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OpenFrameworks VS Xmonad

Compare OpenFrameworks VS Xmonad and see what are their differences

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OpenFrameworks logo OpenFrameworks

openFrameworks

Xmonad logo Xmonad

xmonad is a dynamically tiling X11 window manager that is written and configured in Haskell.
  • OpenFrameworks Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-30
  • Xmonad Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-01

OpenFrameworks features and specs

  • Open Source
    OpenFrameworks is open-source, allowing developers to access, modify, and contribute to its codebase. This fosters a community-driven development environment and encourages collaboration.
  • Cross-Platform
    It supports multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, making it versatile for developing applications across various operating systems.
  • Rich Collection of Add-ons
    OpenFrameworks offers a wide range of add-ons and libraries contributed by the community, which extend the framework's capabilities and provide tools for graphics, sound, video, computer vision, and more.
  • Community Support
    The framework has a robust community that provides support via forums, tutorials, and a wealth of shared projects and code snippets, making it easier to learn and troubleshoot.
  • Artistic and Creative Focus
    OpenFrameworks is particularly well-suited for projects that emphasize creativity and artistic output, making it popular among artists and designers working on interactive installations and media art.

Possible disadvantages of OpenFrameworks

  • Steep Learning Curve
    While OpenFrameworks is powerful, its complexity can be daunting for beginners, especially those without experience in C++ programming.
  • Limited Documentation
    Although there is community support, the official documentation can sometimes be sparse or outdated, which can pose challenges for developers seeking detailed explanations or examples.
  • Performance Overhead
    As an abstraction layer over native OpenGL, OpenFrameworks might introduce performance overhead compared to writing raw OpenGL code, which can be a concern for high-performance applications.
  • Dependency Management
    Managing dependencies and ensuring compatibility across different platforms can be complex, especially when dealing with various libraries and add-ons.
  • Not Ideal for All Types of Applications
    OpenFrameworks is tailored towards creative coding and may not be the best choice for applications that require extensive GUI features or are more business-logic-oriented.

Xmonad features and specs

  • Highly Customizable
    Xmonad is written in Haskell and allows for extensive customization. Users can write custom configurations and extensions to tailor the window manager to their exact needs.
  • Efficient and Minimalist
    Xmonad is designed to be efficient and lightweight. It uses minimal system resources, making it ideal for older hardware or systems where performance is a priority.
  • Keyboard-Centric
    Xmonad is optimized for keyboard operation, providing a highly efficient and fast way to manage windows without relying on a mouse, which can improve productivity.
  • Tiling Window Manager
    As a tiling window manager, Xmonad automatically arranges windows to use screen space efficiently, reducing the need to manually resize and position windows.
  • Stable and Reliable
    Xmonad is known for its stability and reliability, with a strong track record of stable releases and robust performance.

Possible disadvantages of Xmonad

  • Steep Learning Curve
    New users may find Xmonad difficult to learn due to its reliance on Haskell for customization and a lack of graphical configuration tools.
  • Limited Out-of-the-Box Functionality
    Xmonad comes with a very basic setup by default, requiring significant configuration and customization to fully utilize its capabilities.
  • Haskell Knowledge Required
    Customization of Xmonad requires knowledge of Haskell, which can be a barrier for users unfamiliar with the language.
  • Sparse Community and Documentation
    Compared to more popular window managers, Xmonad has a smaller community and less extensive documentation, which can make troubleshooting and learning more challenging.
  • Not Newbie-Friendly
    Xmonad is not the most user-friendly option for beginners. Its lack of GUI tools and reliance on command-line configuration can be intimidating for new users.

Analysis of OpenFrameworks

Overall verdict

  • OpenFrameworks is considered a good choice for those looking to explore creative coding due to its combination of versatility, performance, and community support. Its open-source nature and cross-platform capabilities make it an attractive option for both beginners and experienced developers in the field.

Why this product is good

  • OpenFrameworks is widely regarded as a solid toolkit for creative coding. It provides a comprehensive set of tools and functionalities aimed at artists, designers, and developers who seek to create interactive applications, visuals, and installations. The framework is built on top of C++ and offers extensive support for multimedia operations, making it suitable for graphics rendering, audio processing, and computer vision tasks. Additionally, OpenFrameworks benefits from an active community that contributes to a rich ecosystem of addons and shared projects, providing a collaborative environment for learning and experimentation.

Recommended for

  • Artists and designers looking to create interactive installations.
  • Developers interested in multimedia applications and simulations.
  • Educators teaching creative coding or multimedia art courses.
  • Hobbyists wanting to experiment with graphics and audio processing.

