Discovering the Best i3-gaps Alternatives for Your Workflow
i3-gaps has long been a favorite among power users seeking a highly customizable tiling window manager. Its namesake feature, gaps, provides configurable spacing between windows and along screen edges, allowing for a visually distinct and organized desktop. While i3-gaps excels in its niche, users might seek an i3-gaps alternative for various reasons, including different feature sets, Wayland compatibility, or simply to explore new window management paradigms. This article delves into the top alternatives that offer similar functionalities or entirely new approaches to window organization.
Top i3-gaps Alternatives
If you're looking to switch things up from i3-gaps, or perhaps you're building a new system and want to explore other robust window managers, these alternatives provide a range of options from direct forks to entirely different philosophies.
i3
i3 is a dynamic tiling window manager designed for X11, serving as the very foundation upon which i3-gaps was built. It is a Free and Open Source application available for Linux and BSD. As a direct inspiration, i3 offers a similar keyboard-driven workflow, making it an excellent i3-gaps alternative if you appreciate the core i3 experience but don't require the 'gaps' feature or prefer a more vanilla setup. Its key features include being a Tiling Window Manager, its Lightweight nature, and its strong support for Tiling and the X server.
awesome
Awesome is a dynamic window manager for the X Window System, developed using C and Lua. It's a Free and Open Source solution for Linux and BSD. Awesome stands out as a highly Extensible window manager, allowing users to script its behavior extensively with Lua. If you're seeking an i3-gaps alternative that offers deep customization and powerful scripting capabilities beyond simple configuration files, Awesome, with its Tiling and X server features, is a strong contender.
Xmonad
Xmonad is a dynamically tiling X11 window manager written and configured in Haskell. Available for Free and Open Source on Mac and Linux, Xmonad offers a unique approach to window management where layouts are automatically handled, reducing the need for manual window manipulation. As an i3-gaps alternative, Xmonad appeals to those who appreciate a functional programming approach to their system, offering an Extensible window manager experience with robust Tiling and X server support.
dwm
dwm is a dynamic window manager for X, renowned for its minimalism and efficiency. It manages windows in tiled, monocle, and floating layouts, which can be applied dynamically. dwm is Free and Open Source, supporting Linux and BSD. It's an excellent i3-gaps alternative for users who prioritize a Lightweight footprint and a simple, yet highly effective, Tiling Window Manager experience primarily focused on the X server.
Sway
Sway is a tiling Wayland compositor and a direct drop-in replacement for the i3 window manager for X11. It is Free and Open Source, available for Linux. If your primary reason for seeking an i3-gaps alternative is to move from X11 to the newer Wayland display server while retaining the familiar i3 workflow, Sway is your ideal choice. It offers excellent Tiling, Tiling Layouts, and functions as a full-fledged Tiling Window Manager within the Wayland environment.
bspwm
bspwm is a tiling window manager based on binary space partitioning. It's Free and Open Source, designed for Linux. bspwm organizes windows as the leaves of a full binary tree, offering a highly unique and scriptable approach to Tiling. As an i3-gaps alternative, bspwm appeals to users who enjoy heavy scripting and external program integration, as it manages windows by listening to events from an external script (bspc).
JWM
JWM (Joe's Window Manager) is a light-weight window manager for the X11 Window System, written in C and utilizing only Xlib. It is a Free and Open Source option for Linux. Due to its minimal footprint, JWM is an excellent i3-gaps alternative for older hardware or systems where resource consumption is a critical concern, providing a robust yet Lightweight window management experience.
Regolith Linux
Regolith Linux is an Ubuntu-based installable distribution featuring a customized i3 window manager desktop interface. It is Free and Open Source, available for Linux and Ubuntu. Regolith Linux is an ideal i3-gaps alternative for users who want the power and efficiency of i3 pre-configured into a full operating system. It offers a Keyboard driven workflow, Tiling Layouts, a minimalistic Desktop interface, and functions as a complete Tiling Window Manager based on Ubuntu.
PaperWM
PaperWM is an experimental Gnome Shell extension providing scrollable tiling of windows and per-monitor workspaces, inspired by paper notebooks and tiling. It is Free and Open Source, designed for Linux and GNOME environments. While not a standalone window manager, PaperWM serves as a unique i3-gaps alternative for GNOME users seeking a different take on Tiling and Tiling Layouts within their existing desktop environment, offering a fresh approach to window management with its innovative scrollable Tiling Window Manager feature.
wtftw
Window Tiling For The Win (wtftw) is a tiling window manager written in Rust. It is Free and Open Source, supporting Mac and Linux. wtftw offers a modern, performant, and extensible Tiling Window Manager experience, leveraging the safety and speed of Rust. As an i3-gaps alternative, wtftw is a great choice for users interested in cutting-edge development and a robust Tiling experience, especially those who appreciate the Rust programming language.
Ultimately, the best i3-gaps alternative depends on your specific needs, whether that's a move to Wayland, a desire for deeper extensibility, or simply a lighter footprint. Explore these options to find the perfect fit for your ideal desktop workflow.