Xfce VS dwm

Compare Xfce VS dwm and see what are their differences

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Xfce

Xfce is a lightweight desktop environment for UNIX-like operating systems. It aims to be fast and low on system resources, while still being visually appealing and user friendly.

dwm is a dynamic window manager for X. It manages windows in tiled, monocle and floating layouts. All of the layouts can be applied dynamically, optimising the environment for the application in use and the task performed.

Landing page //
2023-07-04

Landing page //
2021-09-12

Xfce

Website: xfce.org

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dwm

Website: dwm.suckless.org

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Xfce features and specs

Lightweight
Xfce is known for its minimal resource usage, making it an excellent choice for older machines and systems with limited resources.
Fast Performance
Due to its lightweight nature, Xfce provides fast and responsive performance, even on less powerful hardware.
Highly Customizable
Xfce offers a high degree of customization, allowing users to tweak the desktop environment to fit their preferences.
Stable and Reliable
Xfce has a reputation for being stable and reliable, reducing the likelihood of crashes and other issues.
Active Development
The project benefits from an active community of developers and regular updates, which helps keep the desktop environment secure and up-to-date.
Good Balance
Xfce strikes a good balance between functionality and simplicity, providing essential features without becoming bloatware.
Low Learning Curve
Thanks to its intuitive interface, Xfce is relatively easy for new users to pick up and understand quickly.

Possible disadvantages of Xfce

Limited Eye Candy
Compared to more modern desktop environments like GNOME or KDE Plasma, Xfce may appear less visually appealing due to fewer graphical effects.
Less Out-of-the-box Functionality
While customizable, Xfce might require additional configuration and setup to provide some of the advanced functionalities available in other desktop environments.
Limited Applications
Xfce does not come with as many pre-installed applications as some other desktop environments, potentially requiring users to spend additional time installing needed software.
Less Innovation
Being conservative in its design, Xfce tends to be slower in adopting cutting-edge features or trends compared to other, more dynamic environments.
Fragmented Ecosystem
Some may find the ecosystem fragmented because different distributions may package Xfce differently, leading to inconsistencies across different Linux distributions.

dwm features and specs

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 of dwm

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 of Xfce

Overall verdict

Xfce is considered a good desktop environment, especially for those who prioritize speed and efficiency over the latest visual effects. It successfully delivers a stable and traditional user experience while being highly customizable and lightweight.

Why this product is good

Xfce is a widely praised desktop environment for its lightweight and resource-efficient nature, making it an excellent choice for older hardware or systems with limited resources. It provides a clean, customizable, and user-friendly interface that balances simplicity and functionality. The modular design of Xfce allows users to choose only the components they need, further optimizing performance. Additionally, Xfce is known for its stability and reliability, contributing to its reputation as a solid choice for both novice and advanced users.

Recommended for

Users with older or less powerful computers
Individuals who value system performance and speed
People who prefer a simple and straightforward interface
Linux users looking for a reliable and stable desktop environment
Those who want a highly customizable desktop experience without sacrificing performance

Analysis of dwm

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.

Xfce videos

+ Add

Fully functional? - Xfce 4.14 First Impressions

dwm videos

+ Add

dwm (suckless) - why I prefer it to i3 [ricing FreeBSD & OpenBSD]

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Xfce and dwm)

Xfce

dwm

Linux

54 54%

Linux

46% 46

Operating Systems

100 100%

Operating Systems

0% 0

Window Manager

28 28%

Window Manager

72% 72

Desktop Environments

100 100%

Desktop Environments

0% 0

User comments

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

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Xfce and dwm

Xfce Reviews

9 Best Linux Desktop Environments to Use in 2023

XFCE is compatible with a wide range of Linux distros. Xfce does not offer sophisticated modifications, yet it is the most performance-oriented desktop environment. It’s a compact desktop environment with a comprehensive user interface. XFCE can be installed on a variety of UNIX systems. It has been reported to compile on Ubuntu, NetBSD, Solaris, Cygwin, OpenBSD, and macOS...

Source: geekflare.com

The 8 Best Ubuntu Desktop Environments (22.04 Jammy Jellyfish Linux)

Cinnamon desktop is another fork of the GNOME desktop. It has a rather conservative design and is similar to Xfce. It is uncomplicated to learn and from this reason might be a good choice for someone who is new to Linux.

