10 Best Window Managers for Linux

You’ll never be able to accommodate all of the app windows on your desktop, regardless of how many monitors you utilize with your PC. Unless, of course, you’re using the proper equipment.

A window manager is an ideal tool that perfectly meets this need and enables you to make the most of the screen real estate on your computer/external monitor. It is a piece of software that manages how windows made by programs look. For instance, a window manager controls the location and appearance of windows in the background while an application is launched.

It’s critical to understand the difference between a desktop environment and a window manager. A desktop environment typically includes icons, windows, toolbars, folders, wallpapers, and screen widgets. They provide a selection of applications and libraries that are built to cooperate. A desktop environment comes with a window manager built in.

 

Also Read: 10 Best Lightweight Desktop Environment for Arch Linux

 

List of Best Window Managers for Linux

Let’s examine some of the top Linux window managers and some of their key attributes.

 

1. i3 Window Manager

i3 window manager is a manual window tiler with a variety of window organization choices. It is designed in C and, like IceWM, offers configuration functionality through a plain text file, making it simple to change its components to fit your style.

This fully adjustable Linux Display Manager – i3 has excellent documentation. The user can alter any aspect of this manager as they see fit, from the position of open apps to unique keyboard shortcuts. The plain-text configurations are understandable and don’t require Haskell or LUA.

With $mod+shift+space, floating windows may be toggled, making switching and managing them simple. The production process is rational in terms of bug prevention, and there is no gad in the window. The user can utilize the terminal to get updates on tasks that have been finished.

2. Awesome WM

One of the best Linux display managers is Awesome WM because it lets you port the asynchronous XCB library rather than the XLib. You may utilize a variety of tags with the Awesome WM to keep your workspace organized, and the LUA lets you completely personalize it. In addition to having the option to use shortcuts, this may be modified, skinned, and keyboard-friendly.

Multiple workspaces are supported by the default configuration of this. Additionally, tables can be resized and arranged using the mouse. The user can easily change something when customizing it.

3. XMonad

A flexible tiling window manager for Linux is called Xmonad. It is free and open-source. It is Haskell-coded and includes a configuration file that enables you to tailor its behavior to your tastes.

You will be free to write something into the configuration rather than being limited to any pre-programmed action or pattern. The basic configurations are easy to alter, and the scripts are often kept secure and clean. This can be used on any slow device and is also quick and lightweight.

You’ll experience no crashes with the help of this straightforward manager. Multi-monitor setups can be accommodated by this manager. The Contrib modules will provide you with everything you require because this window manager is designed specifically for desktop use.

4. Spectrwm

Spectrwm is another fantastic tool and shares many similarities with XMonad. When the program is running, a plain text setup can be loaded again. Users wouldn’t need to log out to view the outcomes of their setup while they were still editing. Any user will value this Linux window manager’s simplicity of use because the settings are the same.

Due to the limited number of options and lack of a configuration language, it is very easy to use. The ideal option for someone new to Haskell would be Spectrwm. With built-in keyboard shortcuts, it is perfect for beginners.

5. Herbstluftwm

Herbstluftwm is a great Window Manager tool for Linux. It’s easy to use, and when you run it from the command line, you can modify its parameters. It means that you can alter Herbstluftwm in the present without having to restart your computer.

The fact that this Linux display manager offers such a great combination of automatic and manual tiling options is its strongest feature. Any user has the option to switch any automated tiling application to manual tiling or allow automatic tiling for each program.

6. Dwm

Another dynamic window manager for Linux is dwm. It controls windows with floating, monocle, and tiled layouts. Each layout can be used dynamically to optimize the settings for the work at hand and the program being used.

This window manager is a prime example of very legible and clean code, and it is held under 2000 SLOC. Dwm is also very system-lightweight, and the user is familiar with how it operates. This low-resource manager has a simple user interface.

7. Ratpoison

Ratpoison is a straightforward window manager that is independent of fats, hefty library dependencies, ornate visuals, or window decorations. It is mostly based on GNU Screen, which has excelled in the market for virtual terminals.

Ratpoison is easy to set up and requires little setting due to its clear nature. If you select this display manager, you won’t use the mouse very often because it supports keyboards. As it supports it, you can also use several desktops. The online documentation for Ratpoison is thought to be top-notch.

8. Fluxbox

Fluxbox is one of your best bets when it comes to Window Manager for Linux. Any gadget will be able to run it rapidly. It is simple to use and customize for users. This program uses very few resources, is simple to use, and is packed with features for a quick and simple desktop experience. It was developed with C++ and is MIT-licensed.

Numerous native options, like tabbing, grouping, a huge number of key commands, a Chainable Keygrabber, a completely editable menu, and a lot more, are included with Fluxbox. Consider diving in and exploring it to discover more about fluxbox’s features.

9. Enlightenment

Because you don’t need any programming experience to set up the environment, this is one of the best Linux display managers to use. You don’t need any coding or editing knowledge to complete the setup because it is done through a user interface. It’s quite simple to become enlightened, and laptop battery life is ideal with mouse-driven options.

It is simple to adapt to your tastes, and you have the option of including one extra compositor. With Enlightenment, you can transform the desktop into its thumbnails and view interactive desktop previews within the desktop widget.

10. Openbox

One of the most popular and lightweight Linux display managers is Openbox. This will only take roughly 100MB of your RAM during the boot process. This is far more dependable and enables greater bug fixes and verification.

It is easy to use and highly flexible. A handful of the configuration files for this manager are simple to change, and they fit in well with common desktop components like bars, menu buttons, and so on.

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Conclusion:

Window Managers are essential. Now that we have provided a good list of the best Window Manager for Linux, we hope you can choose the best one that will suit your needs and wants for a job best done.

 

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