Software Alternatives & Startups

Sway VS Ghostty

Compare Sway VS Ghostty and see what are their differences

Sway

Sway is a drop-in replacement for the i3 window manager, but for Wayland instead of X11.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Ghostty

A fast, feature-rich, and cross-platform terminal emulator

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Sway should be more popular than Ghostty. It has been mentioned 53 times since March 2021.

social mentions
53 vs 33
Health And Fitness popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
189 vs 165

Base details

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

Sway
Ghostty
Website swaywm.org ghostty.org
Pricing
Open source
Open source
Company Startup from the United States —
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Sway 6 features
Ghostty 4 features
  • Wayland Compatibility
    Sway is a compositor for Wayland, providing better performance and security compared to the X11 system.
  • i3 Compatibility
    Sway is designed to be compatible with i3 window manager configurations, making it easy for i3 users to transition.
  • Lightweight
    Sway is known for being lightweight and efficient, using fewer system resources compared to other compositors.
  • Customizability
    Similar to i3, Sway offers extensive customization options for users to tailor their environment.
  • Active Development
    Sway has an active development community, ensuring regular updates, bug fixes, and new features.
  • Enhances Security
    Being built on Wayland, Sway provides better isolation of processes, improving overall system security.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Application Support
    Some applications, especially older ones, may not be fully compatible with Wayland, causing issues when running on Sway.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    New users, particularly those unfamiliar with i3, might find Sway's configuration and usage initially challenging.
  • Wayland Limitations
    Wayland, while improving, still lacks some features and extensions available in X11, which might affect some workflows.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    Wayland compositors like Sway can sometimes have issues with specific hardware, particularly older or less common configurations.
  • Fewer Tiling Window Manager Users
    The number of users preferring tiling window managers is smaller, potentially making it harder to find community support compared to more popular desktop environments.
  • Easy-to-Use Interface
    Ghostty offers a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate, making it accessible for users of all experience levels.
  • Enhanced Privacy
    The platform emphasizes user privacy, ensuring that personal data is kept secure and not shared without consent.
  • Multiple Platforms Supported
    Ghostty supports a wide range of platforms, allowing users to connect and share content across different networks seamlessly.
  • Customizable Features
    Users have the option to customize settings and features, enabling them to tailor their experience to their specific needs.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Free Version
    The free version of Ghostty offers limited features, which may restrict functionality for users not willing to upgrade to a paid plan.
  • Occasional Downtime
    Some users have reported occasional downtime or connectivity issues, which can disrupt the user experience.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic interface is easy to use, some advanced features require a learning curve and may be more complex for new users.
  • Subscription Cost
    Users may find the subscription cost for premium features to be relatively high compared to similar services.

Analysis

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

Sway
Ghostty

Overall verdict

  • Sway is generally well-regarded in the Linux community, especially among users who appreciate the flexibility and speed of a tiling window manager. It effectively bridges the gap for those who want the i3 experience with Wayland's benefits.

Why this product is good

  • Sway is a tiling window manager that is known for its efficiency and customizability, and it is designed for use with Wayland. It offers a similar experience to the i3 window manager but for those who want to use Wayland. Sway allows users to completely configure their desktop environment and supports various i3-compatible configurations and scripts. It provides a fast, lightweight, and modern approach for users who prefer a tiling window management system.

Recommended for

  • Users who enjoy i3 and want to transition to Wayland.
  • Linux users seeking a lightweight and efficient window management experience.
  • Advanced users who appreciate configuration and scripting flexibility.
  • Those who prefer keyboard-centric navigation over a graphical interface.

No analysis of Ghostty yet.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Sway 5 videos + Add
Ghostty 3 videos + Add

Sway beats Powerpoint for these 4 reasons (Microsoft Office 365).

More videos

  • - VOD REVIEW: IS FAZE SWAY BEING COACHED 🎮 BY FAZE BIZZLE WORTH IT? (Full Game)
  • - Microsoft Sway Hands On Review!
  • - Sway by Mitchell Bubble
  • - SWAY HOUSE TOUR FORTNITE

Ghostty is Probably The Best Terminal Emulator I've Ever Used

More videos

  • - so i tried ghostty...
  • - Ghostty is a Fast and Feature-Rich Terminal

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
Sway
Ghostty
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Sway and Ghostty. 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.

Sway no reviews yet
Ghostty no reviews yet

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

Social recommendations and mentions

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

Sway 53 mentions
Ghostty 33 mentions
  • Pomodoro Timer: Waybar and uair
    I am currently using uair integrated in to my Waybar running on my sway window manager. I use it similar to the way I use watson (both as a CLI tool with Waybar integrations), so it is a good fit for me. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • "We understand" ;)
    This is partially why I use tools like i3 (/ sway). I like the tool; it works extremely well for me; the design has stayed the same for 20 years; there's no profit motive to come along and fuck everything up. It just works. It is boring... Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Framework 13 with AMD Ryzen 7040 Series Makes for a Great Linux Laptop
    I've tested using i3 but never fully got into it. But my plan for the F13 is to try out Hyprland[0] and perhaps Sway[1]. [0] https://hyprland.org/ [1] https://swaywm.org/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago

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  • Native edges: principles for native apps with a shared core
    Ghostty, the terminal emulator by Mitchell Hashimoto, is one of my favorite examples of this split. Its core, libghostty, is written in Zig, exposes a C API, and handles terminal emulation, fonts, and rendering. On top of it sit a macOS... - Source: dev.to / 4 days ago
  • I don't code alone: I lead a team of agents
    Almost everything happens in a terminal, so the terminal matters. I use Ghostty because it's fast and feels native on macOS, which is exactly what you want from the tool you keep open all day. - Source: dev.to / 7 days ago
  • I built a tmux sidebar that tells me which Claude Code session needs me
    You need tmux 3.3+, jq, git, python3 and a logged-in Claude Code. Ghostty is recommended, but any terminal works if you start tmux yourself. - Source: dev.to / 18 days ago

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Alternatives to Sway and Ghostty

When comparing Sway and Ghostty, you can also consider the following products.