Source: linuxconfig.org

Top 10 Best Desktop Environments in 2020

Lightweight and Low-resource can be considered the same, but in this case, there’s a difference. XFCE is a lightweight desktop environment even with a whole lot of built-in customizations and UI perks. LXDE, on the other hand, is a DE that is built to be as low-resource as possible. You certainly can add animations, but they need to be downloaded separately.

Source: www.journaldev.com

The 12 Best Linux Desktop Environments

At first look, Xfce looks a bit older and boring, but we assure you that your mindset will change after unpacking it because it is one of the best Linux lightweight desktop environments available. Xfce is becoming one of the most reliable choices, but it has a comparatively small team for development that results in late updates. Nowadays, many users think that Xfce is an...

Source: linuxhint.com

The Best Desktop Environments For Linux (We Tested Them So That You Don’t Have To)

Xfce is light on resources but proves to provide a feature-rich user experience. If you need a performance-centric desktop environment without needing advanced customizations, Xfce is a great choice to go with.

Source: itsfoss.com

dwm Reviews

Top 13 Best Tiling Window Managers For Linux In 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

Source: www.hubtech.org

13 Best Tiling Window Managers for Linux

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.

Source: www.tecmint.com

5 Great Tiling Window Managers for Linux

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 source code. Easy keyboard shortcuts allow for a great navigation experience while managing windows.

Source: www.maketecheasier.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, dwm should be more popular than Xfce. It has been mentiond 67 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Xfce mentions (19)

distro hopping
Pick up your Desktop Environment based on your computer's specs, NOT on your visual preferences. (HINT: XFCE consumes way less system resources than GNOME and KDE). Source: over 1 year ago
Lightweight dev tools.
It’s a bit of an interesting challenge and has forced me to re-examine some of my tool usage. I started by a minimal install of Debian “bookworm” with the XFCE Desktop Environment which chews through much fewer resources than the default GNOME 43 based environment (although more than LXDE - but there still has to be room for aesthetics). - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
I Still Use Windows 95 (archived, 2008)
Luckily you can get an efficient, clean Desktop Environment that works well and is actively developed: Xfce ( https://xfce.org/ ) I think you will like it. It has a very early-2000's feel IMO. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
best lightweight linux distro for old laptop and gaming
Well, it depends. It was better experience than FreeBSD 7.2 that's for sure. :) It was running Xorg with https://i3wm.org, a web-server, XMPP-server, PostgreSQL, few bots and dovecot / postfix (e-mail server). It was doing fine routing internet for 2PCs and a WiFi router for 10 years until its HDD died. For gaming... erm... I was able to play something like Theme Hospital or Syndicate Wars in dosbox. You have to... Source: about 2 years ago
Only one of the four XFCE4's desktop/workspace got hung and now I can't use wallpaper
Another resource for help might be xfce.org. It's a low traffic site, but responsive. Source: about 2 years ago

dwm mentions (67)

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 Niri it most likely will not ... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
Shifted 3 Shapes – Making a w3M Logo
I associate this style with the suckless foundation, even though it is distinct from e.g. The dwm logo. https://dwm.suckless.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
AT&T says criminals stole phone records of 'nearly all' customers in data breach
Https://dwm.suckless.org/ > This keeps its userbase small and elitist.. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
Tinygrad 0.9.0
The only one I can think of the dwm window manager (https://dwm.suckless.org/), that used to prominently mention a SLOC limit of 2000. Doesn't seem to be mentioned in the landing page anymore, not sure if it's still in effect. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
Show HN: Hancho – A simple and pleasant build system in ~500 lines of Python
This is sort of the suckless approach. Most (all?) of their projects are customized by editing the source and recompiling. From their window manager, dwm: dwm is customized through editing its source code, which makes it extremely fast and secure - it does not process any input data which isn't known at compile time, except window titles and status text read from the root window's name. You don't have to learn... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Xfce and dwm, you can also consider the following products

LXQt - The LXQt team is proud to announce the release of qtermwidget and qterminal, both in version 0. 8. 0. Read more..

i3 - A dynamic tiling window manager designed for X11, inspired by wmii, and written in C.

KDE Plasma Desktop - Plasma Workspaces is the umbrella term for all graphical environments provided by KDE.

bspwm - A tiling window manager based on binary space partitioning

LXDE - Why will you like it? Less resource needs. You can use it on your less-pricey embedded board or salvaged computer. Component-based design. Don't want something in LXDE, or you don't want to use LXDE but only part of it?

awesome - A dynamic window manager for the X Window System developed in the C and Lua programming languages.

KDE Plasma Desktop vs Xfce

KDE Plasma Desktop vs dwm