Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

FastScripts VS yabai

Compare FastScripts VS yabai and see what are their differences

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FastScripts logo FastScripts

Quick and streamlined execution of your scripts from a custom menu bar icon, or via keyboard shortcut.

yabai logo yabai

A tiling window manager for macOS based on binary space partitioning
  • FastScripts Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-11-12
  • yabai Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-26

FastScripts features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    FastScripts offers a simple and intuitive interface, making it easy for both beginners and advanced users to navigate and manage their scripts.
  • Keyboard Shortcuts
    The application supports customizable keyboard shortcuts, allowing users to execute scripts quickly and improve their productivity.
  • Lightweight
    FastScripts is designed to be lightweight, ensuring it doesn't consume significant system resources while running in the background.
  • Script Organization
    It provides a convenient way to organize scripts, allowing users to categorize and access them easily, which enhances workflow efficiency.
  • Compatibility
    FastScripts is compatible with a wide range of scripting languages, making it versatile for different automation tasks on macOS.

Possible disadvantages of FastScripts

  • Mac-Only
    FastScripts is available exclusively for macOS, which limits its usage to Apple users and excludes Windows or Linux users.
  • Paid Features
    While it offers a free version, some advanced features require a paid license, which might not be ideal for users looking for a completely free solution.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    Compared to some other scripting tools, FastScripts might lack certain advanced automation features that power users might need.
  • No Integrated Script Editor
    FastScripts does not come with an integrated script editor, requiring users to use an external editor for scripting, which might not be as convenient.

yabai features and specs

  • Efficient Window Management
    Yabai provides advanced tiling window management for macOS, greatly increasing productivity by allowing users to manage windows through keyboard shortcuts and layouts, minimizing the need for mouse interactions.
  • Highly Customizable
    The software offers extensive configuration options, enabling users to personalize their window management experience according to their specific workflow and preferences.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, Yabai is free to use and modify, allowing the community to contribute to its development and enhancement. This fosters a collaborative environment for improving the software.
  • Supports Scripting
    Yabai supports scripting through AppleScript or shell commands, enabling users to automate complex workflows and integrate Yabai with other tools and applications seamlessly.
  • Lightweight
    Yabai is designed to be a lightweight window manager, which means it consumes minimal system resources, ensuring that your Mac continues to run smoothly even with numerous active windows.

Possible disadvantages of yabai

  • Steep Learning Curve
    For beginners, the configuration and use of Yabai can be daunting, requiring a significant amount of time and effort to fully understand and utilize its capabilities effectively.
  • Requires SIP Disablement
    To utilize some of Yabai's more advanced features, users need to partially disable System Integrity Protection (SIP), which can reduce the overall security of the macOS system.
  • Potential Compatibility Issues
    As macOS updates and changes, compatibility issues may arise, potentially breaking functionality. Users may need to wait for updates from the developer community to resolve these issues.
  • Limited Official Support
    As an open-source project, Yabai does not come with official support channels. Users must rely on community forums and documentation, which may not always provide immediate or comprehensive assistance.
  • Complex Configurations
    Setting up Yabai to fit specific needs can be complex and time-consuming, especially for users who are not familiar with scripting or advanced configuration files.

Analysis of yabai

Overall verdict

  • Yabai is highly regarded among users who seek advanced customization and control over their macOS window management. However, it may have a steep learning curve for those unfamiliar with tiling window managers or command-line tools.

Why this product is good

  • Yabai is a popular tiling window manager for macOS, designed to streamline and enhance window management through robust keyboard shortcuts and automation features. It is particularly appreciated for its flexibility and efficiency in organizing a large number of open applications, contributing to a more productive workflow.

Recommended for

  • Developers who need efficient multitasking tools.
  • Users comfortable with the command line who enjoy customizing their environment.
  • Power users looking to optimize their macOS user experience.

