Compare software

i3 vs dwm: catalog facts
i3	dwm
Best for: Arrange X11 windows in a keyboard-controlled tiling workspace	Best for: Use a small dynamic window manager for X11 with tiling and floating layouts
Free Free and open source. Hosting, hardware and any external services are separate.	Free Free and open source. Hosting, hardware and any external services are separate.
Linux	Linux
Uses a tree-based window layout Supports workspaces and configurable key bindings	Keeps the core implementation compact Supports keyboard-driven window arrangement
Runs on X11 rather than Wayland.	Many customizations require editing and recompiling the source.
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: BSD-3-Clause	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for i3 i3wm.org github.com/i3/i3 Catalog checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for dwm dwm.suckless.org Catalog checked September 22, 2026

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