Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

dwm VS Magnet Window Manager

Compare dwm VS Magnet Window Manager and see what are their differences

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.

Magnet Window Manager logo Magnet Window Manager

Magnet Developers
  • dwm Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-12
  • Magnet Window Manager Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-27

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.

Magnet Window Manager features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Magnet offers a user-friendly interface that allows users to easily snap windows to various parts of the screen using simple drag-and-drop gestures or keyboard shortcuts.
  • Productivity
    By enabling users to organize multiple windows efficiently, Magnet enhances productivity, especially for those who multitask or need to manage numerous applications simultaneously.
  • Customizability
    The app provides customizable keyboard shortcuts, allowing users to tailor the application to fit their workflow and preferences.
  • Compatibility
    Magnet works seamlessly with a wide variety of macOS applications, ensuring that window management features are consistently available.
  • Affordability
    Magnet is relatively inexpensive, making it an accessible option for users who need advanced window management without breaking the bank.

Possible disadvantages of Magnet Window Manager

  • Limited Advanced Features
    While Magnet is excellent for basic window management, it may lack some advanced features that power users might find in more comprehensive window management tools.
  • No Free Version
    Magnet does not offer a free version. Users must purchase the app, which might be a drawback for those looking for cost-free solutions.
  • MacOS Only
    Magnet is exclusively available for macOS, limiting its usefulness for users who also operate on other platforms such as Windows or Linux.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Some users have reported occasional bugs or glitches, especially following macOS updates, which can disrupt the user experience until patched.
  • Minimal User Interface
    The minimalistic design of the user interface, while clean, may not provide as much visual feedback or customization options as some users might prefer.

dwm videos

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!

Magnet Window Manager videos

Review: Magnet window manager for OS X

More videos:

  • Review - Magnet Window Manager for Mac Review - #AgencyToolbox

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to dwm and Magnet Window Manager)
Linux
100 100%
0% 0
Window Manager
38 38%
62% 62
OSX Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Utilities
100 100%
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 Magnet Window Manager

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.

Magnet Window Manager Reviews

Best 6 Mac Window Managers
Rectangle shows that you don’t need to dip into your bank account to get window resizer tools. This free Mac window manager lets you manage multiple windows using keyboard shortcuts, menu options, or by dragging and dropping. Just like Magnet, you can split your screen up into quarters, thirds, or halves.
Source: mackeeper.com
Top 6 Window Manager Apps for Mac
Most window manager apps for Mac support multiple monitors. They can help you move windows between screens and create custom layouts for each monitor. Many window manager apps – such as BetterSnapTool, Magnet, and Rectangle – offer this functionality.
The 6 Best Mac Window Management Tools
Magnet supports up to six external displays in different orientations, including vertical orientation. You can get Magnet from the App Store for a $7.99 one-time fee, which is pretty reasonable, especially if you miss Windows 11's Snap feature.
Moom vs Magnet vs Spectacle
There are some tools to improve this on macOS. The two I have tried are Moom and Magnet. And lastly I tried Rectangle as well. They are very similar in the way that they intend to solve the same problem, but they differ in some essential parts.
Source: medium.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Magnet Window Manager might be a bit more popular than dwm. We know about 68 links to it since March 2021 and only 67 links to dwm. 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 / about 2 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 / 4 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 / 10 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 / 11 months 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

Magnet Window Manager mentions (68)

View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing dwm and Magnet Window Manager, you can also consider the following products

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

Rectangle - Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.

bspwm - A tiling window manager based on binary space partitioning

Moom - Move your mouse over the green zoom button in any window, and Moom's mouse control overlay will appear (as seen in the above animation).

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

Spectacle App - Move and resize windows with ease.