i3 vs herbstluftwm

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

i3 is a Os & Utilities solution with tags like tiling, keyboarddriven, lightweight, configurable, unixlike.

It boasts features such as Tiling window manager, Tree-like window organization, Customizable keyboard shortcuts, Simple, lightweight and fast, Support for multiple workspaces and pros including Very efficient use of screen space, Highly customizable, Light on system resources, Keyboard-driven workflow, Stable and mature codebase.

On the other hand, herbstluftwm is a Os & Utilities product tagged with tiling, keyboarddriven, x11, manual, gaps, tabbed, stacked, split, floating.

Its standout features include 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 it shines with pros like Lightweight and fast, Highly customizable, Keyboard driven, Supports multiple monitors well.

Feature	i3	herbstluftwm
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Os & Utilities	Os & Utilities

Product Overview

i3

Description: 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.

herbstluftwm

Description: 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.

Key Features Comparison

i3 Features

• Tiling window manager
• Tree-like window organization
• Customizable keyboard shortcuts
• Simple, lightweight and fast
• Support for multiple workspaces

herbstluftwm Features

• 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

Pros & Cons Analysis

i3

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

herbstluftwm

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

Pricing Comparison

i3

• Open Source
• Free

herbstluftwm

• Open Source