xmobar

A minimalist text-based status bar for X11, written in Haskell and often paired with xmonad.

FreeOpen sourceLinux
Official websitecodeberg.orgDownload pagecodeberg.orgDocumentationcodeberg.org

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About xmobar

xmobar is a minimalist status bar for X11 desktops. It shows text-based information from plugins, such as system readings and window manager state, in a thin bar at the edge of the screen. It is written in Haskell and is commonly used alongside the xmonad window manager, though it can run on its own.

The project is actively developed on Codeberg with continuous integration and regular releases. Documentation covers a quick start, compiling, the plugin set and configuring xmobar in Haskell.

Strengths

  • Lightweight text-based status bar
  • Plugin system for system information
  • Integrates closely with xmonad
  • Can be configured in Haskell

Limitations

  • X11 only
  • Text-oriented, with little graphical styling
  • Advanced configuration assumes some Haskell knowledge

Details

Pricing
FreeFree and open source.
License
Open source, license not stated
Developer
The xmobar contributors
Platforms
Linux
How it runs
Downloadable app
Account
Not required
Works offline
Yes
Best suited for
xmonad and other minimal X11 setups that need a simple status bar
Last verified
Added
Provenance
Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.

Alternatives to xmobar

Compare all

Software that can replace xmobar for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.

  • Polybar

    Build a configurable status bar for an X11 desktop.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    Polybar is a configurable X11 status bar with modules and custom scripts, offering more graphical styling than text-based xmobar without Haskell configuration.

  • Lemonbar

    Featherweight, scriptable status bar for X11 built on xcb.

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    Lemonbar is a featherweight xcb-based X11 bar with no built-in configuration, so everything is scripted externally rather than set through plugins.

  • Tint2

    Lightweight panel and taskbar for Linux and BSD window managers.

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    Tint2 is a lightweight Linux and BSD panel and taskbar configured through a plain text file, adding a taskbar rather than only a text status line.

  • Eww

    Create custom desktop widgets using declarative configuration and styling.

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    Eww builds custom panels and widgets from declarative configuration and styling under MIT, requiring you to write widget configuration and maintain its scripts.

  • Waybar

    Add a customizable status bar to compatible Wayland desktops.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    Waybar is a customizable status bar for Wayland compositors rather than X11, with workspace and system-status modules and custom styling.

  • Quickshell

    A QtQuick toolkit for building your own status bars, widgets, lockscreens and desktop shells.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    Quickshell is a QtQuick toolkit for building bars, widgets and whole shells, requiring QML rather than Haskell and offering flexible layouts and animation.

  • Ironbar

    A customisable GTK4 status bar for Wayland compositors, written in Rust.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    Ironbar is a GTK4 status bar written in Rust for Wayland only, with no X11 support, scaling from minimal to feature-rich setups.

xmobar as an alternative

Listings that name xmobar as an alternative.

  • Vitals

    A GNOME Shell extension that shows temperatures, voltages, fan speeds, memory and CPU load in the top bar.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    xmobar is a text status bar for X11 with plugins for system information, suited to xmonad setups and configured in Haskell.

Similar software

Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.

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