Openbox VS Unity8

Compare Openbox VS Unity8 and see what are their differences

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Openbox

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

Unity8

Mir compositor with Wayland apps support.

Landing page //
2023-09-06

Landing page //
2023-08-18

Openbox features and specs

Lightweight
Openbox is a highly efficient window manager that requires minimal system resources, making it an excellent choice for older hardware or systems with limited resources.
Customizable
Openbox offers extensive customization options, allowing users to tailor the look and feel of their desktop environment to their specific preferences.
Fast Performance
Due to its lightweight nature, Openbox provides fast and responsive performance, resulting in quicker application launches and smoother overall desktop experience.
Comprehensive Keybindings
Openbox supports complex keybindings, enabling power users to create efficient workflow setups through keyboard shortcuts.
Extensible
Openbox can work seamlessly with other tools and additional software, allowing users to extend its capabilities with tools like panels, widgets, and additional plugins.

Possible disadvantages of Openbox

Steep Learning Curve
Openbox requires a more hands-on approach and can be challenging for beginners to set up and configure due to its extensive customization options.
Limited Out-of-the-box Features
Unlike full desktop environments, Openbox does not come with many built-in features, requiring users to install and configure additional software to achieve a fully functional desktop.
No Desktop Icons by Default
Openbox does not support desktop icons natively, so users need to rely on additional tools like 'xfdesktop' or 'pcmanfm' to add this functionality.
Minimalistic Appearance
While some users appreciate the minimalistic look, others might find it too bare-bones compared to more feature-rich environments like GNOME or KDE.
Manual Configuration
Most customizations in Openbox require editing configuration files manually, which can be time-consuming and error-prone for users unfamiliar with text-based configurations.

Unity8 features and specs

Convergence
Unity8 is designed with convergence in mind, allowing a seamless experience across multiple device types like desktops, tablets, and phones.
Modern Interface
The interface is modern and visually appealing, providing a fresh alternative to other desktop environments.
Community-Driven
As part of the UBports project, Unity8 benefits from a community-driven development approach, making it responsive to user feedback.
Customization
Users can customize the interface according to personal preferences, improving user experience and productivity.
Lightweight
Unity8 is relatively lightweight compared to other desktop environments, which can help improve system performance on older hardware.

Possible disadvantages of Unity8

Limited Software Support
Due to its niche status, Unity8 may not have as extensive software support as more mainstream environments like GNOME or KDE.
Development Pace
As a community-driven project, the pace of development can be slower compared to commercially-backed alternatives.
Stability Issues
Being under constant development, users may experience occasional stability issues or bugs.
Learning Curve
Users who are accustomed to more traditional desktop environments might face a learning curve when transitioning to Unity8.
Limited Market Adoption
Unity8 has limited adoption in the broader market, which can affect the availability of third-party applications and extensions.

Analysis of Openbox

Overall verdict

Openbox is a great choice for users seeking a lightweight and highly customizable window management solution. Its performance benefits on lower-end hardware and flexibility make it a valuable tool for power users and enthusiasts alike.

Why this product is good

Openbox is a highly configurable and lightweight window manager for the X Window System. It's known for its speed and simplicity, allowing users to control their desktop environment efficiently. It provides a blank canvas for users wanting to customize their workspace, making it ideal for those who prefer a minimalist setup or have limited system resources. The configuration is done through plain text files, offering flexibility for advanced users who wish to personalize their user experience meticulously.

Recommended for

Advanced users looking for customization options
Users with older or less powerful hardware
Minimalists who prefer a robust yet simplistic interface
Linux enthusiasts who enjoy configuring their desktop environment
Developers and programmers who want a distraction-free workspace

Openbox videos

+ Add

Get Rid Of That Bloated Desktop Environment And Install Openbox

Unity8 videos

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Unity8 Desktop Greeter Preview (Split Greeter)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Openbox and Unity8)

Unity8

Linux

89 89%

Linux

11% 11

Window Manager

91 91%

Window Manager

9% 9

Operating Systems

0 0%

Operating Systems

100% 100

Utilities

100 100%

Utilities

0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Openbox and Unity8. 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 Openbox and Unity8

Openbox Reviews

Top 10 Best Desktop Environments in 2020

People who’re deep into Linux, love Openbox’s simplicity. It’s extremely lightweight, and comes with only a text-based right-click menu that lists all your applications. The menu is customizable too, and you can add scripts or functions within the menu as a link.

Source: www.journaldev.com

Unity8 Reviews

We have no reviews of Unity8 yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Unity8 seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 2 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.

Openbox mentions (0)

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

Unity8 mentions (2)

What happened to lomiri
Https://lomiri.com links to https://github.com/ubports/unity8 and this repository is accessible. Source: over 2 years ago
Any GNOME-like DEs without all the GNOME bs?
Unity. Yes, it's still around (now going by "unity8" and maintained and developed by UBports now instead of Canonical but it's still the same DE we all know and hate er love). Obv not my cup of tea so I'm not very knowledgeable about it so could be way off but who knows, maybe we'll get a Unity lover here and they can chime in. github. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Openbox and Unity8, you can also consider the following products

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

Wayfire - Wayland compositor with 3d effects.

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.

GNOME - An easy and elegant way to use your computer, GNOME is designed to put you in control and get things done.

Fluxbox - Fluxbox is a window manager for X that was based on the Blackbox 0.61.1 code.

Arcan - Game engine and multimedia framework and display server.