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bspwm VS xmodmap

Compare bspwm VS xmodmap and see what are their differences

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Contents:
  1. ยป Base Details
  2. ยป Videos
  3. ยป Reviews
  4. ยป Alternatives

bspwm logo bspwm

A tiling window manager based on binary space partitioning

xmodmap logo xmodmap

The xmodmap program is used to edit and display the keyboard modifier map and keymap table that are...
  • bspwm Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-14
  • xmodmap Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-12

bspwm features and specs

  • Highly Configurable
    Bspwm is known for its high level of customizability, allowing users to tweak almost every aspect of their window management experience through simple scripts and configuration files.
  • Efficient Use of Screen Space
    As a tiling window manager, Bspwm automatically arranges windows in a way that maximizes screen real estate, minimizing overlap and unused space.
  • Lightweight
    Bspwm is extremely lightweight, making it suitable for older hardware and systems with limited resources. It does not come with additional software bloat.
  • Scriptable with Unix Philosophy
    Bspwm adheres to the Unix philosophy of 'doing one thing well'. It functions without managing keybindings, allowing users to use other programs (like sxhkd) for keybinding management, which offers greater flexibility.
  • Active Community Support
    Bspwm has an active community and comprehensive documentation, which helps new users get started and troubleshoot any issues they might encounter.

Possible disadvantages of bspwm

  • Steep Learning Curve
    The configuration process can be complex and overwhelming for beginners. Unlike more mainstream window managers, bspwm requires learning various scripts and commands.
  • Lack of GUI Configuration Tools
    Bspwm does not come with graphical configuration tools, which might be inconvenient for users who prefer a GUI for managing settings.
  • Sparse on Built-in Features
    Since bspwm follows the Unix philosophy closely, it lacks many built-in features and utilities that other window managers might offer. Users need to set up additional tools for tasks such as wallpaper management or system trays.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some applications that expect a floating window manager might not work well with bspwm, requiring extra configuration or using alternative software.
  • Limited Out-of-the-box Experience
    Bspwm does not come with a pre-configured environment, which can be a disadvantage for users looking for a ready-to-use experience out of the box.

xmodmap features and specs

  • Flexibility
    xmodmap allows users to remap keys and buttons according to their preferences, providing high customization flexibility.
  • Simplicity
    The utility is straightforward and simple to use for basic key remapping tasks, making it accessible to users with varying technical skills.
  • Compatibility
    xmodmap is compatible with many UNIX-like operating systems and can be used in various desktop environments.

Possible disadvantages of xmodmap

  • Limited Features
    xmodmap lacks some advanced features and functionalities found in more modern key remapping tools.
  • Volatility
    Changes made with xmodmap are not persistent across sessions and need to be reapplied each time the user logs in.
  • Deprecated
    xmodmap is considered deprecated in favor of other tools like setxkbmap and can have compatibility issues with newer systems.

Analysis of bspwm

Overall verdict

  • Yes, bspwm is generally considered to be a good window manager for users who value minimalism and customization. It is highly praised for its performance, simplicity, and the level of control it provides. However, it may not be the best choice for beginners due to the initial learning curve and the need for manual configuration.

Why this product is good

  • Bspwm is a tiling window manager that is highly configurable and minimalistic, designed to operate efficiently without relying on extensive system resources. It handles windows based on binary space partitioning, providing users with an easy way to organize their workspace. Its scriptability and flexibility allow users to tailor their environment precisely to their preferences, which is particularly appealing to advanced users who appreciate control over their system's behavior.

Recommended for

  • Advanced Linux users who prefer a minimalistic and efficient tiling window manager
  • Users who enjoy customizing their desktop environment and scripting configurations
  • Individuals who want to maximize screen real estate and improve their productivity through efficient workspace management

bspwm videos

+ Add

Switching To Bspwm - Initial Thoughts

More videos:

  • Review - BSPWM - Its like I3 but not.
  • Review - BSPWM Review

xmodmap videos

+ Add

Remap keys via xmodmap no longer works

More videos:

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to bspwm and xmodmap)

bspwm

xmodmap

Window Manager
100 100%
Window Manager
0% 0
Note Taking
0 0%
Note Taking
100% 100
Utilities
100 100%
Utilities
0% 0
OS & Utilities
0 0%
OS & Utilities
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

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

bspwm Reviews

Top 13 Best Tiling Window Managers For Linux In 2022
Support for multiple windows, limited support for EWMH, automatic mode for automatically determining the location of app tiles, and configuration and control via messages are among the characteristics of bspwm.
Source: www.hubtech.org
13 Best Tiling Window Managers for Linux
bspwmโ€™s features include support for multiple windows, partial support for EWMH, automatic mode for automatically setting the position of app tiles, and it is configured and controlled through messages, among others.
Source: www.tecmint.com

xmodmap Reviews

We have no reviews of xmodmap yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, bspwm seems to be a lot more popular than xmodmap. While we know about 21 links to bspwm, we've tracked only 1 mention of xmodmap. 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.

bspwm mentions (21)

  • well... thinkpads are awesome
    Over on Linux, Iโ€™ve been learning kinda a-lot about linux tools and workflows. I've recently got into window managers, bspwm was my first one and I'm thinking of moving towards a Arch+Hyprland setup in future. Setting it up was way easier than I thought, and I got inspired by a YouTuber named jvscholz, whoโ€™s all about minimalism and productivity. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • What WM should I use?
    Use BSPWM. It supports right clicks by default and its modular. You might want to look for status bars that work with it, slstatus does not work. Good luck, supremacist! Source: over 2 years ago
  • What are some OpenSource apps that are the best of their kind?
    I had not heard of bspwm but I am a fan of telling WMs. Looking at the documentation now, I really like the pragmatic approach lol https://github.com/baskerville/bspwm. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Got some questions before moving to linux...
    I am not familiar with that distro at all, so no idea. KDE Plasma is fine, I use it myself (with BSPWM as my window manager, but that's irrelevant). Source: over 2 years ago
  • MacBook Setup - OS Ventura 13.1 - Samsung QLed 43โ€ - VM: yabai - Terminal: Hyper
    There's a paradigm shift required for a lot of people to start using automatic tiling window managers. Yabai is basically a bspwm port for MacOS and it follows the rules of binary space partitioning. In fact, bspwm has a great diagram on its github readme that illustrates how it works. This will limit the number of windows you can have on any given desktop. To overcome this limitation you use multiple desktops. A... Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

xmodmap mentions (1)

  • Unicode Character โ€œ๐•โ€ (U+1D54F)
    The character is used by another famous piece of software for what, 40 years? https://x.org/wiki/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing bspwm and xmodmap, you can also consider the following products

i3 - A dynamic tiling window manager designed for X11, inspired by wmii, and written in C.

Microsoft keyboard layout creator - Edit the windows keyboard layout.

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.

Stick Shift - Stick Shift saves you time by removing repetitive changes to hand position when programming.

qtile - Qtile is a full-featured, hackable tiling window manager written in Python.

Mir - The purpose of Mir is to enable the development of user interfaces shells.

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