Compare software

dmenu vs rofi: catalog facts
dmenu	rofi
Best for: Minimal X setups and tiling window manager users who script their own menus	Best for: Tiling window manager users who need a fast keyboard launcher and menu
Free Free to download from suckless.org.	Free Free and open source.
Linux	Linux
Very small and fast Scriptable for any list-selection task All 3 strengths for dmenu Very small and fast Scriptable for any list-selection task Pairs naturally with dwm and other tiling window managers	Launcher, window switcher and dmenu replacement in one tool Scriptable menu for your own shell scripts All 3 strengths for rofi Launcher, window switcher and dmenu replacement in one tool Scriptable menu for your own shell scripts Theming support and text-file configuration
X only, no native Wayland support Customizing it means editing source and recompiling	Configuration and theming take some effort Linux and Unix-like desktops only
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Not open source	Open source
License not stated	License: MIT
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for dmenu tools.suckless.org/dmenu Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for rofi github.com/davatorium/rofi Catalog checked September 23, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.