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dwm VS LightDM

Compare dwm VS LightDM and see what are their differences

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dwm logo 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.

LightDM logo LightDM

A lightweight display manager
  • dwm Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-12
  • LightDM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-16

dwm features and specs

  • Lightweight
    dwm is extremely lightweight, resulting in minimal use of system resources. It is designed to have no unnecessary bloat, making it suitable for older hardware or low-spec systems.
  • Customizable
    dwm is highly customizable, with the configuration being done through editing the C source code. This allows for deep customization to meet specific user preferences.
  • Simplicity
    The software is designed with simplicity in mind. It has a straightforward design and a gentle learning curve for users familiar with tiling window managers.
  • Tiling Window Management
    dwm automatically arranges windows in a tiling format, which can help improve productivity by making better use of screen real estate and reducing the need to manually arrange windows.
  • Community Support
    A robust community following and good documentation provide ample support for troubleshooting and extending dwm. Many patches and tips are shared among users.

Possible disadvantages of dwm

  • Steep Initial Learning Curve
    For users not familiar with tiling window managers or who are used to traditional desktop environments, the initial setup and usage might be challenging.
  • Manual Compilation for Configuration
    Configuration changes require editing the source code and recompiling the window manager. This can be inconvenient for users who prefer a dynamic configuration option.
  • Limited Out-of-the-Box Functionality
    dwm does not come with many features available in other window managers by default. Users might need to apply patches or write custom scripts to get additional functionality.
  • Fewer Graphical Tools
    Since dwm focuses on simplicity and minimalism, it lacks graphical configuration tools, which might deter non-technical users or those who prefer GUI-based management.
  • Compatibility
    Some applications may not play well with dwm's tiling mechanism, requiring additional configuration or even the use of floating mode for specific apps.

LightDM features and specs

  • Lightweight
    LightDM is designed to be lightweight, ensuring minimal resource usage compared to some other display managers, making it an ideal choice for systems with limited resources.
  • Cross-Desktop Compatibility
    It is highly compatible with various desktop environments, allowing users to switch between different interfaces without needing to change the display manager.
  • Customizable
    LightDM offers extensive customization options, including support for various greeters, which allow users to modify the appearance and behavior of the login screen according to their preferences.
  • Fast Startup
    Due to its lightweight nature, LightDM generally has a faster startup time compared to heavier display managers, which can improve the overall boot time of the system.
  • Remote Login Support
    LightDM supports remote login, which can be beneficial for users who need to access their desktop environment from different devices or locations.

Possible disadvantages of LightDM

  • Feature Limitations
    While LightDM is lightweight, it may lack some advanced features found in more robust display managers, which might be necessary for certain user requirements.
  • Configuration Complexity
    For users who wish to heavily customize LightDM, the configuration can become complex and may require manual editing of config files, which might be challenging for beginners.
  • Greeter Support
    While the availability of multiple greeters is a pro, there can be inconsistencies in feature support and stability across different greeters, affecting user experience.
  • Limited Out-of-the-box Functionality
    Compared to other display managers that come with more out-of-the-box functionality, LightDM might require additional packages or configurations to fully meet specific needs.

Analysis of dwm

Overall verdict

  • dwm is considered a good choice for users who value performance, simplicity, and customizability. However, it might not be suitable for everyone due to its steep learning curve and the requirement to modify its source code for customization.

Why this product is good

  • dwm (dynamic window manager) is known for its minimalistic design and efficient use of system resources. It is highly customizable through its source code, allowing users to tailor it to their needs. Being a product of the suckless community, it adheres to simplicity and clarity in its design philosophy, making it a favorite among users who prefer a no-frills, elegant solution to window management.

Recommended for

    dwm is recommended for advanced users, programmers, and those who enjoy configuring software from the ground up. It's suitable for people who appreciate minimalism and have experience or a willingness to delve into coding and patching to achieve their desired setup.

dwm videos

+ Add

dwm (suckless) - why I prefer it to i3 [ricing FreeBSD & OpenBSD]

More videos:

  • Review - Super MINIMALIST tiling window manager - dwm
  • Review - Suckless's dwm: So easy even a caveman could do it!

LightDM videos

+ Add

Ubuntu 11.10 LightDM Login Screen, Review

More videos:

  • Review - Customising Grub, Plymouth, Lightdm and the Mate Desktop on Debian
  • Review - Linux HowTo: LightDM Multi Monitor setup

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to dwm and LightDM)

dwm

LightDM

Linux
78 78%
Linux
22% 22
Window Manager
100 100%
Window Manager
0% 0
PHP Framework
0 0%
PHP Framework
100% 100
Utilities
100 100%
Utilities
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

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

dwm Reviews

Top 13 Best Tiling Window Managers For Linux In 2022
Spectrwm is a fast, compact, and brief reparenting and tiling window manager for X11 that is inspired by xmonad and dwm. It was created to address the problems that xmonad and dwm have. Also check Fulfillify alternatives
Source: www.hubtech.org
13 Best Tiling Window Managers for Linux
spectrwm is a small, dynamic, xmonad, and dwm-inspired reparenting and tiling window manager built for X11 to be fast, compact, and concise. It was created with the aim of solving the issues of xmonad and dwm face.
Source: www.tecmint.com
5 Great Tiling Window Managers for Linux
DWM is, well, a dynamic window manager. Tiling isn’t the only way you can manage your windows. It’s also possible to lay the windows out in a floating or monocle style. All modifications to DWM can be done within its source code. Easy keyboard shortcuts allow for a great navigation experience while managing windows.
Source: www.maketecheasier.com

LightDM Reviews

We have no reviews of LightDM yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, dwm seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 67 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.

dwm mentions (67)

  • The Future Is Niri
    Hm, I am using [dwm](https://dwm.suckless.org/) with a custom keybinding to shift to the left or right workspace. That seems similar enough, other than the fact that changing the split ratio will affect all workspaces on dwm while on Niri it most likely will not ... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Shifted 3 Shapes – Making a w3M Logo
    I associate this style with the suckless foundation, even though it is distinct from e.g. The dwm logo. https://dwm.suckless.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • AT&T says criminals stole phone records of 'nearly all' customers in data breach
    Https://dwm.suckless.org/ > This keeps its userbase small and elitist.. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Tinygrad 0.9.0
    The only one I can think of the dwm window manager (https://dwm.suckless.org/), that used to prominently mention a SLOC limit of 2000. Doesn't seem to be mentioned in the landing page anymore, not sure if it's still in effect. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Show HN: Hancho – A simple and pleasant build system in ~500 lines of Python
    This is sort of the suckless approach. Most (all?) of their projects are customized by editing the source and recompiling. From their window manager, dwm: dwm is customized through editing its source code, which makes it extremely fast and secure - it does not process any input data which isn't known at compile time, except window titles and status text read from the root window's name. You don't have to learn... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
View more

LightDM mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of LightDM yet. Tracking of LightDM recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing dwm and LightDM, you can also consider the following products

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

CDM - Console Display Manager. Contribute to evertiro/cdm development by creating an account on GitHub.

bspwm - A tiling window manager based on binary space partitioning

SDDM - QML based X11 and Wayland display manager. Contribute to sddm/sddm development by creating an account on GitHub.

awesome - A dynamic window manager for the X Window System developed in the C and Lua programming languages.

Ly - TUI (ncurses-like) display manager

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