Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Waybar VS ironbar

Compare Waybar VS ironbar and see what are their differences

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.

ironbar logo ironbar

Customisable Wayland gtk bar written in Rust.
  • Waybar Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-18
  • ironbar Landing page
    Landing page //
    2025-06-30

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.

ironbar features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Ironbar is designed to be a lightweight status bar, making it efficient and less resource-intensive compared to more feature-heavy alternatives.
  • Customizable
    Offers extensive customization options, allowing users to tailor the appearance and functionality to their specific needs and preferences.
  • Rust-based
    Being built in Rust, Ironbar benefits from the safety and performance advantages associated with Rust's memory safety features and concurrency model.
  • Open Source
    Ironbar is open source, which allows users to inspect, modify, and contribute to the codebase, fostering a community-driven development approach.

Possible disadvantages of ironbar

  • Limited Features
    Due to its lightweight nature, Ironbar may lack some advanced features found in more comprehensive status bar solutions.
  • Community Size
    As a relatively newer and specialized tool, Ironbar may have a smaller user and developer community, potentially affecting the availability of third-party plugins and support.
  • Platform Restrictions
    Ironbar might have limitations on available platforms or dependencies, which could restrict its use in certain environments or with particular setups.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Waybar and ironbar)
Productivity
55 55%
45% 45
Note Taking
55 55%
45% 45
App Launcher
53 53%
47% 47
LMS
49 49%
51% 51

User comments

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What are some alternatives?

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

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.

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

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

Quickshell - A Flexible toolkit for making desktop shells with QtQuick, targeting Wayland and X11.

Polybar - Status bar for Unix-like systems.

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