Cairo-Dock Alternatives

Cairo-Dock is described as 'Animated application launch bar for the desktop, comparable to the dock in Mac OS X or Rocket Dock (for Windows)' and is a popular application launcher in the os & utilities category. There are more than 25 alternatives to Cairo-Dock for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, GNOME and BSD apps. The best Cairo-Dock alternative is RocketDock, which is free. Other great apps like Cairo-Dock are Docky, ObjectDock, Winstep Nexus and Eww.

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Cairo-Dock is an animated application launch bar for the desktop, comparable to the dock in Mac OS X or Rocket Dock (for...

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Cairo-Dock alternatives page was last updated Mar 18, 2025
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  1.  1 like
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    Fully configurable (w/ command line arguments and css) dock, written in Go, aimed exclusively at sway Wayland compositor. It features pinned buttons, task buttons, the workspace switcher and the launcher button.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Country of Origin

    • PL flagPoland
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux

    nwg-dock Features

    1.  Dock
    2.  Golang

    nwg-dock VS Cairo-Dock

     
  2. Dash to Dock icon
     3 likes
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    A dock for the Gnome Shell. This extension moves the dash out of the overview transforming it in a dock for an easier launching of applications and a faster switching between windows and workspaces.

    11 Dash to Dock alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • GNOME

    Dash to Dock Features

    1.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions

    Dash to Dock VS Cairo-Dock

     
  3. InfyniDock icon
     1 like
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    InfyniDock is an alternative dock for macOS that provides an expanded window of open windows without collapsing them. It offers keyboard shortcuts to switch between windows and allows for customizable themes.

    License model

    Country of Origin

    • CN flagChina

    Platforms

    • Mac

    InfyniDock Features

    1.  Dock customization tools
    2.  Dock

    InfyniDock VS Cairo-Dock

     
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    Avant Window Navigator (AWN/Awn) is a dock-like navigation bar for the linux desktop that positions itself at the bottom of the screen. It can be used to keep track of open windows and behaves like a normal window list.

    License model

    • Free PersonalOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Discontinued

    Doesn't seem to be activaly maintained anymore. Last update was in 2017.

    Avant Window Navigator Features

    1.  Window docking
    2.  Launcher
    3.  Dock

    Avant Window Navigator VS Cairo-Dock

     
  5.  5 likes
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    DockBarX is a lightweight taskbar / panel replacement for Linux which works as a stand-alone dock (called DockX), as an an Avant Window Navigator applet, as a Xfce4 panel applet1, as a matepanel applet2 or as a legacy gnome2 panel applet.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Country of Origin

    • EE flagEstonia
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux

    DockbarX VS Cairo-Dock

     
  6. True Launch Bar icon
     35 likes
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    True Launch Bar is a Superior replacement for the standard Quick Launch bar. All functions presented in Quick Launch are also in True Launch Bar. However, the True Launch Bar is fully compatible with Quick Launch because it uses the same folder for shortcuts.

    46 True Launch Bar alternatives

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • UA flagUkraine

    Platforms

    • Windows

    True Launch Bar Features

    1.  Launcher

    True Launch Bar VS Cairo-Dock

     
  7. XLaunchpad icon
     34 likes
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    XLaunchpad gives you instant access to all your shortcuts. Arrange apps in XLaunchpad any way you like by dragging icons to different locations or by grouping apps in folders. Simply drag one icon over another to create a folder.

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • CN flagChina

    Platforms

    • Windows

    XLaunchpad Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  Launcher

    XLaunchpad VS Cairo-Dock

     
  8. XWindows Dock icon
     10 likes
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    XWindows Dock - or XWD for short - is the newest free Windows Vista and XP program of the class Application Launcher and Desktop Organizer. But its not just another one: its the result of years of use and observation of the many dock programs on the market, plus all functions...

    33 XWindows Dock alternatives

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • RU flagRussia

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Discontinued

    Last version: 2.0.3. Updated: 11/15/2010.

    XWindows Dock Features

    1.  Launcher
    2.  Dock

    XWindows Dock VS Cairo-Dock

     
  9. Y'z Dock icon
     2 likes
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    Y'z Dock is a program launcher like the dock in MacOS X. This application is currently in beta, so please send all reports to the author. In order to add icons, drag and drop a file (.exe, shortcut, etc.) straight from Explorer to the dock area.

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Discontinued

    Last program update was on July 29, 2003, although reports are that it still works as far as Windows 8, maybe farther.

    Y'z Dock Features

    1.  Launcher
    2.  Dock

    Y'z Dock VS Cairo-Dock

     
  10. Circle Dock icon
     17 likes
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    The idea behind Circle Dock is that the dock should appear where your mouse is instead of you having to move your mouse to the dock like with other programs. This is accomplished by making the dock a circular or spiral shape so that it can be placed anywhere, even near the edge...

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Discontinued

    Circle Dock Features

    1.  Dock
    2.  Launcher

    Circle Dock VS Cairo-Dock

     
  11. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    KSmoothDock is a cool desktop panel with parabolic zooming effect for KDE Plasma 5, with the focus on smooth zooming effect and being simple and easy to use.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • VN flagVietnam

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • KDE

    KSmoothDock Features

    1.  KDE
    2.  Dock

    KSmoothDock VS Cairo-Dock

     
  12. ADeskBar icon
     2 likes
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    a lightweight application launcher for Openbox, written in Python and GTK.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Linux

    ADeskBar Features

    1.  Gtk

    ADeskBar VS Cairo-Dock

     
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