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Amethyst

Amethyst

Amethyst is an open-source tiling window manager for macOS. It enables keybinding and window tiling similar to Linux tiling window managers. Amethyst is lightweight, customizable, and can improve productivity by keeping windows organized and accessible.
Amethyst screenshot

Amethyst: Open-Source Tiling Window Manager for macOS

Amethyst is an open-source tiling window manager for macOS. It enables keybinding and window tiling similar to Linux tiling window managers. Amethyst is lightweight, customizable, and can improve productivity by keeping windows organized and accessible.

What is Amethyst?

Amethyst is an open-source tiling window manager for macOS that allows users to efficiently organize and manipulate application windows. It provides keyboard shortcuts and window snapping functionalities similar to tiling window managers on Linux systems.

Some key features of Amethyst include:

  • Keyboard-driven window management - Windows can be opened, closed, resized, recentered, rotated using customizable keyboard shortcuts.
  • Flexible window tiling - Snap windows to halves, thirds, quarters of the screen edges or maximize to full screen with easy shortcuts.
  • Workspace support - Supports multiple workspaces allowing users to group applications across virtual desktops.
  • Lightweight and customizable - It is written in Swift/Obj-C, uses very little CPU and memory. Users can customize shortcuts, behaviors, and preferences.
  • Spaces integration - Works nicely with macOS Spaces to allow binding applications and windows to virtual desktops.

With highly customizable shortcuts, behaviors and window tiling options, Amethyst can greatly improve productivity for developers and power users on macOS. Its efficient window control capabilities similar to Linux lets users effectively manage screen real estate. The open source tool is free and lightweight - overall an excellent alternative to native windows management.

Amethyst Features

Features

  1. Tiling window management
  2. Keyboard shortcuts for window manipulation
  3. Customizable layouts and shortcuts
  4. Spaces support
  5. Full screen mode
  6. Window grouping
  7. Window resizing

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Improves productivity and workflow

Keeps windows organized

Faster window switching

Highly customizable

Lightweight and fast

Free and open source

Cons

Steep learning curve

Limited compatibility with some apps

No GUI for configuration

Not officially supported by Apple

Reviews & Ratings

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3.8

37 reviews

Rating Breakdown
Ease of Use
3.0
Features
4.4
Value for Money
5.0
Customer Support
3.1
Overall Experience
3.8
Recent Reviews
Q
Quinn Walker
May 04, 2026
Great Concept, Frustrating Reality

As a longtime macOS user who admired Linux tiling managers, I was excited to try Amethyst. However, it constantly conflicts with native macOS gestures and some apps just refuse to tile properly, causing more frustration than productivity. For an open-source …

T
Taylor Wilson
Apr 30, 2026
A Must-Have Window Manager for Mac Power Users

As a developer switching between Linux and macOS, I missed proper tiling window management. Amethyst brings that powerful, keyboard-driven workflow to my MacBook perfectly. It's incredibly lightweight and the customization options let me tailor it exactly to my needs. My …

T
Taylor Hill
Apr 30, 2026
Finally, a proper tiling window manager for my Mac!

Amethyst has completely transformed my workflow on macOS. Setting up basic keybindings was straightforward, and the automatic window tiling keeps everything organized without constant manual resizing. It's incredibly lightweight and, being open-source, the customization possibilities feel endless once you dive …

J
Jordan Wright
Apr 28, 2026
Finally, Proper Tiling on macOS!

As a developer switching between Linux and macOS, I've missed i3's efficient window management. Amethyst brings that same power to my Mac. The keybindings are intuitive and highly customizable, and after a short learning curve, my workflow is noticeably faster. …

D
David Taylor
Apr 28, 2026
Amethyst promises productivity but delivers only frustration

As someone who loved tiling window managers on Linux, I was excited to try Amethyst on my Mac, but it's been a constant source of headaches. The window layouts frequently break with common applications, requiring manual resets, and the keybindings …

Rating Distribution
5
19
4
4
3
11
2
3
1
0

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