VS Code VS dwm

Compare VS Code VS dwm and see what are their differences

Rating: 5.0 · 1 review
Pricing: Open source

Rating: 0 reviews

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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, VS Code seems to be a lot more popular than dwm. While we know about 1219 links to VS Code, we've tracked only 69 mentions of dwm.

social mentions: 1,219 vs 69
Text Editors popularity: 100% vs 0%
alternatives listed: 240+ vs 104

Base details

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

	VS Code	dwm
Website	code.visualstudio.com	dwm.suckless.org
Pricing	Open source	—
Company	Startup from the United States	—
Listed in	Text Editors IDE Software Development Developer Tools +1	Window Manager Linux Open Source Utilities +1

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

VS Code 8 features

dwm 5 features

Cross-platform
VS Code works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing a consistent development experience across different operating systems.
Extensibility
A vast library of extensions allows users to add functionalities like debuggers, linters, and themes, making it highly customizable.
Integrated Git
Built-in Git integration makes it easy to manage version control tasks directly within the editor.
Performance
Lightweight compared to full-fledged IDEs, ensuring good performance even on systems with limited resources.
IntelliSense
Advanced code completion and refactoring tools help improve coding efficiency and reduce errors.
Community Support
A strong and active community provides extensive support, tutorials, and third-party extensions.
Debugging
Robust debugging tools for various languages and frameworks are available out of the box.
Free and Open-Source
VS Code is completely free to use and open-source, which is beneficial for both individual developers and organizations.

Possible disadvantages

Limited IDE Features
While extensible, it may lack some advanced features found in dedicated IDEs out of the box.
Extension Management
Managing and configuring a large number of extensions can become cumbersome and sometimes lead to performance issues.
Learning Curve
Although user-friendly, it has a steeper learning curve for beginners due to its numerous features and customization options.
Memory Usage
Despite being lightweight, it can consume a significant amount of memory when multiple extensions are installed.
Update Frequency
Frequent updates may sometimes introduce bugs or require users to adapt to new changes quickly.
Internet Dependency
Some features and extensions may require an internet connection to function optimally.
Telemetry
By default, VS Code collects usage data, which might be a concern for users sensitive about data privacy. However, this can be disabled.

Lightweight
dwm is extremely lightweight, resulting in minimal use of system resources. It is designed to have no unnecessary bloat, making it suitable for older hardware or low-spec systems.
Customizable
dwm is highly customizable, with the configuration being done through editing the C source code. This allows for deep customization to meet specific user preferences.
Simplicity
The software is designed with simplicity in mind. It has a straightforward design and a gentle learning curve for users familiar with tiling window managers.
Tiling Window Management
dwm automatically arranges windows in a tiling format, which can help improve productivity by making better use of screen real estate and reducing the need to manually arrange windows.
Community Support
A robust community following and good documentation provide ample support for troubleshooting and extending dwm. Many patches and tips are shared among users.

Possible disadvantages

Steep Initial Learning Curve
For users not familiar with tiling window managers or who are used to traditional desktop environments, the initial setup and usage might be challenging.
Manual Compilation for Configuration
Configuration changes require editing the source code and recompiling the window manager. This can be inconvenient for users who prefer a dynamic configuration option.
Limited Out-of-the-Box Functionality
dwm does not come with many features available in other window managers by default. Users might need to apply patches or write custom scripts to get additional functionality.
Fewer Graphical Tools
Since dwm focuses on simplicity and minimalism, it lacks graphical configuration tools, which might deter non-technical users or those who prefer GUI-based management.
Compatibility
Some applications may not play well with dwm's tiling mechanism, requiring additional configuration or even the use of floating mode for specific apps.

Analysis

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

VS Code

dwm

Overall verdict

Yes, VS Code is generally considered a good choice for developers due to its flexibility, efficiency, and strong community support. It is lightweight, fast, and user-friendly, catering to both novice and experienced developers.

Why this product is good

VS Code, developed by Microsoft, is a widely popular and versatile code editor. It offers a robust extension ecosystem, which allows developers to customize their workflow and coding environment extensively. Additionally, VS Code supports numerous programming languages right out of the box and provides features like IntelliSense, debugging, Git integration, and a built-in terminal, making it a powerful tool for developers.

Recommended for

Web developers looking for a comprehensive yet lightweight coding environment.
Software developers who need an editor with extensive language support and customization options.
Beginner programmers who would benefit from a feature-rich editor that can grow with their skills.
Developers interested in an open-source tool with continuous updates and community-driven enhancements.

Overall verdict

dwm is considered a good choice for users who value performance, simplicity, and customizability. However, it might not be suitable for everyone due to its steep learning curve and the requirement to modify its source code for customization.

Why this product is good

dwm (dynamic window manager) is known for its minimalistic design and efficient use of system resources. It is highly customizable through its source code, allowing users to tailor it to their needs. Being a product of the suckless community, it adheres to simplicity and clarity in its design philosophy, making it a favorite among users who prefer a no-frills, elegant solution to window management.

