dwm VS Mir

Compare dwm VS Mir and see what are their differences

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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.

Mir

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

Landing page //
2021-09-12

Not present

dwm

Website: dwm.suckless.org

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Mir

Website: unity.ubuntu.com

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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.

Mir features and specs

Performance Optimization
Mir is designed to provide high performance and efficiency for graphical operations, which can lead to smoother and faster UI experiences on supported hardware.
Touch Interface Support
Mir was developed with a focus on supporting touch-based interfaces, making it suitable for modern touch-enabled devices.
Security Features
Improved security features compared to older systems, including better isolation of graphical processes, reducing the risk of exploitation.
Unity UI Integration
Mir is tailored to work with the Unity user interface, offering potentially better integration and performance when used with Ubuntu's Unity desktop environment.

Possible disadvantages of Mir

Limited Adoption
As of the last update, Mir did not see widespread adoption beyond Ubuntu, which may lead to limited community support and fewer resources.
Compatibility Issues
Applications and games optimized for X server might face compatibility issues when running on Mir, requiring adaptations or alternative solutions.
Development Shifts
The focus of Ubuntu has shifted away from the Unity desktop and Mir, choosing GNOME and Wayland, potentially affecting future support and development.
Resource Investment
Developers and organizations need to allocate resources to adopt Mir, which can be a drawback compared to using already widely adopted alternatives like Wayland or X11.

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]

Mir videos

+ Add

MIR 4 HONEST REVIEW | HOW MUCH CAN YOU REALLY EARN PER DAY

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to dwm and Mir)

dwm

Mir

Linux

86 86%

Linux

14% 14

OS & Utilities

0 0%

OS & Utilities

100% 100

Window Manager

82 82%

Window Manager

18% 18

Utilities

100 100%

Utilities

0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using dwm and Mir. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Reviews

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

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

Mir Reviews

We have no reviews of Mir yet.
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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 / 7 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 / 9 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 / about 1 year 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 / over 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 / over 1 year ago

Mir mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

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

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

Wayland - Wayland is intended as a simpler replacement for X, easier to develop and maintain.

bspwm - A tiling window manager based on binary space partitioning

DirectFB - DirectFB is a web-based platform that provides you with complete access to a software library that you can use for the acceleration of graphics, handling the input devices, and others for your Linux operating systems.

Openbox - Openbox is a highly configurable, next generation window manager with extensive standards support.

Y Window System - Y Window System is a platform that allows you to improve the speed, working, and efficiency of the application in your operating system and helps you to increase the responsiveness of applications similar to any locally based app.

Y Window System vs dwm

Y Window System vs Mir