herbstluftwm is a manual tiling window manager for X11 using Xlib. The basic tiling concept is that the layout is represented by a binary tree.
herbstluftwm is written from scratch.
The program is free and open source software.
Key Features
- A layout based on splitting frames into subframes which can be split again or can be filled with windows i3/ or musca).
- Tags (or workspaces or virtual desktops or …) can be added/removed at runtime. Each tag contains an own layout.
- Exactly one tag is viewed on each monitor. The tags are monitor independent (similar toxmonad)
- Configured at runtime via ipc calls from herbstclient. So the configuration file is just a script which is run on startup. (similar to wmii or musca).
- Supports multiple monitors as a virtual concept. Monitors in herbstluftwm don’t have to match the real monitor configuration as reported by xrandr, a configuration utility to the RandR (Resize and Rotate) X Window System extension. This means you can for example split your screen in two virtual monitors to view two tags at once on a large screen.
- Seeks compliance with EWMH. This includes:
- Information about tag names and client lists is provided.
- Desktop windows from desktop environments are not managed and kept below the other windows.
- Client requests like getting focused are only processed if the setting focus_stealing_prevention is disabled.
- Scripts are included.
Website: herbstluftwm.org
Support: Documentation, GitHub Code Repository
Developer: Thorsten Wißmann and contributors
License: Simplified BSD License
herbstluftwm is written in C++ and Python. Learn C++ with our recommended free books and free tutorials. Learn Python with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| X11 Tiling Window Managers | |
|---|---|
| i3 | Improved tiling window manager |
| StumpWM | Common Lisp window manager |
| bspwm | Based on binary space partitioning |
| EXWM | Full-featured tiling X window manager for Emacs |
| herbstluftwm | Basic tiling concept is that the layout is represented by a binary tree |
| wmderland | Offers no bloated features, an easy-to-use config, and a very small footprint |
| Notion | Originally a fork of Ion |
| zwm | Minimal, opinionated window manager with a keyboard-driven workflow |
| Ratpoison | Keyboard-only window manager |
| NWM | Lightweight window manager with a simple, efficient workflow |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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