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Openbox vs KWin: catalog facts
Openbox	KWin
Best for: Manage X11 windows with a configurable stacking window manager	Best for: KDE Plasma users who want detailed control over window behaviour
Free Free and open source. Hosting, hardware and any external services are separate.	Free Free and open source as part of KDE Plasma.
Linux	Linux
Supports custom menus and window rules Can be used alone or within another desktop setup	Per-application window rules Built-in tiling and scripting support All 3 strengths for KWin Per-application window rules Built-in tiling and scripting support Full Wayland compositor with desktop effects
A complete desktop requires separate panels, launchers and other utilities.	Closely tied to KDE Plasma and its libraries Many options can be overwhelming to configure
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-2.0-or-later
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 KWin invent.kde.org/plasma/kwin Catalog checked October 1, 2026

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