Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Avant Window Navigator VS Cairo-Dock

Compare Avant Window Navigator VS Cairo-Dock and see what are their differences

Avant Window Navigator logo Avant Window Navigator

Avant Window Navigator (AWN/Awn) is a dock-like navigation bar for the linux desktop that positions...

Cairo-Dock logo Cairo-Dock

Cairo-Dock / GLX-Dock 3. 4 is now available. Cairo-Dock 3. 4 is finally released! One year after the 3.
  • Avant Window Navigator Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05
  • Cairo-Dock Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29

Avant Window Navigator features and specs

  • Customizability
    Avant Window Navigator (AWN) offers a high level of customizability, allowing users to tailor the dock's appearance and behavior to match their preferences and workflow needs. Users can modify themes, icons, and effects to create a personalized desktop experience.
  • Visually Appealing
    The application provides a visually attractive interface that enhances the overall look of the desktop environment. Its sleek and modern design can improve the aesthetic value of the user's computer desktop.
  • Improved Productivity
    AWN can improve productivity by allowing quick access to frequently used applications and minimizing clutter. The dock-like feature facilitates a more organized workspace, helping users maintain focus on tasks.
  • Plugin Support
    The software supports a wide range of plugins that extend its functionality, including weather applets, task managers, and system monitors. This makes it highly versatile for various user needs.

Possible disadvantages of Avant Window Navigator

  • Resource Intensive
    Avant Window Navigator can be resource-intensive, potentially affecting the performance of systems with limited hardware capabilities. Users with older or less powerful machines might experience slowdowns.
  • Compatibility Issues
    There might be compatibility issues with certain desktop environments or Linux distributions, limiting its use for some users. It might not integrate seamlessly with all system configurations.
  • Development Status
    The development of AWN has slowed down and there may be a lack of frequent updates or bug fixes. This could lead to potential stability issues or lack of support for newer system features.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    For users unfamiliar with Linux or dock-style interfaces, AWN may present a steep learning curve. Navigating and configuring its extensive settings may require some time and effort.

Cairo-Dock features and specs

  • Customization
    Cairo-Dock offers extensive customization options, allowing users to modify the appearance and behavior of the dock to suit their preferences.
  • Plugins and Applets
    The dock includes a range of plugins and applets that enhance its functionality, such as weather forecasts, system monitoring, and quick access to frequently used applications.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Cairo-Dock has an intuitive and visually pleasing user interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and access their applications.
  • Lightweight
    The dock is relatively lightweight and doesn't consume significant system resources, making it suitable for use on older hardware.
  • Multi-Platform Support
    Cairo-Dock is available on multiple operating systems, including Linux distributions and BSD, broadening its user base.

Possible disadvantages of Cairo-Dock

  • Stability Issues
    Some users have reported stability issues and crashes, which can impact the overall user experience.
  • Learning Curve
    While the interface is user-friendly, the plethora of customization options may be overwhelming for new users, leading to a steeper learning curve.
  • Compatibility
    Cairo-Dock may face compatibility issues with certain desktop environments or configurations, necessitating additional troubleshooting.
  • Documentation
    The available documentation and support resources may be insufficient for some users, potentially causing difficulties in resolving issues or maximizing the dock’s potential.
  • Dependency on 3D Compositing
    Although the dock can run without 3D compositing, its full range of graphical effects and features requires a 3D compositing window manager, limiting its functionality on systems without it.

Analysis of Cairo-Dock

Overall verdict

  • Cairo-Dock is considered a good choice for users who desire more control over their desktop appearance and functionality. It caters to those who appreciate both form and function, offering a balance between visual appeal and usability.

Why this product is good

  • Cairo-Dock, also known as GLX-Dock, is a popular desktop interface that provides a visually appealing, highly customizable dock for launching and managing applications on Linux systems. It is known for its sleek aesthetics, numerous themes, and rich set of plugins that extend its capabilities. Users appreciate its ability to enhance productivity while adding a modern touch to the desktop experience.

Recommended for

    Cairo-Dock is recommended for Linux users who prefer customizable desktop environments. It is particularly suitable for users who enjoy tweaking and personalizing their user interfaces. It is also a good choice for those who want to replicate the dock experience found in macOS on their Linux systems.

Avant Window Navigator videos

Linux: Avant Window Navigator

More videos:

  • Review - Avant Window Navigator (AWN) Bazaar Progress!
  • Review - Avant Window Navigator

Cairo-Dock videos

Cairo Dock on Linux Mint Cinnamon

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Avant Window Navigator and Cairo-Dock)
App Launcher
38 38%
62% 62
Windows Tools
44 44%
56% 56
Productivity
24 24%
76% 76
Tool
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Cairo-Dock seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 3 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.

Avant Window Navigator mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Avant Window Navigator yet. Tracking of Avant Window Navigator recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Cairo-Dock mentions (3)

  • With Latte Dock no longer being maintained, what's another good Dock to use for KDE?
    Have you tried Cario-Dock? Its not a native KDE app, but it does support KDE integration. I installed it on KDE Neon after the Latte Dock announcement. No crashes, and it has a lot of features. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Some Skeuomorphic Icons and Themes for Linux Devices
    If you like Macs, the dock program Cairo-Dock has a bunch of built in themes, including one to look like the OSX style dock with the cool reflections: https://glx-dock.org. Source: over 2 years ago
  • How can I get this type of look on a Dock?
    The closest thing you can do this is with cairo dock. It take some time, to customize it to make it look like what you see in the picture. It was a trend a decade ago, but not sure how much the package is maintained right now. For alternative you can check out docky which works pretty well with Gnome and its cousins, and if you are using KDE I better advice you to stick with latte dock. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Avant Window Navigator and Cairo-Dock, you can also consider the following products

Gnome-Pie - Gnome-Pie is a circular application launcher for Linux.

DockbarX - DockbarX is a standalone dock that groups and launches applications.

RocketDock - RocketDock is a Mac OS X dock clone.

Synapse - Synapse is a semantic launcher written in Vala that you can use to start applications as well as find and access relevant documents and files by making use of the Zeitgeist engine.

Launchy - Launchy is a cross platform app launcher that also launches documents, folders and web browser bookmarks.

Gnome Do - Simple, sleek, swift, smart. Do. GNOME Do allows you to quickly search for many items present on your desktop or the web, and perform useful actions on those items. GNOME Do is inspired by Quicksilver & GNOME Launch Box.