Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

slstatus VS Waybar

Compare slstatus VS Waybar and see what are their differences

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slstatus logo slstatus

slstatus is a status monitor for window managers that use WM_NAME or stdin to fill the status bar.

Waybar logo Waybar

Highly customizable Wayland bar for Sway and Wlroots based compositors. :v: :tada: - GitHub - Alexays/Waybar: Highly customizable Wayland bar for Sway and Wlroots based compositors.
  • slstatus Landing page
    Landing page //
    2025-06-30
  • Waybar Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-18

slstatus features and specs

  • Lightweight
    slstatus is designed to be minimalistic and lightweight, which makes it efficient in terms of resource usage. It's ideal for users who want a simple status monitor without unnecessary bloat.
  • Customizable
    Users can customize slstatus to display various system information. It allows for a good degree of flexibility in how the status bar appears.
  • Integration with dwm
    slstatus is part of the Suckless Tools suite and integrates well with dwm (Dynamic Window Manager), making it a preferred choice for users in the Suckless ecosystem looking for seamless compatibility.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source tool, slstatus allows users to view, modify, and contribute to its source code. This transparency is valued by users who prefer open-source solutions.

Possible disadvantages of slstatus

  • Limited Features
    Compared to more feature-rich status monitors, slstatus has a limited set of features. Users looking for advanced functionality might find it lacking.
  • Manual Configuration
    Configuration of slstatus requires editing the source code and recompiling, which can be inconvenient and time-consuming, especially for users not familiar with programming.
  • Unix-specific
    slstatus is primarily designed for Unix-like operating systems and may not be suitable for users on other platforms.

Waybar features and specs

  • Highly Customizable
    Waybar provides extensive customization options that allow users to modify almost every aspect of its appearance and functionality to suit their personal preferences.
  • Support for Multiple Modules
    It supports a wide range of modules including system status indicators such as CPU usage, memory consumption, network activity, and more, offering users comprehensive system monitoring.
  • Supports Wayland Compositors
    Waybar is specifically designed for use with Wayland-based compositors, making it an ideal choice for users transitioning away from X11.
  • Active Development
    The project is actively maintained and regularly updated, ensuring compatibility with the latest software updates and the continuous improvement of features.
  • Community Support
    Waybar has an active community on GitHub and other platforms, providing users with the opportunity to engage, ask questions, or seek help with any issues.

Possible disadvantages of Waybar

  • Complex Configuration
    The initial setup and configuration of Waybar can be complex and overwhelming, especially for users who are not familiar with JSON or configuration files.
  • Limited Out-of-the-box Functionality
    New users may find that Waybar requires significant customization to be fully functional, as its out-of-the-box settings may not meet everyone's needs.
  • Wayland-Only
    Since Waybar is designed specifically for Wayland, it may not be suitable for users who rely on X11 or systems that do not support Wayland.
  • Dependency on Third-party Tools
    Many Waybar modules rely on external tools and scripts for information, requiring users to install and configure additional software to make full use of its capabilities.

slstatus videos

More dwm and slstatus customization

More videos:

  • Review - artixlinux compile on boot dwm slstatus dmenu

Waybar videos

No Waybar videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to slstatus and Waybar)
App Launcher
47 47%
53% 53
Productivity
45 45%
55% 55
Note Taking
45 45%
55% 55
LMS
50 50%
50% 50

User comments

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing slstatus and Waybar, you can also consider the following products

Yambar - Modular status panel for X11 and Wayland, inspired by polybar.

wf-shell - wf-shell is a repository which contains the various components needed to built a fully functional DE based around wayfire. Currently it has only a GTK-based panel and background client.

Polybar - Status bar for Unix-like systems.

nwg-panel - Nwg-panel is a GTK3-based panel for sway and Hyprland Wayland compositors. The panel is equipped with a graphical configuration program that frees the user from the need to manually edit configuration files.

xfce-panel - Xfce componet to switch between opened windows, launch applications, switch workspaces and menu plugins to browse applications or directories.

ironbar - Customisable Wayland gtk bar written in Rust.