The process to set up i3 for use by Dvorak users is maddening and works unlike any other window manager or software I've used previously. It's especially difficult for me since I don't remember QWERTY anymore (it's been 14 years for me) and I have Dvorak positioned keys on my keyboard.
Anyway, here is the unpleasant process to get it to work at a bare minimum. I haven't found this documented in a single place elsewhere, and the steps usually assume that you understand how to do something in i3 already.
Download and install i3. I read you need these other packages as well. I'm coming from Ubuntu.
sudo apt install i3 i3status dmenu i3lock xbacklight feh