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Window Maker vs cwm: catalog facts
Window Maker	cwm
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Best for: Linux users who want a light, classic NeXT-style desktop	Best for: A minimal keyboard-driven X11 window manager on Linux
Free Free and open source.	Free Free to download and use from its public GitHub repository.
Linux	Linux
Faithful NeXTSTEP look and feel Lightweight, with dockapps for small utilities Readable config files plus a graphical preferences tool	Small and simple, with a single text configuration file Keyboard-driven window handling Tracks upstream OpenBSD cwm development Signed releases
X11 only, no Wayland support mentioned Latest stable release dates from August 2023	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
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Window Maker windowmaker.org Catalog checked September 24, 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.

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