Phoenix
A lightweight macOS window and app manager that you configure and script with JavaScript.
These buttons open the developer's own site, repository or store listing in a new tab. wares.gg does not host downloads.
1 more ways to get Phoenix
Package managers
- Homebrew
brew install --cask phoenix
About Phoenix
Phoenix is a small macOS utility that runs in the background. It has no fixed set of window actions. Instead, you write a JavaScript configuration file that binds keys and events to moving, resizing and focusing windows, launching or switching apps, and reacting to screens and spaces.
It has no built-in layouts, so it suits people who want to write their own window management behaviour in code rather than set options in a preferences pane.
Strengths
- Window and app behaviour fully scriptable in JavaScript
- Lightweight background app with no fixed workflow imposed
- Long-running project with an extensive commit history
Limitations
- Requires writing code before it does anything useful
- macOS only
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree and open source.
- License
- MIT
- Developer
- Kasper Hirvikoski
- Platforms
- macOS
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Account
- Not required
- Works offline
- Yes
- Best suited for
- Mac users who want to script their own window management in JavaScript
- Categories
- Window tools, Automation
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.
Alternatives to Phoenix
Compare allSoftware that can replace Phoenix for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
yabai
A tiling window manager for macOS that arranges windows by binary space partitioning and is driven entirely from the command line.
yabai replaces JavaScript scripting with a command-line interface and automatic binary space partitioning tiling, though some features require partially disabling System Integrity Protection.
AeroSpace
An i3-like tiling window manager for macOS, written in Swift.
AeroSpace gives you ready-made i3-style keyboard tiling on macOS instead of writing your own JavaScript, and it is free and open source.
Amethyst
Arrange macOS windows automatically with a keyboard-driven tiling manager.
Amethyst provides automatic keyboard-driven tiling layouts out of the box under the MIT license, so no code is needed before it becomes useful.
Rectangle
Snap macOS windows to halves, thirds, quarters and corners with keyboard shortcuts or by dragging to an edge.
Rectangle swaps scripting for configurable keyboard shortcuts and drag-to-edge snap areas, and is free and open source under MIT with Homebrew installation.
Moom
A Mac window manager for moving, zooming and snapping windows and restoring saved window layouts.
Moom is a paid, closed source app with a pop-up palette and saved window layouts for different display setups instead of JavaScript scripting.
Phoenix as an alternative
Listings that name Phoenix as an alternative.
BetterTouchTool
macOS customization tool for trackpad gestures, shortcuts, and window snapping.
Phoenix is a free, open-source macOS window and app manager scripted in JavaScript, requiring code before it does anything useful.
Hammerspoon
A bridge between macOS and Lua that lets a short script move windows, bind hotkeys and react to system events.
Phoenix is an MIT-licensed macOS window and app manager scripted in JavaScript instead of Lua, focused on window management with a narrower reach into system events.
Script Kit
A cross-platform desktop app for writing and launching JavaScript and TypeScript scripts from a prompt.
Phoenix is an MIT-licensed macOS app scripted in JavaScript, focused on window and app management rather than launching general scripts from a prompt.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
