Sawfish AlternativesWindow Managers and other similar apps like Sawfish

Sawfish is described as 'Extensible window manager using a Lisp-based scripting language. Its policy is very minimal compared to most window managers. Its aim is simply to manage windows in the most flexible and attractive manner possible' and is a Window Manager in the os & utilities category. There are more than 50 alternatives to Sawfish for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Windows, Wayland, Mac and BSD apps. The best Sawfish alternative is Openbox, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Sawfish are Sxmo, awesome, Qtile and niri.

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Sawfish alternatives are mainly Window Managers but may also be Wayland Compositors or Virtual Desktop Managers.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Sawfish.
Sawfish iconSawfish
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Sawfish is an extensible window manager using a Lisp-based scripting language. Its policy is very minimal compared to most window managers. Its aim is simply to manage windows in the most flexible and attractive manner...

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Sawfish alternatives page was last updated May 11, 2024
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Alternatives
  1. Openbox icon

    Openbox

     78 likes
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    Openbox is a highly configurable, next generation window manager with extensive standards support.

    69 Openbox alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    BlackWhite theme by lyrae @ box-look.org
    Discontinued

    No actively developed anymore. Last commit was in 2015.

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  No Tracking
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  No registration required
    5.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    6.  KDE

    Openbox VS Sawfish

     

    • Openbox is the most popular Linux alternative to Sawfish.

    • Openbox is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Sawfish.

    • Openbox is Free and Open SourceSawfish is also Free and Open Source
    • Openbox is Lightweight and Privacy focusedSawfish is not according to our users
  2. Sxmo icon

    Sxmo

     2 likes
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    A minimalist Linux smartphone environment that is truly yours to control. Sxmo, or Simple X Mobile, is a collection of simple and suckless X programs and scripts used together to create a fully functional mobile UI adhering to the Unix philosophy for the PinePhone and other...

    64 Sxmo alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • postmarketOS
    • Linux Mobile
    Sxmo screenshot 1
    Sxmo screenshot 2
    Sxmo screenshot 3

    Properties

    1.  Minimalistic

    Features

    1.  Support for scripting
    2.  Support for Gestures
    3.  SSH
    4.  Tiling Window Manager

    Sxmo VS Sawfish

     
  4. awesome icon

    awesome

     34 likes
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    awesome is a highly configurable, next generation framework window manager for X. It is very fast, extensible and licensed under the GNU GPLv2 license.

    75 awesome alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    awesome screenshot 1

    awesome Features

    1.  X server
    2.  Tiling
    3.  Extensible window manager

    awesome VS Sawfish

     
  5. Qtile icon

    Qtile

     8 likes
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    A full-featured, hackable tiling window manager written and configured in Python.

    68 Qtile alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Qtile screenshot 1

    Qtile Features

    1.  Support for Multiple Monitors
    2.  Support for scripting
    3.  Command line interface
    4.  Tiling
    5.  Extensible window manager

    Qtile VS Sawfish

     
  6. niri icon

    niri

     3 likes
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    Windows are arranged in columns on an infinite strip going to the right. Opening a new window never causes existing windows to resize.

    70 niri alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Wayland
    niri screenshot 1

    niri Features

    1.  Rust
    2.  Tiling Window Manager

    niri VS Sawfish

     
  7. Mission Control icon

    Mission Control

     13 likes
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    Mission Control, formerly Exposé, is a feature of the macOS operating system.

    23 Mission Control alternatives

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Mission Control screenshot 1

    Mission Control Features

    1.  Bundled with macOS
    2.  Window organizer

    Mission Control VS Sawfish

     

    • Mission Control is the most popular Mac alternative to Sawfish.

    • Mission Control is the most popular commercial alternative to Sawfish.

    • Mission Control is Paid and ProprietarySawfish is Free and Open Source
  9. Preme for Windows icon

    Preme for Windows

     48 likes
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    Preme is a free software for Windows which lets you add cool desktop features and enhances the desktop functionality.

    61 Preme for Windows alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    quick window

    Properties

    1.  Configurable

    Features

    1.  Touch Bar Manager
    2.  Touchbar integration

    Preme for Windows VS Sawfish

     

    • Preme for Windows is the most popular Windows alternative to Sawfish.

    • Preme for Windows is Free and ProprietarySawfish is Free and Open Source
  10. dwm icon

    dwm

     24 likes
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    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.

    73 dwm alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    dwm screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Keyboard focused

    Features

    1.  Support for Multiple Monitors
    2.  X server

    dwm VS Sawfish

     
  11. Xmonad icon

    Xmonad

     26 likes
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    xmonad is a dynamically tiling X11 window manager that is written and configured in Haskell. In a normal WM, you spend half your time aligning and searching for windows. xmonad makes work easier, by automating this.

    71 Xmonad alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    Xmonad screenshot 1

    Xmonad Features

    1.  X server
    2.  Tiling
    3.  Extensible window manager

    Xmonad VS Sawfish

     
  12. Labwc icon

    Labwc

     2 likes
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    Labwc stands for Lab Wayland Compositor, where lab can mean any of the following:

    16 Labwc alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Labwc screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  No registration required
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  No Tracking
    4.  Wayland Support

    Labwc VS Sawfish

     
  13. wmii icon

    wmii

     9 likes
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    wmii is a small, dynamic window manager for X11. It is scriptable, has a 9p filesystem interface and supports classic and tiling (acme-like) window management. It aims to maintain a small and clean (read hackable and beautiful) codebase.

    64 wmii alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    wmii screenshot 1

    wmii Features

    1.  Tiling
    2.  X server

    wmii VS Sawfish

     
  14. SwayFX icon

    SwayFX

     3 likes
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    Sway is an incredible window manager, and certainly one of the most well established wayland window managers. However, it is restricted to only include the functionality that existed in i3. This fork ditches the simple wlr_renderer, and replaces it with our fx_renderer, capable...

    59 SwayFX alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Arch Linux
    • Gentoo Linux
    • Fedora
    • Nix Package Manager
    • Sway
    • FreeBSD
    • Wayland
    SwayFX screenshot 1

    SwayFX Features

    1.  No registration required
    2.  No Tracking
    3.  Compositor
    4.  Wayland Support
    5.  OPENGL

    SwayFX VS Sawfish

     
12 of 53 Sawfish alternatives