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JWM vs Window Maker: catalog facts
JWM	Window Maker
Best for: Lightweight desktops on older or low-powered Linux machines	Best for: Linux users who want a light, classic NeXT-style desktop
Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.	Free Free and open source.
Linux	Linux
Very small footprint, needing only Xlib Runs well on old hardware and the Raspberry Pi All 4 strengths for JWM Very small footprint, needing only Xlib Runs well on old hardware and the Raspberry Pi Optional multi-monitor, SVG and antialiased font support Available as a package in many distributions	Faithful NeXTSTEP look and feel Lightweight, with dockapps for small utilities All 3 strengths for Window Maker Faithful NeXTSTEP look and feel Lightweight, with dockapps for small utilities Readable config files plus a graphical preferences tool
X11 only, no Wayland support Stacking only, with no tiling layouts All 3 limitations for JWM X11 only, no Wayland support Stacking only, with no tiling layouts Plain appearance compared with full desktop environments	X11 only, no Wayland support mentioned Latest stable release dates from August 2023
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MIT	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for JWM joewing.net/projects/jwm Catalog checked September 24, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Window Maker windowmaker.org Catalog checked September 24, 2026

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