i3 VS Arcan

Compare i3 VS Arcan and see what are their differences

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i3

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

Arcan

Game engine and multimedia framework and display server.

Landing page //
2021-09-19

Landing page //
2023-05-14

i3

Website: i3wm.org
$ Details

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Arcan

Website: arcan-fe.com
$ Details

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i3 features and specs

Efficient Window Management
i3 allows for highly efficient window management using a tree data structure, making it easy to snap windows into grids and manage multiple applications simultaneously.
Lightweight
i3 is deliberately simplistic and lightweight, which allows it to run efficiently on older hardware or systems with limited resources.
Customizability
Users can extensively customize keybindings and behavior through a plain text configuration file. This allows for a personalized workflow.
Keyboard-Centric
i3 is designed to be used primarily through keyboard shortcuts, which can lead to increased productivity for advanced users.
Scriptability
i3 supports various scripting languages through its IPC (Inter-process Communication) interface, enabling automation of complex workflows.
Community and Documentation
i3 has strong community support and extensive documentation, making it easier for new users to learn and troubleshoot issues.

Possible disadvantages of i3

Steep Learning Curve
New users may find i3 difficult to learn and configure, especially if they are accustomed to traditional desktop environments.
Lack of GUI Configuration Tools
i3 relies heavily on manual edits to text files for configuration, lacking user-friendly graphical interfaces for setup and customization.
Limited Out-of-the-Box Features
i3 does not come with many built-in features available in more comprehensive desktop environments, such as app launchers or system tray support, requiring additional setups.
Compatibility Issues
Some applications may not play well with tiling window managers like i3, requiring workarounds or alternative software choices.
Minimal Default Appearance
Without customization, i3 offers a very minimalistic and barebones visual experience, which may not be appealing to all users.

Arcan features and specs

Open Source
Arcan is open-source, allowing developers to access, modify, and improve the source code according to their needs. This fosters a community-driven environment and enhances transparency.
Versatility
Arcan is designed to handle a wide array of graphical and multimedia tasks, making it suitable for various applications beyond just a display server.
Security Focus
The platform emphasizes security by design, providing mechanisms to isolate and protect components and users, which is crucial in multi-user or multi-tenant systems.
Performance
Arcan is optimized for performance, aiming to deliver efficient rendering and resource utilization, which is beneficial for both desktop environments and embedded systems.

Possible disadvantages of Arcan

Complexity
Due to its extensive feature set and adaptable nature, Arcan's framework may have a steep learning curve for new users or developers unfamiliar with its architecture.
Limited Adoption
Compared to more established systems like X11 or Wayland, Arcan has a smaller user base, which can limit community support, third-party integrations, and documentation.
Compatibility Challenges
As Arcan offers a unique approach to handling graphical tasks, it might face compatibility issues with software or systems not specifically designed to work with its environment.

Analysis of i3

Overall verdict

Yes, i3 is considered a very good window manager for users who appreciate its minimalist and efficient approach. Its lightweight design keeps resource usage low, which can improve performance on less powerful machines.

Why this product is good

i3wm is known for its simplicity, speed, and efficient use of screen space, making it a popular choice among power users and developers who prefer a keyboard-driven workspace. Its tiling feature allows for the seamless organization of multiple windows, enhancing productivity and multitasking. Furthermore, it is highly customizable, allowing users to tailor their workspace to their specific needs.

Recommended for

i3wm is recommended for advanced users, developers, and anyone who prefers a keyboard-centric interface. It is ideal for users who like to customize their environment extensively and are comfortable with configuring software via text files. New users with a willingness to learn may also find it rewarding.

i3 videos

+ Add

30k Miles with the BMW i3 - End of Lease Review

Arcan videos

+ Add

A Quick Review of Arcan XL3000 Low Profile Floor Jack

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to i3 and Arcan)

i3

Arcan

Window Manager

95 95%

Window Manager

5% 5

Linux

91 91%

Linux

9% 9

Operating Systems

0 0%

Operating Systems

100% 100

Utilities

100 100%

Utilities

0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using i3 and Arcan. 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 i3 and Arcan

i3 Reviews

Top 13 Best Tiling Window Managers For Linux In 2022

Sway is a tiling Wayland i3-compatible window manager that dynamically arranges app windows to rationally maximise desktop space. It is free, open-source, and lightweight. By default, it arranges windows in a grid and supports practically all of the i3 commands.