FastScripts videos

FastScripts Delay

More videos:

  • Review - Fast Scripts UPGRADE SYSTEM [QB-ESX] | discord.gg/fastscripts

yabai videos

Yabai Demonstration

More videos:

  • Demo - yabai macOS Tiling Window Manager Demonstration

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to FastScripts and yabai)
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0
Window Manager
0 0%
100% 100
Mac
26 26%
74% 74
Mac Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, yabai seems to be a lot more popular than FastScripts. While we know about 135 links to yabai, we've tracked only 5 mentions of FastScripts. 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.

FastScripts mentions (5)

  • Finder Tab Preset ?
    And as far as running that AppleScript, one option is https://redsweater.com/fastscripts/, and another is https://www.keysmith.app/ (disclaimer: I wrote that second one, Keysmith). Source: over 2 years ago
  • Keyboard tricks from a macOS app dev
    FastScripts[1] might be worth a look. I've been meaning to check it out myself though so I can't offer any personal experience with it. [1] https://redsweater.com/fastscripts/. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • "Edit With" function: What is the location of stored photos that I edited with Photoshop
    Pressing . Will mark a photo as Favorite (or unmark it if already a Favorite). I also use the following AppleScript (open Script Editor, paste the code, then save the script as "Flag Photo.applescript") to add the keyword "flagged" to selected photos (or delete the keyword if already assigned). You can obviously change "flagged" to be any value you want. I use the excellent utility FastScripts to assign a hot... Source: over 3 years ago
  • Fastscripts shortcuts not working anymore?
    I have several keyboard shortcuts to switch applications using FasctScripts. However, when I updated my macOS operating system a few weeks back, these FastScripts shortcuts stopped working while iTerm2 had focus (they worked everywhere else just fine). Source: over 3 years ago
  • macOS Setup after 15 Years of Linux
    I wasn't satisfied with the Automator way to make a new-terminal shortcut, it was kinda slow, and not 100% reliable. I found FastScripts and was able to make it fast and reliable. (I still use version 2.8, version 3 was just released, haven't tried it.) https://redsweater.com/fastscripts/ For the mouse wheel, there's a nice minimal proper fix: https://github.com/emreyolcu/discrete-scroll. - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago

yabai mentions (135)

  • From M1 MacBook to Arch Linux: A month-long experiment that became permanenent
    This. My 2013 MacBook Pro lasted just shy of 10 years no issues. My m3 max mbpro I only wish was the larger screen one and not the 13 inch one โ€ฆ oh well. But I suspect it will last me โ€” and be passed down as well โ€” 8-10 years as well. The trackpads are second to none. So are the speakers. The screen are pretty good. I wish mine got even brighter but the m4s do. The keyboard is finally awesome. The OS just works.... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • I Used Arch, BTW: macOS, Day 1
    Aerospace is nice, but also consider checking out yabai [0] + sketchybar [1] for an i3/hyprland style tiling setup. More customizable (IMO) and perfectly suited for a terminal based workflow :~^) [0] https://github.com/koekeishiya/yabai. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Ask HN: What macOS apps/programs do you use daily and recommend?
    If your into the tiling window manager experience, I would highly recommend looking into yabai + skhd + Sketchybar - https://github.com/koekeishiya/yabai. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Best Hacks for a Ultrawide Monitor?
    I have a 49 inch CRG9 and the best recommendation for window management is Yabai (https://github.com/koekeishiya/yabai). Yabai is a greedy window management solution that tries to fit opened applications in given space and skhd let's you easily jump between those using keyboard shortcuts. This has massively improved my ultrawide experience. Only disclaimer is, configuring yabai has a slight learning curve. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Is there an app that does this Windows feature?
    Want something free that's better than tiling on Windows? Yabai. Source: almost 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing FastScripts and yabai, you can also consider the following products

Mac CLi - OS X command line tools for developers

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

Boop - A scriptable scratchpad for developers. Free & open source!

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).

Midjourney Prompts Generator - Upgrade your Midjourney experience with better prompts

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers