Compare software

Sway vs river: catalog facts
Sway	river
Best for: Use an i3-style tiling workflow on Wayland	Best for: Linux users who want to build or choose their own Wayland window manager
Free Free and open source. Hosting, hardware and any external services are separate.	Free Free and open source.
Linux	Linux
Supports much of the i3 configuration format Arranges windows with keyboard-driven layouts	Window management policy is a separate, replaceable program Documented window management protocol All 3 strengths for river Window management policy is a separate, replaceable program Documented window management protocol Actively developed with regular releases
Some X11 applications and workflows need compatibility layers or alternatives.	Needs a separate window manager to be useful Building from source requires the Zig toolchain All 3 limitations for river Needs a separate window manager to be useful Building from source requires the Zig toolchain Older configurations belong to river-classic
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MIT	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 Sway swaywm.org github.com/swaywm/sway Catalog checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for river isaacfreund.com/software/river Catalog checked September 23, 2026

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