Top 15 Tiling Window Managers for Linux in 2025

Linux Window Managers: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best Tiling Options

Linux window managers orchestrate how application windows behave, quietly managing the visual arrangement of your open programs. This article explores top-tier tiling window managers for Linux users.

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Here's a curated list of excellent tiling window managers:

1. i3: A Refined Tiling Solution

i3 is a free, open-source, and highly customizable window manager ideal for advanced Linux/BSD users and developers. Its tree-based structure allows for flexible layouts, eliminating the need for Haskell or LUA. Its popularity stems from features like plain-text settings, custom keyboard shortcuts, and configuration without system restarts.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install i3         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install i3         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge x11-wm/i3       # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add i3             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S i3           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install i3      # OpenSUSE

2. bspwm: Lightweight and Efficient

bspwm is a lightweight, open-source tiling manager embodying the Linux philosophy of focused functionality. Based on binary space partitioning, it uses sxhkd for keybinding, ensuring smooth performance and broader input device support. Features include multi-window support, partial EWMH compliance, automatic tiling modes, and message-based control.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install bspwm         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install bspwm         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/bspwm  # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add bspwm             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S bspwm           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install bspwm      # OpenSUSE

3. herbstluftwm: Configurable and Flexible

herbstluftwm is a configurable, open-source tiling window manager for X11, utilizing Glib and Xlib. Its layout is based on recursively splitting frames, offering granular control. Key features include tags (workspaces), a startup configuration script, and a single tag per monitor.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install herbstluftwm         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install herbstluftwm         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/herbstluftwm  # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add herbstluftwm             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S herbstluftwm           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install herbstluftwm      # OpenSUSE

4. awesome: Fast and Extensible

awesome is a fast, extensible, open-source tiling manager for X, geared towards developers and power users. It boasts well-documented code and API, multi-head support, D-Bus integration, Lua extensions, and a streamlined design.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install awesome         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install awesome         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/awesome  # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add awesome             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S awesome           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install awesome      # OpenSUSE

5. Tilix: A Tiling Terminal Emulator

Tilix is a GTK3-based tiling terminal emulator and manager adhering to Gnome Human Interface Guidelines. It allows for easy drag-and-drop organization of terminal windows. Features include custom titles/hyperlinks, transparent backgrounds, background notifications, multiple panes, and persistent layouts.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install tilix         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install tilix         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/tilix  # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add tilix             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S tilix           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install tilix      # OpenSUSE

6. XMonad: Dynamic and Extensible

XMonad is a dynamic tiling X11 window manager focused on automated window arrangement. Its extension library allows for customization with status bars and window decorations. It's known for its minimal design, stability, and ease of configuration.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install xmonad         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install xmonad         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/xmonad  # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add xmonad             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S xmonad           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install xmonad      # OpenSUSE

7. Sway: A Wayland-Based i3 Alternative

Sway is a lightweight, open-source Wayland window manager compatible with i3. It automatically arranges windows to optimize screen space, using a default grid layout and supporting most i3 commands. Key features include keyboard shortcuts, Wayland support, and customizable gaps.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install sway         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install sway         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/sway  # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add sway             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S sway           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install sway      # OpenSUSE

8. tmux: Terminal Multiplexer

tmux is an open-source terminal multiplexer, allowing management of multiple terminal sessions from a single screen. Ideal for running multiple command-line programs concurrently, it efficiently utilizes screen space and supports keybindings for window/pane management. It also enables sharing shell instances across sessions.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install tmux         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install tmux         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/tmux  # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add tmux             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S tmux           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install tmux      # OpenSUSE

9. spectrwm: A Concise and Fast Option

spectrwm is a small, dynamic tiling window manager inspired by xmonad and dwm. It prioritizes speed and efficiency, using a plain-text configuration file and offering defaults similar to xmonad and dwm. Features include customizable colors/borders, drag-to-float functionality, a quick launch menu, and dynamic RandR support.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install spectrwm         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install spectrwm         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/spectrwm  # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add spectrwm             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S spectrwm           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install spectrwm      # OpenSUSE

10. JWM: Lightweight for Older Systems

JWM (Joe's Window Manager) is a lightweight, C-based window manager for X11, optimized for older hardware. While requiring only Xlib, it supports libraries like libXext, Cairo, libRSVG, libjpeg, and libpng for enhanced functionality. It's commonly found on lightweight distributions like Damn Small Linux and Puppy Linux.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install jwm         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install jwm         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/jwm  # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add jwm             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S jwm           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install jwm      # OpenSUSE

11. Qtile: Python-Based and Customizable

Qtile is a fully configurable tiling window manager written in Python. It emphasizes simplicity, extensibility through extensions, and customization. It allows for easy creation of custom layouts, commands, and widgets, and can be remotely scripted for workspace management and window manipulation.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install qtile         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint (18.04 )
$ sudo yum install qtile         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux

12. Ratpoison: Minimalist Keyboard Control

Ratpoison is a minimalist window manager prioritizing simplicity, foregoing graphics, decorations, and external dependencies. It's modeled after GNU Screen, featuring keyboard-only control and non-overlapping, maximized windows within frames.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install ratpoison         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install ratpoison         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/ratpoison  # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add ratpoison             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S ratpoison           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install ratpoison      # OpenSUSE

13. dwm: Influential and Lightweight

dwm is a lightweight, dynamic tiling window manager that has influenced many others, including awesome and xmonad. It manages windows in tiled, monocle, and floating layouts, dynamically adapting to application needs.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install dwm         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install dwm         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/dwm  # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add dwm             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S dwm           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install dwm      # OpenSUSE

14. Notion: Tiling with Tabbing

Notion is an X window manager offering tiling with an additional tabbing feature. Unlike many dynamic managers, it's static, meaning tile sizes don't automatically adjust.

Installation:

$ sudo apt install notion         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
$ sudo yum install notion         # RHEL/CentOS/Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux
$ sudo emerge -a sys-apps/notion  # Gentoo Linux
$ sudo apk add notion             # Alpine Linux
$ sudo pacman -S notion           # Arch Linux
$ sudo zypper install notion      # OpenSUSE

15. Hyprland: Modern Wayland Compositor

Hyprland is a modern, dynamic Wayland compositor offering high customizability and efficiency. It supports dynamic tiling, window animations, and per-monitor configurations. Its Wayland foundation provides a smoother and more secure experience than X11-based alternatives.

Conclusion

This selection represents a strong starting point for exploring tiling window managers. The best choice depends on individual preferences and technical expertise. Share your experiences and recommendations in the comments!

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