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PaperWM vs Forge: catalog facts
PaperWM	Forge
Best for: GNOME users who want keyboard-driven scrollable tiling	Best for: GNOME users who want i3 or sway style tiling without switching desktops
Free Free and open source.	Free Free to use; the source is published on GitHub.
Linux	Linux
Scrollable tiling keeps windows at useful widths Runs inside GNOME Shell, no separate window manager needed All 3 strengths for PaperWM 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	i3 and sway style tiling inside a regular GNOME session Keeps the GNOME desktop instead of replacing it All 3 strengths for Forge i3 and sway style tiling inside a regular GNOME session Keeps the GNOME desktop instead of replacing it Source code published on GitHub
GNOME Shell only Scrolling layout takes time to get used to All 3 limitations for PaperWM GNOME Shell only Scrolling layout takes time to get used to Extensions can break with new GNOME Shell releases	Project is looking for a new maintainer Works only with GNOME Shell All 3 limitations for Forge Project is looking for a new maintainer Works only with GNOME Shell Extension compatibility can lag behind new GNOME releases
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-3.0	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for PaperWM github.com/paperwm/PaperWM Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Forge github.com/forge-ext/forge Catalog checked September 23, 2026

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