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niri vs PaperWM: catalog facts
niri	PaperWM
Screenshots	Screenshots
Best for: Linux users who want keyboard-driven tiling without windows being squeezed	Best for: GNOME users who want keyboard-driven scrollable tiling
Free Free and open source.	Free Free and open source.
Linux	Linux
Opening windows does not resize existing ones IPC interface for scripting and status bars Active development with a large user base	Scrollable tiling keeps windows at useful widths Runs inside GNOME Shell, no separate window manager needed Settings pane for keybindings and per-app window rules
Wayland only, no X11 session Needs separate panels, launchers and other desktop pieces Scrolling layout takes some getting used to	GNOME Shell only Scrolling layout takes time to get used to Extensions can break with new GNOME Shell releases
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-3.0
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for niri github.com/niri-wm/niri Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for PaperWM github.com/paperwm/PaperWM Catalog checked September 23, 2026

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

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