Compare software

labwc vs JWM: catalog facts
labwc	JWM
Best for: Openbox users moving to a light Wayland setup	Best for: Lightweight desktops on older or low-powered Linux machines
Free Free and open source.	Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.
Linux	Linux
Lightweight stacking compositor for Wayland Familiar to Openbox users All 3 strengths for labwc Lightweight stacking compositor for Wayland Familiar to Openbox users Works with separate panels and tools of your choice	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
Needs other programs for a complete desktop Wayland only	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
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
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 labwc labwc.github.io Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for JWM joewing.net/projects/jwm Catalog checked September 24, 2026

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