Source: www.hubtech.org

Top 10 Best Desktop Environments in 2020

i3-wm is one of my most loved standalone window managers, qualifying it to easily fit under the desktop environment list! The configuration is just very easy, and you can change everything that you see on screen. This includes what information you see on the bottom panel, how windows behave, and keyboard shortcuts to move, align, and set up windows on the screen.

Source: www.journaldev.com

13 Best Tiling Window Managers for Linux

Sway is a free, open-source, and lightweight tiling Wayland i3-compatible window manager that automatically arranges app windows to logically maximize desktop space. It arranges windows into a grid by default and supports almost all the commands included in i3.

Source: www.tecmint.com

5 Great Tiling Window Managers for Linux

I begun testing i3 just this week. I was always fascinated by the Tiling WM’s as they seem really light on system resources and functional. To my surprise , although i3 is really easy to customize, and works really well (at least for my needs) , I found that it isn’t really that lightweight. I had Mate desktop environment use the same amount of RAM. Maybe I was mislead to...

Source: www.maketecheasier.com

Arcan Reviews

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

Based on our record, i3 should be more popular than Arcan. It has been mentiond 90 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.

i3 mentions (90)

Automatic Visual Feedback for System Volume Change in I3wm via Dunst
I switched to the i3 tiling based window manager. Because it's a whole different environment and thinking, it was very different from what I was used to. The volume buttons were working on my keyboard, but I didn't get any visual feedback. Furthermore, the volume percentage could go down below zero and increase up to more than hundread percent. There were times when I was confused why the keys stopped working, but... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
"We understand" ;)
This is partially why I use tools like i3 (/ sway). I like the tool; it works extremely well for me; the design has stayed the same for 20 years; there's no profit motive to come along and fuck everything up. It just works. It is boring in the best way possible. Source: almost 2 years ago
what machines have you used for development, and what do you prefer?
I use MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid-2014) with Manjaro as OS using i3 as a window manager. It isn't perfect, but I'm thrilled with it. I have been a Mac OS user for the last 15 years and wouldn't change what I have now for a Mac OS because I don't need more than what I'm using for development. Source: over 2 years ago
Machine for pentesting and general use?
For daily usage I really like kubuntu with i3wm, but it takes some configuration and getting used to the shortcuts, but it's well worth it. Source: over 2 years ago
What's the difference between Gnome and KDE? Do applications written for one work in the other?
Some window managers are meant to be used as-is, and provide a minimalist yet functional environment that use very little resources or give power users an almost HUD-like interface. Examples of those window managers are OpenBox and i3wm for X, and Weston and Hyprland for Wayland. Source: over 2 years ago

Arcan mentions (21)

Étoilé – desktop built on GNUStep
Chisnall has stated several times over on Lobsters that he's thinking of basing is future project on Arcan (https://arcan-fe.com/). It's a very interesting project. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
In praise of grobi for auto-configuring X11 monitors
Yes, multi-protocol display servers like Arcan are the future. https://arcan-fe.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
Dear sir, you have built a compiler (2022)
You should take a look at arcan, it's almost exactly that: http://arcan-fe.com - https://arcan-fe.com/2022/10/15/whipping-up-a-new-shell-lashcat9/ - https://arcan-fe.com/2024/09/16/a-spreadsheet-and-a-debugger-walks-into-a-shell/ I am not using it as a daily driver, because, emacs, but I keep an eye on it because, well, emacs. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
Xpra: Persistent Remote Applications for X11
This was very cool, and is made in Arcan! https://arcan-fe.com/ a project I just recently discovered and am very excited about. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
Ideal OS: Rebooting the Desktop Operating System (2017)
A lot of this seems like it's done by Arcan (https://arcan-fe.com). - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing i3 and Arcan, you can also consider the following products

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.

Wayfire - Wayland compositor with 3d effects.

Sway - Sway is a drop-in replacement for the i3 window manager, but for Wayland instead of X11.

Unity8 - Mir compositor with Wayland apps support.

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

UKUI - UKUI is a lightweight desktop environment based on pluggable framework for Linux and other Unix-like Distributions.