spectrwm VS i3

Compare spectrwm VS i3 and see what are their differences

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spectrwm

spectrwm is a small dynamic tiling window manager for X11.

i3

A dynamic tiling window manager designed for X11, inspired by wmii, and written in C.

Landing page //
2023-10-01

Landing page //
2021-09-19

spectrwm

Website: github.com
$ Details: -

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i3

Website: i3wm.org
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spectrwm features and specs

Lightweight
spectrwm is designed to be a minimalistic and lightweight window manager, which results in fast performance and low system resource consumption.
Keyboard-driven
It has strong keyboard-focused navigation, allowing users to efficiently manage windows and enhance productivity without relying on a mouse.
Customizability
Users can customize key bindings and appearance by editing a straightforward configuration file, providing flexibility to tailor the window manager to individual preferences.
Multi-head support
spectrwm provides built-in support for multiple monitors, making it a good choice for users who require multi-display setups.
Scriptable
The window manager supports scripting, which lets users automate tasks and create custom scripts to further extend functionality.

Possible disadvantages of spectrwm

Steeper learning curve
The lack of a graphical user interface might pose a challenge for new users, as it requires familiarity with configuration files and command-line operations.
Requires manual configuration
Initial setup may require manual editing of configuration files, which can be inconvenient for users who prefer plug-and-play solutions.
Limited features out-of-the-box
Compared to more comprehensive desktop environments, spectrwm might lack certain features and conveniences that users expect, requiring additional setup and configuration.
Community and support
Being one of several niche tiling window managers, it might not have as large a community or extensive documentation as some other options, potentially making it harder to find support.

i3 features and specs

Efficient Window Management
i3 allows for highly efficient window management using a tree data structure, making it easy to snap windows into grids and manage multiple applications simultaneously.
Lightweight
i3 is deliberately simplistic and lightweight, which allows it to run efficiently on older hardware or systems with limited resources.
Customizability
Users can extensively customize keybindings and behavior through a plain text configuration file. This allows for a personalized workflow.
Keyboard-Centric
i3 is designed to be used primarily through keyboard shortcuts, which can lead to increased productivity for advanced users.
Scriptability
i3 supports various scripting languages through its IPC (Inter-process Communication) interface, enabling automation of complex workflows.
Community and Documentation
i3 has strong community support and extensive documentation, making it easier for new users to learn and troubleshoot issues.

Possible disadvantages of i3

Steep Learning Curve
New users may find i3 difficult to learn and configure, especially if they are accustomed to traditional desktop environments.
Lack of GUI Configuration Tools
i3 relies heavily on manual edits to text files for configuration, lacking user-friendly graphical interfaces for setup and customization.
Limited Out-of-the-Box Features
i3 does not come with many built-in features available in more comprehensive desktop environments, such as app launchers or system tray support, requiring additional setups.
Compatibility Issues
Some applications may not play well with tiling window managers like i3, requiring workarounds or alternative software choices.
Minimal Default Appearance
Without customization, i3 offers a very minimalistic and barebones visual experience, which may not be appealing to all users.

spectrwm videos

+ Add

Spectrwm Is An Impressive Tiling Window Manager

i3 videos

+ Add

30k Miles with the BMW i3 - End of Lease Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to spectrwm and i3)

i3

Window Manager

19 19%

Window Manager

81% 81

Linux

17 17%

Linux

83% 83

Utilities

24 24%

Utilities

76% 76

100 100%

0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using spectrwm and i3. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare spectrwm and i3

spectrwm Reviews

Top 13 Best Tiling Window Managers For Linux In 2022

spectrwm has a plain text configuration file, defaults that are identical to xmonad and dwm, and built-in keyboard shortcuts. Other features include colour and border width customization, drag-to-float, quick launch menu customization, adjustable status bar, dynamic RandR compatibility, and more.

Source: www.hubtech.org

13 Best Tiling Window Managers for Linux

spectrwm uses a plain text configuration file, boasts defaults similar to those in xmonad and dwm, and features built-in keyboard shortcuts. Its other features include customizable colors and border width, drag-to-float, quick launch menu, customizable status bar, dynamic RandR support, etc.

Source: www.tecmint.com

i3 Reviews

Top 13 Best Tiling Window Managers For Linux In 2022

Sway is a tiling Wayland i3-compatible window manager that dynamically arranges app windows to rationally maximise desktop space. It is free, open-source, and lightweight. By default, it arranges windows in a grid and supports practically all of the i3 commands.

