Rectangle VS Stack WM

Compare Rectangle VS Stack WM and see what are their differences

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Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.

Stack WM

Better window manager for Windows

Landing page //
2023-05-20

Landing page //
2021-10-14

Rectangle

Website: rectangleapp.com
$ Details

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Stack WM

Website: losttech.software
$ Details

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Rectangle features and specs

Ease of Use
Rectangle offers an intuitive user interface that makes window management straightforward and user-friendly.
Customizable Shortcuts
Users can easily configure keyboard shortcuts to better suit their workflow, making window management faster and more efficient.
Free
Rectangle is available for free, making it accessible to anyone without the need for a financial investment.
Frequent Updates
The app receives regular updates, introducing new features and ensuring compatibility with the latest macOS versions.
Lightweight
Rectangle is a lightweight application that doesn't consume many system resources, ensuring smooth performance even on older Macs.

Possible disadvantages of Rectangle

Limited Advanced Features
Rectangle lacks some of the more advanced features found in paid window management applications, such as multiple monitor support and more complex window arrangements.
MacOS Only
Rectangle is only available for macOS, so users of other operating systems are unable to take advantage of its features.
Occasional Bugs
Some users report occasional bugs or unpredictable behavior, which might require troubleshooting or waiting for a future update.
Learning Curve for Shortcuts
While customizable shortcuts are a benefit, there is an initial learning curve for users to memorize and effectively use these shortcuts.
Basic Aesthetic
The app's design and aesthetic are quite basic, lacking the polish and visual appeal found in some other similar tools.

Stack WM features and specs

Resource Efficiency
Stack WM is designed to be lightweight and efficient, consuming minimal system resources, which can lead to better performance on older or less powerful hardware.
Customizability
The window manager offers significant customization options, allowing users to tailor the interface and functionality to their specific needs and preferences.
Tiling Features
It provides automatic tiling of windows, which can improve workflow and multitasking by making better use of screen real estate.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Offers a variety of configurable keyboard shortcuts to improve navigation speed and efficiency, reducing the reliance on a mouse.
Open-Source
Being open-source, it allows developers to view, modify, and contribute to the codebase, fostering a community of collaborative improvement.

Possible disadvantages of Stack WM

Steep Learning Curve
New users may find it difficult to learn and configure as it does not provide a standard desktop environment with typical graphical tools.
Limited Graphical Tools
Unlike more mainstream desktop environments, Stack WM does not come with many built-in graphical configuration tools, which may necessitate manual configuration file editing.
Compatibility
Some users might face compatibility issues with certain applications designed mainly for more popular environments, necessitating additional configuration or troubleshooting.
Niche User Base
Being a less widely used window manager, it has a smaller community, which can mean fewer resources and support options are available online.
Potential Stability Issues
As with many lightweight or less commonly used software solutions, users might encounter bugs or stability issues that have yet to be fully addressed.

Analysis of Rectangle

Overall verdict

Overall, Rectangle is highly regarded for its ease of use, extensive customization options, and the fact that it is free and open-source. It provides essential functionality without unnecessary complexity, making it suitable for both casual users and power users who need efficient window management.

Why this product is good

Rectangle is a popular window management tool for macOS, known for its simplicity and ease of use. It allows users to efficiently organize and resize application windows using customizable keyboard shortcuts or by dragging windows into pre-defined areas of the screen. This can enhance productivity by minimizing the time spent arranging windows and improving multitasking capabilities.

Recommended for

Rectangle is recommended for macOS users looking for a straightforward, lightweight solution to manage application windows. It is particularly beneficial for those who frequently work with multiple applications at once, including developers, designers, and anyone who values a tidy and organized desktop environment.

Rectangle videos

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SKYWALKER RECTANGLE TRAMPOLINE REVIEW!!!

Stack WM videos

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Rectangle and Stack WM)

Rectangle

Stack WM

Mac Tools

100 100%

Mac Tools

0% 0

Window Manager

93 93%

Window Manager

7% 7

OSX Tools

90 90%

OSX Tools

10% 10

Mac

100 100%

Mac

0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Rectangle and Stack WM. 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 Rectangle and Stack WM

Rectangle Reviews

Best 6 Mac Window Managers

Rectangle shows that you don’t need to dip into your bank account to get window resizer tools. This free Mac window manager lets you manage multiple windows using keyboard shortcuts, menu options, or by dragging and dropping. Just like Magnet, you can split your screen up into quarters, thirds, or halves.

