herbstluftwm vs i3

Struggling to choose between herbstluftwm and i3? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

herbstluftwm is a Os & Utilities solution with tags like tiling, keyboarddriven, x11, manual, gaps, tabbed, stacked, split, floating.

It boasts features such as Manual tiling window manager, Arranges windows in a grid by default, Allows switching between layouts using tags and monitors, Supports gaps between windows, Supports tabbed and stacked windows, Supports split layouts, Supports floating windows and pros including Lightweight and fast, Highly customizable, Keyboard driven, Supports multiple monitors well.

On the other hand, i3 is a Os & Utilities product tagged with tiling, keyboarddriven, lightweight, configurable, unixlike.

Its standout features include Tiling window manager, Tree-like window organization, Customizable keyboard shortcuts, Simple, lightweight and fast, Support for multiple workspaces, and it shines with pros like Very efficient use of screen space, Highly customizable, Light on system resources, Keyboard-driven workflow, Stable and mature codebase.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

herbstluftwm

herbstluftwm

herbstluftwm is a manual tiling window manager for X11 using Xlib and Glib. It arranges windows in a grid by default and allows you to switch between layouts using tags and monitors. It features gaps, tabbed or stacked windows, split layouts, floating windows and more.

Categories:
tiling keyboarddriven x11 manual gaps tabbed stacked split floating

Herbstluftwm Features

  1. Manual tiling window manager
  2. Arranges windows in a grid by default
  3. Allows switching between layouts using tags and monitors
  4. Supports gaps between windows
  5. Supports tabbed and stacked windows
  6. Supports split layouts
  7. Supports floating windows

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Lightweight and fast

Highly customizable

Keyboard driven

Supports multiple monitors well

Cons

Steep learning curve

Configuration can be complex

Not as actively maintained as some other tiling WMs


i3

i3

i3 is a tiling window manager for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. It is designed to be simple, fast, and lightweight while still being customizable and flexible. i3 organizes application windows in a tree-like structure and allows efficient window switching and placement.

Categories:
tiling keyboarddriven lightweight configurable unixlike

I3 Features

  1. Tiling window manager
  2. Tree-like window organization
  3. Customizable keyboard shortcuts
  4. Simple, lightweight and fast
  5. Support for multiple workspaces

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Free

Pros

Very efficient use of screen space

Highly customizable

Light on system resources

Keyboard-driven workflow

Stable and mature codebase

Cons

Steep learning curve

Manual configuration required

Not designed for touchscreens

Less flexibility in window arrangements

Less integrated with desktop environment