--- title: bspwm alternative. Features and considerations of bspwm window manager. description: bspwm is a minimal, keyboard-driven tiling window manager using binary space partitioning. SMBAct is a user-friendly alternative with window switching. canonical: https://smblob.com/products/smbact/docu/alternatives/window-manager/bspwm-alternative-features-and-considerations-of-bspwm-window-manager/ date: 2023-06-17 locale: en --- # bspwm alternative. Features and considerations of bspwm window manager. > Markdown version of https://smblob.com/products/smbact/docu/alternatives/window-manager/bspwm-alternative-features-and-considerations-of-bspwm-window-manager/ > Same content as the HTML page without navigation, styling or scripts. Cite the HTML URL. > Site structure and the full page list for agents: https://smblob.com/llms.txt bspwm is a minimal, keyboard-driven tiling window manager using binary space partitioning. SMBAct is a user-friendly alternative with window switching. Bspwm is a tiling window manager that is designed to be minimalistic and highly customizable. Here are some key features of bspwm: - Tiling layout: bspwm arranges windows in a tiling layout, where windows do not overlap and fill the available screen space efficiently. This helps maximize productivity by eliminating window management clutter. - Binary Space Partitioning: bspwm utilizes binary space partitioning as its main window splitting method. This allows for dynamic and automatic resizing of windows based on predefined rules, resulting in a well-organized workspace. - Keyboard-driven: bspwm is primarily controlled through keyboard shortcuts, enabling fast and efficient window management without the need for a mouse. This can appeal to users who prefer a keyboard-centric workflow. - External configuration: Configuration of bspwm is done through an external configuration file. This gives users the flexibility to customize the window manager to their specific needs, including defining keybindings, rules for window placement, and more. - EWMH and ICCCM compliance: bspwm adheres to the EWMH (Extended Window Manager Hints) and ICCCM (Inter-Client Communication Conventions Manual) standards. This ensures compatibility with a wide range of applications and allows for seamless integration with other desktop components. - Lightweight and minimal footprint: bspwm is known for its lightweight nature and minimal resource usage. It strives to keep the codebase simple and efficient, making it suitable for older or less powerful hardware. It is primarily designed for Unix-like systems and is commonly used on Linux distributions such as Arch Linux, Debian, Ubuntu, and others. If you decide to use bspwm you should keep in mind that configuring and customizing bspwm requires a good understanding of its configuration file and command-line tools, which can be challenging for beginners. Bspwm does not come with a built-in graphical user interface (GUI). It relies heavily on keyboard shortcuts and command-line interaction, which may not be intuitive for users who prefer a visual interface or those who are not comfortable with command-line operations. Compared to some other window managers, bspwm has a minimalistic approach and provides only essential features out of the box. This means that users who require more advanced functionalities, such as window decorations, applets, or a system tray, may need to rely on external tools or third-party extensions to fulfill their requirements. While bspwm offers a high level of customization, the process of configuring and fine-tuning the window manager can be complex and time-consuming. Users may need to spend considerable time understanding and modifying the configuration file to achieve their desired setup, which may be daunting for those who prefer a more straightforward configuration process. If you prefer a user-friendly interface and don’t want to spend time on program configuration, SMBAct window manager can be a suitable alternative. It offers not only window management but also window-switching capabilities. With quality support, user video tutorials, regular updates, and the addition of new features, SMBAct is a compelling choice. Moreover, it is a cross-platform solution, running on Windows, macOS and Linux. [Here you can find detailed information about SMBAct](https://smblob.com/products/smbact/) ![How to place windows on four sixths and one center third of the screen](https://files.smblob.com/smbact/alternatives/tiled_windows_four_sixths_center_third_layout.webp) ## Related articles - [JWM alternative](https://smblob.com/products/smbact/docu/alternatives/window-manager/jwm-alternative-jwm-joes-window-manager-lightweight-and-configurable-x11-window-manager/): JWM (Joe's Window Manager) is a lightweight, configurable X11 window manager. SMBAct is a user-friendly, cross-platform alternative that also switches windows. - [Openbox alternative](https://smblob.com/products/smbact/docu/alternatives/window-manager/openbox-alternative-an-overview-of-the-openbox-window-manager/): Openbox is a lightweight, highly customizable window manager that needs manual configuration. SMBAct is an easy-to-use window manager and switcher alternative. - [River alternative](https://smblob.com/products/smbact/docu/alternatives/window-manager/river-alternative-introduction-to-river-a-minimalistic-and-keyboard-driven-tiling-window-manager/): River is a minimalistic, keyboard-driven tiling window manager that needs manual configuration. SMBAct is a cross-platform tiling window manager and switcher. - [Xmonad alternative](https://smblob.com/products/smbact/docu/alternatives/window-manager/xmonad-alternative-features-and-limitations-of-xmonad-window-manager/): Xmonad is a keyboard-driven tiling window manager configured in Haskell. SMBAct is an easier, cross-platform tiling window manager and window switcher. - [herbstluftwm alternative](https://smblob.com/products/smbact/docu/alternatives/window-manager/herbstluftwm-alternative-overview-of-herbstluftwm-window-manager/): herbstluftwm is a manual tiling window manager with keyboard control, tags and scriptable setup. SMBAct is a beginner-friendly alternative with tutorials. ## Related - HTML version of this page: https://smblob.com/products/smbact/docu/alternatives/window-manager/bspwm-alternative-features-and-considerations-of-bspwm-window-manager/ - Site map for agents: https://smblob.com/llms.txt