EMWM is a fork of the Motif Window Manager that keeps the classic Motif look and behaviour while improving compatibility with modern X11 systems and desktop applications.
It’s designed for users who want a lightweight, traditional stacking window manager with better support for contemporary display setups, fonts, and window-management standards.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Supports multi-monitor setups through Xinerama and Xrandr.
- Offers UTF-8 support with Xft font rendering.
- Implements relevant Extended Window Manager Hints for improved application compatibility.
- Includes configurable key bindings, root menus, and window menus via emwmrc.
- Restores Motif Workspace Manager functionality for multiple desktops.
Website: github.com/alx210/emwm
Support:
Developer: Alex
License: GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1

EMWM is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Stacking Window Managers | |
|---|---|
| Openbox | Standards compliant, fast, light-weight, extensible window manager |
| KWin | Window manager for the KDE Plasma Desktop |
| Mutter | Wayland display server and X11 window manager and compositor library |
| FVWM | Powerful ICCCM-compliant multiple virtual desktop window manager |
| berry | Healthy, bite-sized window manager |
| xfwm | Part of the Xfce desktop environment |
| Window Maker | NeXTSTEP-like window manager |
| JWM | Joe’s Window Manager |
| Gala | Designed by elementary for use with Pantheon |
| Fluxbox | Highly configurable and low resource |
| evilwm | Maximises screen real estate and provides good keyboard control |
| Worm | Tiny, dynamic, tag-based window manager |
| Blackbox | Similar to the NeXT interface and Window Maker |
| Enlightenment | Focuses on pushing the limits of existing technologies |
| PekWM | Originally based on the aewm++ window manager |
| Marco | MATE default window manager |
| 2bwm | Offers 2 borders, and written over the XCB library |
| cwm | OpenBSD fork of calmwn, a clean and lightweight window manager |
| IceWM | Win95-OS/2-Motif-like window manager |
| Sawfish | Extensible window manager using an Emacs Lisp-like scripting language |
| Moksha | Modern iteration of the Enlightenment window manager |
| Magpie | X11 window manager and compositor library |
| sowm | Itsy bitsy floating window manager |
| Compiz | OpenGL window and compositing manager |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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