Compiz
Compiz is an open source compositing window manager for Linux Desktops. It provides desktop visual effects and window management functionality, and allows for plugins to provide additional features.
compositing
visual-effects
window-management
plugin-extensible
Compiz: Open Source Compositing Window Manager for Linux Desktops
Compiz is an open source compositing window manager for Linux Desktops. It provides desktop visual effects and window management functionality, and allows for plugins to provide additional features.
What is Compiz?
Compiz is an open source compositing window manager for the X Window System. It was developed by Novell for Linux Desktops based on GNOME and KDE. Compiz uses 3D graphics hardware to provide enhanced desktop visual effects including transparency and animations that improve usability and provide an appealing user experience.
As a window manager, Compiz controls the placement and appearance of application windows. It supports features like window decorations, moving, minimizing, maximizing, restoring, and closing windows. Compiz also handles mouse and keyboard interactions for managing windows.
Compiz utilizes OpenGL to render windows and leverage graphics hardware. This allows for visual effects like transparency, live previews when switching windows, a wobbly windows effect when moving them, and smooth animations when minimizing and restoring windows. Popular Compiz plugins provide additional functionality like expo mode, an application launcher, desktop cube effect for virtual desktops, and various other effects.
Compiz is highly configurable and customizable with settings and plugins available to control the visual style and behavior of the desktop. It has many options to enable or disable specific effects to meet user preferences or work better on certain hardware configurations.
Compiz Features
Features
- 3D desktop cube
- Exposé-like workspace previews
- Animated window switching
- Desktop wallpaper plugins
- Window decoration plugins
Pricing
- Open Source
Pros
Highly customizable visual effects
Lightweight and fast
Supports many plugins
Open source and free
Cons
Steep learning curve
Can cause graphics issues
Not actively maintained anymore
Official Links
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