Source: mackeeper.com

Top 6 Window Manager Apps for Mac

Most window manager apps for Mac support multiple monitors. They can help you move windows between screens and create custom layouts for each monitor. Many window manager apps – such as BetterSnapTool, Magnet, and Rectangle – offer this functionality.

Source: www.maketecheasier.com

The 6 Best Mac Window Management Tools

However, it might take some time for you to get used to the shortcuts in the Rectangle app since there are many. Furthermore, you can also add some of your apps to exceptions if you want to keep them away from Rectangle's shortcuts.

Source: www.makeuseof.com

Stack WM Reviews

We have no reviews of Stack WM yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Rectangle seems to be a lot more popular than Stack WM. While we know about 479 links to Rectangle, we've tracked only 5 mentions of Stack WM. 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.

Rectangle mentions (479)

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Released
As a both old Linux and now decade user of MacOS, after I got used to no middle-click paste and no focus-follows-mouse: 1. Keyboard shortcuts are Emacs, Ctrl-A: start of line, E: end of line, K: kill selected or to end of line, Y to paste, etc. https://support.apple.com/en-au/102650#text 2. Karabiner elements (FOSS) fixes keyboard mappings outside of the Settings: https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ 3. I have the... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
Native Instant Space Switching on macOS
Every macOS user uses Rectangle.app — https://rectangleapp.com The ones who don't use it is because they don’t know it exists. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
Native Instant Space Switching on macOS
I use https://rectangleapp.com/ and enjoy it. I have shortcuts to move windows to the left/right half of the screen, and cycle between monitors. This, combined with native cmd+tab and cmd+` is enough for me. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
Make macOS consistently bad (unironically)
Rectangle [1] is pretty much essential for me because of this. I use only a few keypresses (maximize window, move to one of the halves of the screen horizontally) but that is enough. My mouse very rately interacts with the borders of any window, or those buttons. I had to click on the green one that you mentioned in order to see what it did (yuck). [1] https://rectangleapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
Make macOS consistently bad (unironically)
I use Rectangle [1] for window management. I only use three shortcuts: full screen, left half of the screen, and right half of the screen. My editors and chrome are always running in one of these modes. But for other apps like Messages, Notes, Music, etc - yeah I don't usually expand them to full screen. [1] https://rectangleapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago

Stack WM mentions (5)

Show HN: A tiling window manager like i3wm written in C#
What is the license? I am author of Stack WM [1]. Also C#, but all the configuration and layouts are defined in WPF XAML and are generally static (e.g. Like PowerToys, but much more flexible due to WPF containers and data binding + you can make WPF-based widgets). Curious about the license for I am interested in having a common library for window manipulation. I am using VirtualDesktop [2] to handle Windows... - Source: Hacker News / over 4 years ago
A terminal with UI like visual code
> I could envision a WM that allows you to group windows together into tabs There's one on Windows, that has the tabs feature: https://losttech.software/stack.html Disclaimer: I made it. - Source: Hacker News / over 4 years ago
KDE: A Nice Tiling Environment and a Surprisingly DE
Disclaimer: I am the author. For Windows I made Stack WM: https://losttech.software/stack.html I works differently from i3: you _predefine_ screen zones (possibly overlapping), and then just move your windows between them with keyboard shortcuts or middle mouse button. IMHO, covers the problems you mentioned. You can have: - multiple windows in one zone with normal Z ordering - a taskbar for any zone or a group of... - Source: Hacker News / over 4 years ago
Switching to the I3 Window Manager
I've made my own tiling WM for Windows (non-free): https://losttech.software/stack.html But it does not work like i3. You predefine the layouts (which can be dynamic). - Source: Hacker News / almost 5 years ago
Ask HN: What are some tools / libraries you built yourself?
A tiling window manager for Windows https://losttech.software/stack.html. - Source: Hacker News / about 5 years ago