Compare software

Openbox vs cwm: catalog facts
Openbox	cwm
Best for: Manage X11 windows with a configurable stacking window manager	Best for: A minimal keyboard-driven X11 window manager on Linux
Free Free and open source. Hosting, hardware and any external services are separate.	Free Free to download and use from its public GitHub repository.
Linux	Linux
Supports custom menus and window rules Can be used alone or within another desktop setup	Small and simple, with a single text configuration file Keyboard-driven window handling All 4 strengths for cwm Small and simple, with a single text configuration file Keyboard-driven window handling Tracks upstream OpenBSD cwm development Signed releases
A complete desktop requires separate panels, launchers and other utilities.	X11 only, no Wayland support Minimal by design, with no panels or desktop extras
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Openbox openbox.org Catalog checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for cwm github.com/leahneukirchen/cwm Catalog checked October 2, 2026

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