Software Alternatives & Startups

Rectangle VS wxWidgets

Compare Rectangle VS wxWidgets and see what are their differences

Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
wxWidgets

wxWidgets: Cross-Platform GUI Library

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Rectangle seems to be a lot more popular than wxWidgets. While we know about 480 links to Rectangle, we've tracked only 14 mentions of wxWidgets.

social mentions
480 vs 14
Mac Tools popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 138

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Rectangle
wxWidgets
Website rectangleapp.com wxwidgets.org
Pricing
Open source
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Rectangle 5 features
wxWidgets 5 features
  • 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

  • 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.
  • Cross-Platform
    wxWidgets allows developers to create applications that run on different platforms such as Windows, macOS, Linux, and more, without changing the codebase.
  • Native Look and Feel
    It provides a native look and feel on each platform by using the native GUI components, making applications appear more integrated with the host OS.
  • Wide Range of Widgets
    wxWidgets offers a rich set of widgets and controls, supporting complex interfaces and various types of user interactions.
  • Extensive Documentation
    The library is well-documented, with numerous tutorials, guides, and an active community to help developers troubleshoot and expand their understanding.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, wxWidgets provides the flexibility to customize and modify the library to better fit specific needs without licensing costs.

Possible disadvantages

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive features and the complexity of configuring UI components, new users may find it challenging to learn and utilize effectively.
  • Large Binary Size
    Applications built with wxWidgets can become quite large, which might be a drawback for developers focusing on lightweight applications.
  • Platform-Specific Bugs
    Since wxWidgets aims to provide native components for each platform, sometimes this leads to platform-specific bugs that can complicate cross-platform consistency.
  • Limited Modern Features
    While wxWidgets is robust, it might lack some of the modern, cutting-edge features found in newer libraries and frameworks in terms of design and ease of use.
  • Dependency Management
    Managing dependencies for different platforms can be cumbersome, requiring additional effort in the build and deployment processes.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Rectangle
wxWidgets

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.

Overall verdict

  • wxWidgets is a solid choice for developers who need a reliable, cross-platform GUI library with a native look and behavior. Its open-source nature and mature backing make it especially appealing for projects requiring wide platform compatibility.

Why this product is good

  • Platform Independence: wxWidgets allows you to create applications that can run on multiple platforms, such as Windows, macOS, and Linux, without changing the underlying code.
  • Open Source: As an open-source library, wxWidgets is free to use and has a large community supporting it, providing extensive documentation and forums for assistance.
  • Comprehensive Feature Set: wxWidgets provides a wide range of controls and tools that enable developers to build feature-rich applications.
  • Native Look and Feel: The library utilizes the native API of the host system, which means applications built with wxWidgets often look and behave like native applications.
  • Mature and Well-Tested: Having been around for many years, wxWidgets is a mature framework with well-tested tools and a history of stability and reliability.

Recommended for

  • Developers building cross-platform desktop applications.
  • Projects that require native look and feel on different operating systems.
  • Open-source enthusiasts or developers who prefer using community-supported frameworks.
  • Teams seeking a mature and well-documented GUI solution.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Rectangle 3 videos + Add
wxWidgets 2 videos + Add

SKYWALKER RECTANGLE TRAMPOLINE REVIEW!!!

More videos

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Cross Platform Graphical User Interfaces in C++

More videos

  • - More Cross Platform Graphical User Interfaces in C++: Custom Controls

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Rectangle
wxWidgets
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

Share your experience with using Rectangle and wxWidgets. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Rectangle no reviews yet
wxWidgets no reviews yet
  • Best 6 Mac Window Managers
    mackeeper.com · Sep 2023

    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...

  • 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...

  • The 6 Best Mac Window Management Tools
    www.makeuseof.com · Apr 2023

    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...

We have no reviews of wxWidgets yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Rectangle 480 mentions
wxWidgets 14 mentions
  • Apple introduces M6 and M5 Ultra for a big leap in performance and AI compute
    Rectangle solved my macos window management annoyances. https://rectangleapp.com/ Not involved in dev of this, just a happy user. - Source: Hacker News / 25 days ago
  • 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... - Source: Hacker News / 5 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 / 5 months ago

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  • Linux Applications Programming by Example: The Fundamental APIs (2nd Edition)
    Linux is rarely a porting issue for C++ or python: https://wxwidgets.org/ Static linking libraries for MacOS or Windows is contaminated by GPL/LGPL code, and this why wxwidgets excludes the disclosure requirement. Also, if you are... - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • PureBasic: The Quiet Survivor
    Some other options. https://github.com/andlabs/libui > Simple and portable (but not inflexible) GUI library in C that uses the native GUI technologies of each platform it supports. Missing a lot of desktop features and abandoned.... - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Bonsai: A 3D Voxel Engine, from scratch
    That is a fact, and why https://wxwidgets.org/ had to have a more open license to cross-port programs from/to other platforms (especially Android and windows often needed Static builds just for practical reasons.) Additionally, a... - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago

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Alternatives to Rectangle and wxWidgets

When comparing Rectangle and wxWidgets, you can also consider the following products.