasks,
+    status_task: Cell<Vec<JoinHandle<()>>>,
+    i3bar_separator: RefCell<Option<Rc<String>>>,
 }
 
 struct Interest {
@@ -206,6 +208,8 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn init(
         read_interests: Default::default(),
         write_interests: Default::default(),
         tasks: Default::default(),
+        status_task: Default::default(),
+        i3bar_separator: Default::default(),
     });
     let init = slice::from_raw_parts(init, size);
     client.handle_init_msg(init);
@@ -506,6 +510,20 @@ impl Client {
         self.send(&ClientMessage::SetStatus { status });
     }
 
+    pub fn set_status_tasks(&self, tasks: Vec<JoinHandle<()>>) {
+        for old in self.status_task.replace(tasks) {
+            old.abort();
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn set_i3bar_separator(&self, separator: &str) {
+        *self.i3bar_separator.borrow_mut() = Some(Rc::new(separator.to_string()));
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_i3bar_separator(&self) -> Option<Rc<String>> {
+        self.i3bar_separator.borrow().clone()
+    }
+
     pub fn set_split(&self, seat: Seat, axis: Axis) {
         self.send(&ClientMessage::SetSplit { seat, axis });
     }
diff --git a/jay-config/src/lib.rs b/jay-config/src/lib.rs
index 533e0d77..5d618f01 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/lib.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/lib.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,10 @@
 #![allow(
     clippy::zero_prefixed_literal,
     clippy::manual_range_contains,
-    clippy::uninlined_format_args
+    clippy::uninlined_format_args,
+    clippy::len_zero,
+    clippy::single_char_pattern,
+    clippy::single_char_add_str
 )]
 
 use {
diff --git a/jay-config/src/status.rs b/jay-config/src/status.rs
index 55a0560c..c92fa16a 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/status.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/status.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,15 @@
 //! Knobs for changing the status text.
 
