Compare software

xmonad vs dwm: catalog facts
xmonad	dwm
Best for: Keyboard-focused X11 users who are happy to configure in Haskell	Best for: Use a small dynamic window manager for X11 with tiling and floating layouts
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	Keeps the core implementation compact Supports keyboard-driven window arrangement
Configuring it requires some Haskell X11 only, no Wayland support	Many customizations require editing and recompiling the source.
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
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 dwm dwm.suckless.org Catalog checked September 22, 2026

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