Openbox alternative. An Overview of the Openbox Window Manager

Openbox is a lightweight and highly configurable window manager for the X Window System. It is known for its simplicity, efficiency, and flexibility. Here are some key points about the Openbox window manager:

• Lightweight and Fast: Openbox is designed to be lightweight and consume minimal system resources, making it suitable for older or less powerful hardware. It prioritizes speed and responsiveness, allowing for a smooth user experience even on low-end systems.
• Highly Customizable: Openbox offers extensive customization options through its configuration files. Users can modify various aspects of the window manager, including keybindings, appearance, window decorations, and desktop behavior, to suit their preferences. This level of customization empowers users to create personalized and tailored desktop environments.
• Minimalistic Design: Openbox follows a minimalistic design philosophy, focusing on essential window management functions without incorporating additional desktop features like panels, docks, or application launchers. This minimalism allows for a clean and uncluttered desktop experience, leaving users free to choose and integrate other tools as needed.
• Integration with Desktop Environments: While Openbox is a standalone window manager, it can be used as the default window manager within various desktop environments like LXDE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment). This integration allows users to combine the lightweight and customizable nature of Openbox with the additional functionality and tools provided by the desktop environment.
• Tiling and Stacking Window Modes: Openbox supports both stacking and tiling window modes, giving users the flexibility to choose their preferred window arrangement. While Openbox is primarily a stacking window manager, users can incorporate external tools or scripts to achieve tiling functionality if desired.
• Community and Documentation: Openbox benefits from an active community of users and developers who provide support, share configurations, and contribute to its ongoing development. Additionally, comprehensive documentation and user guides are available to assist users in understanding and customizing Openbox to meet their needs.

While Openbox itself is a window manager, users often rely on external tools and utilities to add additional functionality. This can result in a more fragmented experience, as users need to find and integrate different tools for tasks like application launching, panel creation, or system monitoring.

Moreover, Openbox has a steeper learning curve compared to more user-friendly window managers. Its configuration relies heavily on manual editing of XML-based configuration files, which may require some technical knowledge and familiarity with the command line. Openbox does not come with extensive default functionality or pre-configured settings. Users are expected to customize and tailor Openbox to their specific needs, which can be time-consuming and may require a deeper understanding of the configuration options.

If you’re not an experienced user and don’t want to waste time on program configuration, the complexity of Openbox is overwhelming, then an alternative worth considering is the SMBAct window manager. Not only does it function as a window manager, but it also serves as a window switcher. SMBAct stands out with its excellent support, user-friendly and intuitive interface, accompanied by video tutorials, regular updates, and the addition of new features. All these qualities make SMBAct a valuable alternative.

Here you can find detailed information about SMBAct