+use {
+    crate::{exec::Command, io::Async, tasks::spawn},
+    bstr::ByteSlice,
+    error_reporter::Report,
+    futures_util::{io::BufReader, AsyncBufReadExt},
+    serde::Deserialize,
+    std::borrow::BorrowMut,
+    uapi::{c, OwnedFd},
+};
+
 /// Sets the status text.
 ///
 /// The status text is displayed at the right end of the bar.
@@ -10,3 +20,237 @@
 pub fn set_status(status: &str) {
     get!().set_status(status);
 }
+
+/// The format of a status command output.
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Hash)]
+pub enum MessageFormat {
+    /// The output is plain text.
+    ///
+    /// The command should output one line every time it wants to change the status.
+    /// The content of the line will be interpreted as plain text.
+    Plain,
+    /// The output uses [pango][pango] markup.
+    ///
+    /// The command should output one line every time it wants to change the status.
+    /// The content of the line will be interpreted as pango markup.
+    ///
+    /// [pango]: https://docs.gtk.org/Pango/pango_markup.html
+    Pango,
+    /// The output uses the [i3bar][i3bar] protocol.
+    ///
+    /// The separator between individual components can be set using [`set_i3bar_separator`].
+    ///
+    /// [i3bar]: https://github.com/i3/i3/blob/next/docs/i3bar-protocol
+    I3Bar,
+}
+
+/// Sets a command whose output will be used as the status text.
+///
+/// The [`stdout`](Command::stdout) and [`stderr`](Command::stderr)` of the command will
+/// be overwritten by this function. The stdout will be used for the status text and the
+/// stderr will be appended to the compositor log.
+///
+/// The format of stdout is determined by the `format` parameter.
+pub fn set_status_command(format: MessageFormat, mut command: impl BorrowMut<Command>) {
+    macro_rules! pipe {
+        () => {{
+            let (read, write) = match uapi::pipe2(c::O_CLOEXEC) {
+                Ok(p) => p,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    log::error!("Could not create a pipe: {}", Report::new(e));
+                    return;
+                }
+            };
+            let read = match Async::new(read) {
+                Ok(r) => BufReader::new(r),
+                Err(e) => {
+                    log::error!("Could not create an Async object: {}", Report::new(e));
+                    return;
+                }
+            };
+            (read, write)
+        }};
+    }
+    let (mut read, write) = pipe!();
+    let (mut stderr_read, stderr_write) = pipe!();
+    let command = command.borrow_mut();
+    command.stdout(write).stderr(stderr_write).spawn();
+    let name = command.prog.clone();
+    let name2 = command.prog.clone();
+    let stderr_handle = spawn(async move {
+        let mut line = vec![];
+        loop {
+            line.clear();
+            if let Err(e) = stderr_read.read_until(b'\n', &mut line).await {
+                log::warn!("Could not read from {name2} stderr: {}", Report::new(e));
+                return;
+            }
+            if line.len() == 0 {
+                return;
+            }
+            log::warn!(
+                "{name2} emitted a message on stderr: {}",
+                line.trim_with(|c| c == '\n').as_bstr()
+            );
+        }
+    });
+    let handle = spawn(async move {
+        if format == MessageFormat::I3Bar {
+            handle_i3bar(name, read).await;
+            return;
+        }
+        let mut line = String::new();
+        let mut cleaned = String::new();
+        loop {
+            line.clear();
+            if let Err(e) = read.read_line(&mut line).await {
+                log::error!("Could not read from `{name}`: {}", Report::new(e));
+                return;
+            }
+            if line.is_empty() {
+                log::info!("{name} closed stdout");
+                return;
+            }
+            let line = line.strip_suffix("\n").unwrap_or(&line);
+            cleaned.clear();
+            if format != MessageFormat::Pango && escape_pango(line, &mut cleaned) {
+                set_status(&cleaned);
+            } else {
+                set_status(line);
+            }
+        }
+    });
+    get!().set_status_tasks(vec![handle, stderr_handle]);
+}
+
+/// Unsets the previously set status command.
+pub fn unset_status_command() {
+    get!().set_status_tasks(vec![]);
+}
+
+/// Sets the separator for i3bar status commands.
+///
+/// The separator should be specified in [pango][pango] markup language.
+///
+/// [pango]: https://docs.gtk.org/Pango/pango_markup.html
+pub fn set_i3bar_separator(separator: &str) {
+    get!().set_i3bar_separator(separator);
+}
+
+async fn handle_i3bar(name: String, mut read: BufReader<Async<OwnedFd>>) {
+    use std::fmt::Write;
+
+    #[derive(Deserialize)]
+    struct Version {
+        version: i32,
+    }
+    #[derive(Deserialize)]
+    struct Component {
+        markup: Option<String>,
+        full_text: String,
+        color: Option<String>,
+        background: Option<String>,
+    }
+    let mut line = String::new();
+    macro_rules! read_line {
+        () => {{
+            line.clear();
+            if let Err(e) = read.read_line(&mut line).await {
+                log::error!("Could not read from `{name}`: {}", Report::new(e));
+                return;
+            }
+            if line.is_empty() {
+                log::info!("{name} closed stdout");
+                return;
+            }
+        }};
+    }
+    read_line!();
+    match serde_json::from_str::<Version>(&line) {
+        Ok(v) if v.version == 1 => {}
+        Ok(v) => log::warn!("Unexpected i3bar format version: {}", v.version),
+        Err(e) => {
+            log::warn!(
+                "Could not deserialize i3bar version message: {}",
+                Report::new(e)
+            );
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+    read_line!();
+    let mut status = String::new();
+    loop {
+        read_line!();
+        let mut line = line.as_str();
+        if let Some(l) = line.strip_prefix(",") {
+            line = l;
+        }
+        let components = match serde_json::from_str::<Vec<Component>>(line) {
+            Ok(c) => c,
+            Err(e) => {
+                log::warn!(
+                    "Could not deserialize i3bar status message: {}",
+                    Report::new(e)
+                );
+                continue;
+            }
+        };
+        let separator = get!().get_i3bar_separator();
+        let separator = match &separator {
+            Some(s) => s.as_str(),
+            _ => r##" <span color="#333333">|</span> "##,
+        };
+        status.clear();
+        let mut first = true;
+        for component in &components {
+            if component.full_text.is_empty() {
+                continue;
+            }
+            if !first {
+                status.push_str(separator);
+            }
+            first = false;
+            let have_span = component.color.is_some() || component.background.is_some();
+            if have_span {
+                status.push_str("<span");
+                if let Some(color) = &component.color {
+                    let _ = write!(status, r#" color="{color}""#);
+                }
+                if let Some(color) = &component.background {
+                    let _ = write!(status, r#" bgcolor="{color}""#);
+                }
+                status.push_str(">");
+            }
+            if component.markup.as_deref() == Some("pango")
+                || !escape_pango(&component.full_text, &mut status)
+            {
+                status.push_str(&component.full_text);
+            }
+            if have_span {
+                status.push_str("</span>");
+            }
+        }
+        set_status(&status);
+    }
+}
+
+fn escape_pango(src: &str, dst: &mut String) -> bool {
+    if src
+        .bytes()
+        .any(|b| matches!(b, b'&' | b'<' | b'>' | b'\'' | b'"'))
+    {
+        for c in src.chars() {
+            match c {
+                '&' => dst.push_str("&amp;"),
+                '<' => dst.push_str("&lt;"),
+                '>' => dst.push_str("&gt;"),
+                '\'' => dst.push_str("&apos;"),
+                '"' => dst.push_str("&quot;"),
+                _ => dst.push(c),
+            }
+        }
+        true
+    } else {
+        false
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/config/handler.rs b/src/config/handler.rs
index 030fc498..b898162d 100644
--- a/src/config/handler.rs
+++ b/src/config/handler.rs
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ impl ConfigProxyHandler {
     fn get_seat(&self, seat: Seat) -> Result<Rc<WlSeatGlobal>, CphError> {
         let seats = self.state.globals.seats.lock();
         for seat_global in seats.values() {
-            if seat_global.id().raw() == seat.0 as _ {
+            if seat_global.id().raw() == seat.0 as u32 {
                 return Ok(seat_global.clone());
             }
         }