Recommended for

dwm is recommended for advanced users, programmers, and those who enjoy configuring software from the ground up. It's suitable for people who appreciate minimalism and have experience or a willingness to delve into coding and patching to achieve their desired setup.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

VS Code 2 videos + Add

dwm 3 videos + Add

My New Favorite Text Editor - Visual Studio Code

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

VS Code

dwm

100% 100%

Text Editors

0% 0%

Linux

100% 100%

IDE

0% 0%

Window Manager

100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using VS Code and dwm. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Reviews and articles

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

VS Code 5.0 · 1 review

dwm no reviews yet

Choosing the Best SQL Server Tool in 2026
www.linkedin.com · Aug 2026

If you're a Windows DBA who mainly manages servers, SSMS is still hard to beat. SQL Server Data Tools makes the most sense for teams building database projects in Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code with the MSSQL...
Boost Your Productivity with These Top Text Editors and IDEs
convesio.com · Nov 2023

Visual Studio Code, commonly known as VS Code, is a powerful and extensible code editor developed by Microsoft. With its rich ecosystem of extensions and features like IntelliSense, debugging, and Git integration, VS...
13 Best Text Editors to Speed up Your Workflow
kinsta.com · Sep 2023

Finally, the Visual Studio Code website has numerous tabs for you to learn about the software. The documentation page walks you through steps like the setup and working with different languages. You’re also able to...

Top 13 Best Tiling Window Managers For Linux In 2022
www.hubtech.org · May 2022

Spectrwm is a fast, compact, and brief reparenting and tiling window manager for X11 that is inspired by xmonad and dwm. It was created to address the problems that xmonad and dwm have. Also check Fulfillify alternatives
13 Best Tiling Window Managers for Linux
www.tecmint.com · Jun 2020

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.
5 Great Tiling Window Managers for Linux
www.maketecheasier.com · Oct 2014

DWM is, well, a dynamic window manager. Tiling isn’t the only way you can manage your windows. It’s also possible to lay the windows out in a floating or monocle style. All modifications to DWM can be done within its...

Social recommendations and mentions

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

VS Code 1219 mentions

dwm 69 mentions

How to Install Python 3.14 on Mac and Set Up VS Code (2026 Beginner Guide)
Download VS Code from code.visualstudio.com, unzip it, and drag it into Applications. Running it from the Downloads folder causes update problems later. - Source: dev.to / 7 days ago
AI Coding Tips I Actually Use Every Day (Cursor + Angular)
Coming from VS Code, the editor feels familiar, and I like having the AI features right there alongside my code. - Source: dev.to / 13 days ago
A developer's guide to eSignature API integration
A code editor. VS Code with the Python extension is a good default; any editor works. - Source: dev.to / 26 days ago

Why I traded my custom "Opinionated Linux" for Omarchy
Caffeine.wiki/x220, where Rodrigo Franco (caffo) tuned Arch + dwm on a Thinkpad X220 for a cheap, durable and low-profile machine he could use anywhere (sketchy coffee shops included). - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
The struggle of resizing windows on macOS Tahoe
I can't remember the last time I resized a window. Does everyone not already install Magnet or an alternative first-thing to emulate the impeccable DWM? https://dwm.suckless.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
The Future Is Niri
Hm, I am using [dwm](https://dwm.suckless.org/) with a custom keybinding to shift to the left or right workspace. That seems similar enough, other than the fact that changing the split ratio will affect all workspaces on dwm while on... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago

Alternatives to VS Code and dwm

When comparing VS Code and dwm, you can also consider the following products.

Sublime Text
Sublime Text is a sophisticated text editor for code, html and prose - any kind of text file. You'll love the slick user interface and extraordinary features. Fully customizable with macros, and syntax highlighting for most major languages.

Compare Sublime Text to VS Code or dwm:

Sublime Text vs VS Code Sublime Text vs dwm
i3
A dynamic tiling window manager designed for X11, inspired by wmii, and written in C.

Compare i3 to VS Code or dwm:

i3 vs VS Code i3 vs dwm
Vim
Highly configurable text editor built to enable efficient text editing

Compare Vim to VS Code or dwm:

Vim vs VS Code Vim vs dwm
Xmonad
xmonad is a dynamically tiling X11 window manager that is written and configured in Haskell.

Compare Xmonad to VS Code or dwm:

Xmonad vs VS Code Xmonad vs dwm
Notepad++
A free source code editor which supports several programming languages running under the MS Windows environment.

Compare Notepad++ to VS Code or dwm:

Notepad++ vs VS Code Notepad++ vs dwm
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Openbox
Openbox is a highly configurable, next generation window manager with extensive standards support.

Compare Openbox to VS Code or dwm:

Openbox vs VS Code Openbox vs dwm