diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 4483abc..8efeca4 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ project('somebar', ['c', 'cpp'],
 
 wayland_dep = dependency('wayland-client')
 qt5 = import('qt5')
-qt5_dep = dependency('qt5', modules: ['Core', 'Widgets'])
+qt5_dep = dependency('qt5', modules: ['Core', 'Gui'])
 #moc = qt5.compile_moc(headers: [ 'src/.hpp', ])
 
 subdir('protocols')
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ executable('somebar',
   'src/main.cpp',
   'src/shm_buffer.cpp',
   'src/bar.cpp',
-  'src/bar_widget.cpp',
   wayland_sources,
   #moc,
   dependencies: [qt5_dep, wayland_dep])
diff --git a/src/bar.cpp b/src/bar.cpp
index 15ae220..30e8624 100644
--- a/src/bar.cpp
+++ b/src/bar.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 // somebar - dwl bar
 // See LICENSE file for copyright and license details.
 
+#include <QColor>
 #include <QImage>
+#include <QPainter>
 #include "bar.hpp"
 #include "config.hpp"
 
@@ -24,6 +26,10 @@ Bar::Bar(const wl_output *output)
     zwlr_layer_surface_v1_set_size(_layerSurface, 0, barSize);
     zwlr_layer_surface_v1_set_exclusive_zone(_layerSurface, barSize);
     wl_surface_commit(_surface);
+
+    for (auto i=1; i<=4; i++) {
+        _tags.push_back({ QString::number(i), i%2 == 0 });
+    }
 }
 
 Bar::~Bar()
@@ -36,10 +42,11 @@ void Bar::layerSurfaceConfigure(uint32_t serial, uint32_t width, uint32_t height
 {
     zwlr_layer_surface_v1_ack_configure(_layerSurface, serial);
     _bufs.emplace(width, height, WL_SHM_FORMAT_XRGB8888);
-    auto root = _widget.root();
-    root->setFixedSize(width, height);
     render();
 }
+static QBrush inactiveBg = {QColor::fromRgb(0, 0, 0)};
+static QBrush activeBg = QBrush {QColor::fromRgb(0, 0, 255)};
+static QPen fg = QPen {QBrush {QColor::fromRgb(255, 255, 255)}, 1};
 
 void Bar::render()
 {
@@ -48,11 +55,38 @@ void Bar::render()
         _bufs->width,
         _bufs->height,
         _bufs->stride,
-        QImage::Format_RGBX8888
+        QImage::Format_ARGB32
     };
-    auto root = _widget.root();
-    root->render(&img);
+    auto painter = QPainter {&img};
+    auto font = painter.font();
+    font.setBold(true);
+    font.setPixelSize(18);
+    painter.setFont(font);
+    painter.setPen(fg);
+
+    painter.fillRect(0, 0, img.width(), img.height(), activeBg);
+    _fontMetrics.emplace(painter.font());
+    _textY = _fontMetrics->ascent() + paddingY;
+    renderTags(painter);
+    
     wl_surface_attach(_surface, _bufs->buffer(), 0, 0);
     wl_surface_commit(_surface);
     _bufs->flip();
 }
+
+void Bar::renderTags(QPainter &painter)
+{
+    auto x = 0;
+    for (const auto &tag : _tags) {
+        auto size = textWidth(tag.name) + paddingX*2;
+        auto& bg = tag.active ? activeBg : inactiveBg;
+        painter.fillRect(x, 0, size, barSize, bg);
+        painter.drawText(paddingX+x, _textY, tag.name);
+        x += size;
+    }
+}
+
+int Bar::textWidth(const QString &text)
+{
+    return _fontMetrics->size(Qt::TextSingleLine, text).width();
+}
diff --git a/src/bar.hpp b/src/bar.hpp
index e79f975..bbc97ee 100644
--- a/src/bar.hpp
+++ b/src/bar.hpp
@@ -3,22 +3,33 @@
 
 #pragma once
 #include <optional>
+#include <vector>
 #include <wayland-client.h>
+#include <QString>
+#include <QFontMetrics>
 #include "wlr-layer-shell-unstable-v1-client-protocol.h"
 #include "common.hpp"
 #include "shm_buffer.hpp"
-#include "bar_widget.hpp"
+
+struct Tag {
+    QString name;
+    bool active;
+};
 
 class Bar {
     static const zwlr_layer_surface_v1_listener _layerSurfaceListener;
 
     wl_surface *_surface {nullptr};
     zwlr_layer_surface_v1 *_layerSurface {nullptr};
+    std::optional<QFontMetrics> _fontMetrics;
     std::optional<ShmBuffer> _bufs;
-    BarWidget _widget;
+    std::vector<Tag> _tags;
+    int _textY;
 
     void layerSurfaceConfigure(uint32_t serial, uint32_t width, uint32_t height);
     void render();
+    void renderTags(QPainter &painter);
+    int textWidth(const QString &text);
 public:
     explicit Bar(const wl_output *output);
     ~Bar();
diff --git a/src/bar_widget.cpp b/src/bar_widget.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 42e6597..0000000
--- a/src/bar_widget.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-// somebar - dwl bar
-// See LICENSE file for copyright and license details.
-
-#include "bar_widget.hpp"
-
-BarWidget::BarWidget()
-    : _box {QBoxLayout::LeftToRight, &_root}
-    , _label {&_root}
-{
-    _root.setAttribute(Qt::WA_DontShowOnScreen);
-    _label.setText("somebar");
-}
-
-BarWidget::~BarWidget()
-{
-}
-
-QWidget* BarWidget::root() { return &_root; }
diff --git a/src/bar_widget.hpp b/src/bar_widget.hpp
deleted file mode 100644
index e013714..0000000
--- a/src/bar_widget.hpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-// somebar - dwl bar
-// See LICENSE file for copyright and license details.
-
-#pragma once
-#include <QBoxLayout>
-#include <QLabel>
-#include <QWidget>
-
-class BarWidget {
-    QWidget _root;
-    QBoxLayout _box;
-    QLabel _label;
-public:
-    explicit BarWidget();
-    ~BarWidget();
-    QWidget* root();
-};
diff --git a/src/config.hpp b/src/config.hpp
index 4759a5c..9e3df03 100644
--- a/src/config.hpp
+++ b/src/config.hpp
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 // somebar - dwl bar
 // See LICENSE file for copyright and license details.
 
-constexpr int barSize = 20;
+constexpr int barSize = 26;
 constexpr bool topbar = 1;
+constexpr int paddingX = 10;
+constexpr int paddingY = 3;
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 1a9537f..29bf871 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 #include <sys/mman.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
-#include <QApplication>
+#include <QGuiApplication>
 #include <QSocketNotifier>
 #include <wayland-client.h>
 #include "qnamespace.h"
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ static const struct wl_registry_listener registry_listener = { registryHandleGlo
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-    QApplication app(argc, argv);
+    QGuiApplication app(argc, argv);
     QCoreApplication::setOrganizationName("tape software");
     QCoreApplication::setOrganizationDomain("tapesoftware.net");
     QCoreApplication::setApplicationName("somebar");