Compare software

xmonad vs bspwm: catalog facts
xmonad	bspwm
Best for: Keyboard-focused X11 users who are happy to configure in Haskell	Best for: Manage X11 windows as the leaves of a binary tree
Free Free and open source, supported by donations.	Free Free and open source. Hosting, hardware and any external services are separate.
Linux	Linux
Automatic tiling layouts Configuration is a full Haskell program All 3 strengths for xmonad Automatic tiling layouts Configuration is a full Haskell program Large set of extensions in xmonad-contrib	Separates window management from keyboard bindings Can be controlled through shell commands
Configuring it requires some Haskell X11 only, no Wayland support	Requires separate tools for key bindings and desktop panels.
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: BSD-2-Clause
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Offline features available	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for xmonad xmonad.org Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for bspwm github.com/baskerville/bspwm Catalog checked September 22, 2026

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