Analysis of Xmonad

Overall verdict

  • Xmonad is highly regarded within the Linux and BSD communities, especially among users who prefer or don't mind configuring their environments through coding. It is considered a reliable tool for those who value efficiency and are comfortable with or interested in writing Haskell code for customization. While it has a steep learning curve due to the necessity of understanding Haskell for complex configurations, its performance and flexibility make it a strong choice for the right user.

Why this product is good

  • Xmonad is a dynamically tiling window manager written in Haskell, known for its minimalism, stability, and high customization options. It efficiently manages windows and is ideal for keyboard-driven workflows. Users appreciate its lightweight nature and ability to extend its functionality through Haskell scripts. Being a tiling window manager, it automatically organizes windows to make the best use of screen space, which can significantly enhance productivity for power users.

Recommended for

  • Developers and programmers who appreciate Haskell or are interested in learning more about it.
  • Linux or BSD users seeking a highly customizable and efficient window manager.
  • Power users who prefer or are comfortable with keyboard-driven interfaces and have the willingness to spend time configuring their setup.
  • Users who value system performance and resource efficiency, as Xmonad uses minimal system resources.

OpenFrameworks videos

Part 2 of GAFFTA OpenFrameworks for Processing Coders

More videos:

  • Tutorial - openFrameworks tutorial - 000 intro to openFrameworks
  • Review - [openframeworks] Box2d study - Burst -

Xmonad videos

Xmonad Review

More videos:

  • Review - Hacking on Xmonad - GridSelect, ToggleStruts, ToggleBorders
  • Review - Obscure Window Manager Project - Xmonad

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OpenFrameworks and Xmonad)
3D
100 100%
0% 0
Window Manager
0 0%
100% 100
VJ
100 100%
0% 0
Linux
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

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

OpenFrameworks Reviews

We have no reviews of OpenFrameworks yet.
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Xmonad Reviews

Top 13 Best Tiling Window Managers For Linux In 2022
XMonad is a dynamic tiling X11 window manager that allows you to automate window finding and alignment. It may be customised with its own extension library, which includes choices for status bars and window decorations. Itโ€™s also simple to set up, stable, and minimal.
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
Xmonad is a tiling window manager written in Haskell. Like most (if not all) window managers, it comes with no frills or window decorations. The keyboard shortcuts are top notch. It works out-of-the-box and is very user friendly. On top of all that, Xmonad sports a fairly big extension library (which can add on even more functionality).

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OpenFrameworks should be more popular than Xmonad. It has been mentiond 33 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.

OpenFrameworks mentions (33)

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Xmonad mentions (15)

  • Rubywm: An X11 window manager in pure Ruby
    If you want tiling, but i3 requires too much manual work, you might like the more managed layouts that are the default in XMonad: https://xmonad.org/ XMonad works fine with multiple monitors. Each monitor displays one of the many virtual desktops. The normal keys for desktops and for windows work pretty intuitively with multiple monitors. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • [Media] shrs: a shell that is configurable and extensible in rust
    Hey everyone ๐Ÿ‘‹ ! I'm currently working on a rust library for building and configuring your own shell! It's inspired by projects like xmonad and penrose where the configuration of the program is done in code. This means that for example, instead of using Bash's arcane syntax for configuring the prompt, it can be configured instead using a rust builder pattern! The project itself is still at a very young stage, so... Source: about 3 years ago
  • What LaTeX setup do you use?
    There are a few other things I could mention, but there are more like side issues, and not relevant to my actual LaTeX setup. First and foremostโ€”and thus perhaps noteworthy after allโ€”is bibliography management with arxiv-citation (see here for more words). This is integrated very well with the XMonad window manager, which makes it even more of a joy to use. Source: over 3 years ago
  • How to map arrows keys to CapsLock+(h,i,j,k) shortcuts in i3
    Another way to do it (and works on Linux and other platforms) is with XMonad, defining Caps Lock as a layer key. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Can ISTP like abstract things and theories?
    I tried it once, it was alright. https://xmonad.org/ But I prefer to build my own. Source: almost 4 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing OpenFrameworks and Xmonad, you can also consider the following products

Processing - C++ and Java programming at the speed of thought.

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.

Cinder - CINDER PROVIDES A POWERFUL, INTUITIVE TOOLBOX for programming graphics, audio, video, networking...

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

Vvvv - vvvv is a graphical programming environment for easy prototyping and development.

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