Comparison of X window managers


This article compares variety of different X window managers. For an introduction to the topic, see X Window System.
NameLanguageLicenseTypeConfigurable titlebar buttonsGraphical configurationHotkeysICCCM/EWMH compliantPanel for window switchingTabbed windowsThemeableMemory Initial ReleaseLatest Stable Release
2bwmCStacking-
9wmCMITStacking0.41994-
aewmCMITStacking-
awesomeC, LuaGPLDynamic92007-09-18-
CMITStacking2018-08-242019-09-21
BlackboxC++MITStacking3-
bspwmCBSDTiling2013-04-23-
CompizC MITCompositing20062016-11-11
cwmCISCStackingno titlebar buttons2004-07-10-
dwmCMITDynamicno titlebar buttons12006-07-14-
EnlightenmentCBSDCompositing19972019-08
evilwmCMITStackingno titlebar buttons-
EXWMEmacs LispGPLTiling--
FluxboxC++MITStacking162001-09-122015-02-08
FLWMC++ GPLStacking1998-
FVWMCGPLDynamic41993-06-01-
i3CBSDDynamicno titlebar buttons32009-03-15-
IceWMC++LGPLStacking4.519972019-03-27
IonC, LuaLGPL with naming restrictions on modified versionsTilingno titlebar buttons20002009-01-10
JWMCMIT Stacking32003-
KWin C++ GPLCompositing412019-01
MatchboxCGPLStacking2007-04-13-
Metacity C, C++ GPLCompositing2002-102016-09
Mutter C GPLCompositing18.62011-042018-09
mwm CThe Open Group Public LicenseStacking1989-
OpenboxCGPLStacking72002-09-18-
PekWMC++GPLStacking5.3-
PlayWMCGPLStacking-
RatpoisonCGPLTiling12000-12-04-
SawfishLisp, CGPLStackingprimitive3.12000-01-01-
sithWMCGPLStackingno titlebar buttons-
spectrwmCISCDynamicno titlebar buttons-
CBSD-2-clauseCompositing2013-
StumpWMCommon LispGPLTiling-
twmCMITStacking1.21987-
WMFSCBSDTiling-
Window MakerCGPLStacking719972017-03-11
WingoGoWTFPLDynamic-
wmiiCMITDynamic2005-06-01-
Xfwm C, C++ GPL, LGPLCompositing7019962019-08-12
xmonadHaskellBSDDynamic22007-03-06-
uwmCSimilar to BSD licenseStacking1985-
NameLanguageLicenseTypeConfigurable titlebar buttonsGraphical configurationHotkeysICCCM/EWMH compliantPanel for window switchingTabbed windowsThemeableMemory Initial releaseLast Stable Release