Source: www.hubtech.org

Top 10 Best Desktop Environments in 2020

i3-wm is one of my most loved standalone window managers, qualifying it to easily fit under the desktop environment list! The configuration is just very easy, and you can change everything that you see on screen. This includes what information you see on the bottom panel, how windows behave, and keyboard shortcuts to move, align, and set up windows on the screen.

Source: www.journaldev.com

13 Best Tiling Window Managers for Linux

Sway is a free, open-source, and lightweight tiling Wayland i3-compatible window manager that automatically arranges app windows to logically maximize desktop space. It arranges windows into a grid by default and supports almost all the commands included in i3.

Source: www.tecmint.com

5 Great Tiling Window Managers for Linux

I begun testing i3 just this week. I was always fascinated by the Tiling WM’s as they seem really light on system resources and functional. To my surprise , although i3 is really easy to customize, and works really well (at least for my needs) , I found that it isn’t really that lightweight. I had Mate desktop environment use the same amount of RAM. Maybe I was mislead to...

Source: www.maketecheasier.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, i3 should be more popular than spectrwm. It has been mentiond 90 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

spectrwm mentions (12)

GTK Krell Monitors
Does not help you but the question nerd sniped me to try it as an exercise in my preferred tiling WM spectrwm. https://github.com/conformal/spectrwm in .spectrwmrc add
```
    #shrink the region by 112 to allow space for the widget.
```
- Source: Hacker News / 4 days ago
Rubywm: An X11 window manager in pure Ruby
I am not sure what you want out of I3, but if it is "i3 configuration is too complicated" might I suggest spectrwm. I like it because it hits that sweet spot for a tilling WM between "more configurable than dwm" and "less configurable than i3" https://github.com/conformal/spectrwm Plus I find it handles multiple monitors well. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
Ask HN: Why does Apple refuse to add window snapping to macOS?
I use the tiling WM spectrwm. It lets me pull windows out of tiling mode and into window mode. I think a common operation on most tiling window managers. Most of the time I don't want overlapping windows(thus the tiling WM) but every once in a while I do, so the best of both worlds. It is a bit obscure but I quite like spectrwm, it fills this sweet spot where it is much simpler than I3 but much more feature... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
Easy window manager?
Spectrwm is by far the easiest WM I've tested. Also Fluxbox is pretty much straightforward. Source: over 3 years ago
Which WM should I use ?
Spectrwm is by far the most beginner-friendly WM I've ever tested. Im now running EXWM the buffers management is something else. Source: over 3 years ago

i3 mentions (90)

Automatic Visual Feedback for System Volume Change in I3wm via Dunst
I switched to the i3 tiling based window manager. Because it's a whole different environment and thinking, it was very different from what I was used to. The volume buttons were working on my keyboard, but I didn't get any visual feedback. Furthermore, the volume percentage could go down below zero and increase up to more than hundread percent. There were times when I was confused why the keys stopped working, but... - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
"We understand" ;)
This is partially why I use tools like i3 (/ sway). I like the tool; it works extremely well for me; the design has stayed the same for 20 years; there's no profit motive to come along and fuck everything up. It just works. It is boring in the best way possible. Source: over 1 year ago
what machines have you used for development, and what do you prefer?
I use MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid-2014) with Manjaro as OS using i3 as a window manager. It isn't perfect, but I'm thrilled with it. I have been a Mac OS user for the last 15 years and wouldn't change what I have now for a Mac OS because I don't need more than what I'm using for development. Source: almost 2 years ago
Machine for pentesting and general use?
For daily usage I really like kubuntu with i3wm, but it takes some configuration and getting used to the shortcuts, but it's well worth it. Source: almost 2 years ago
What's the difference between Gnome and KDE? Do applications written for one work in the other?
Some window managers are meant to be used as-is, and provide a minimalist yet functional environment that use very little resources or give power users an almost HUD-like interface. Examples of those window managers are OpenBox and i3wm for X, and Weston and Hyprland for Wayland. Source: almost 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing spectrwm and i3, you can also consider the following products

dwm - dwm is a dynamic window manager for X. It manages windows in tiled, monocle and floating layouts. All of the layouts can be applied dynamically, optimising the environment for the application in use and the task performed.

Xmonad - xmonad is a dynamically tiling X11 window manager that is written and configured in Haskell.

Sway - Sway is a drop-in replacement for the i3 window manager, but for Wayland instead of X11.

bspwm - A tiling window manager based on binary space partitioning

Openbox - Openbox is a highly configurable, next generation window manager with extensive standards support.

Fluxbox - Fluxbox is a window manager for X that was based on the Blackbox 0.61.1 code.