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## Auto-converted by kwiki2moinmoin v2005-10-07
In the ["XWindowSystem"], the ["XServer"] itself does not give the user the capability of managing windows that have been opened. Instead, this job is delegated to a program called a ''window manager''.
#language en

~-Translation(s): [[fr/WindowManager|Français]] - [[it/WindowManager|
Italiano]]-~
----

In the [[
XWindowSystem|X Window System]], the X Server itself does not give the user the capability of managing windows that have been opened. Instead, this job is delegated to a program called a ''window manager''.
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This proves to be quite confusing for the new user of a X windowing environment because most other environments simply use one window manager and give the user no choice. In this sense, X is much more versatile and allows more tailoring of the environment to whatever the user wants. It allows the creation of an ["XTerminal"], a diskless workstation which runs only an X server (out of ROM) and leaves all user interface implementation to a central compute server. This proves to be quite confusing for the new user of a X windowing environment because most other environments simply use one window manager and give the user no choice. In this sense, X is much more versatile and allows more tailoring of the environment to whatever the user wants. It allows the creation of an xterminal, a diskless workstation which runs only an X server (out of ROM) and leaves all user interface implementation to a central compute server.
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Common Linux window managers are:

 * Sawfish [http://sawmill.sourceforge.net]

 * Windowmaker [http://www.windowmaker.org]

 * Metacity [http://ftp.gnome.org/pub/gnome/sources/metacity] (for DebianGnome ).

 * Blackbox [http://blackboxwm.sourceforge.net]

 * Enlightenment [http://www.enlightenment.org]

 * XFCE [http://www.xfce.org]

 * Kwm (The window manager used for the KDE desktop)
The most commonly used Linux window managers are:
 * Blackbox [[http://blackboxwm.sourceforge.net/]]
 * Enlightenment [[http://www.enlightenment.org/]]
 * FluxBox [[http://fluxbox.sourceforge.net/]]
  * [[FluxBox]]
 * Fvwm [[http://www.fvwm.org/]] (an old but useful window manager - still in constant development!)
 * IceWM [[http://www.icewm.org/]]
  * IceWM is a small, fast, lightweight WindowManager designed to resemble Microsoft Windows.
  * It provides basic, standards compliant window management and a TaskBar.
  * It is very configurable, with many options. So many, in fact, that dispite several attempts, there is no good, intuitive configuration program for it.
  * IceWM is also extremely themable, supporting rounded corners, pixmaps, and many amazingly ugly themes.
  * http://www.icewm.org/
 * KWin / Kwm (The window manager used for the KDE desktop)
 * Metacity [[http://ftp.gnome.org/pub/gnome/sources/metacity]] (for DebianGnome ).
 * Openbox [[http://www.icculus.org/openbox/]]
  * [[Openbox]]
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 * Fvwm [http://www.fvwm.org] (an old but useful window manager - still in constant development!)
 * Windowmaker [[http://www.windowmaker.org/]]
 * XFCE [[http://www.xfce.org/]]
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Window Managers must not be confused with DesktopEnvironments such as GNOME, KDE, ["XFce"]. These three environments use a window manager as a __single__ part of a much larger system. And to make things much more complicated, GNOME doesn't force you to use any one window manager. They have a list of "supported" window managers that you can choose from. Other WMs include:
 * 9wm
 * aewm
 * AfterStep
 * amiwm
 * AmiWM (Amiga Lookalike)
 * JWM [[http://joewing.net/programs/jwm/]]
 * lwm
 * MIWM
 * OpenLook
 * Oroborus
 * PekWM
 * ratpoison
 * Scrotwm
 * StumpWM
 * [[TinyWM]]
 * uwm
 * VTWM
 * w9wm
 * WindowLab
 * wm2
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Afterstep should be mentioned - (and fvwm is actually fvwm2 whereas fvwm1 already had/has lots of "functionallity" and lives on a smaller foot-print)
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== Blackbox ==
DebianFluxbox [http://fluxbox.sourceforge.net] is a good variant on Blackbox-- almost as small, but much more intuitive(and theme-compatible). It can be installed for a bootable USB key with Linux (see DamnSmallLinux).
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Openbox 2.x [http://icculus.org/openbox] is yet another variety on Blackbox, based on Blackbox. Openbox 3.x is written from scratch though visual appearance was influenced by Blackbox.
See DebianPackage:openbox
== See also{{{ ==
== Tiling Window manager ==
=== awesome ===
 * awesome [[http://awesome.naquadah.org/]]

=== dwm ===
[[http://dwm.suckless.org]]
Package: DebianPkg:dwm

PROS:
 * Clean and minimalistic user interface. Very lightweight.
CONS:
 * It has no configuration file, one have to fetch the source and recompile it to customize it.
See also [[fr/DWM]] ''(French)''
=== larswm ===

=== i3-wm ===

=== ion ===
 * [[fr/Ion]] ''(French)''
=== mutter ===

=== sawfish ===
 * Sawfish [[http://sawfish.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page]]

=== wmii ===
 * [[Wmii|wmii]] [[http://wmii.suckless.org/]]

Uses a [[http://9p.cat-v.org|9P file system]] for scripting and configuration.

=== xfwm ===

=== xmonad ===
see DebPkg:x-window-manager packages descriptions
 * xmonad [[http://xmonad.org/]]

If you use startx rather than a login manager, you'll probably want to choose a default Window Manager. To change the default window manager use{{{
  update-alternatives --config x-window-manager
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( See {{{update-alternatives}}} manpage).

Window Managers must not be confused with [[Desktop_environment]]s such as GNOME, KDE, XFce. These three environments use a window manager as a __single__ part of a much larger system. And to make things much more complicated, GNOME doesn't force you to use any one window manager. They have a list of "supported" window managers that you can choose from.

Afterstep should be mentioned - (and fvwm is actually fvwm2 whereas fvwm1 already had/has lots of "functionality" and lives on a smaller foot-print)


== See also ==
 * [[display_manager|Display manager]]s: (gdm, kdm, xdm ..).
 * [[WikiPedia:GUI|GUI]]
-------
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 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/window_manager
 * [[http://markhobley.yi.org:8000/xwincompare|Comparison of X Window Managers at the Mark Hobley's Open Source Laboratory]]
----
CategoryDesktopEnvironment | [[CategoryXWindowSystem]]

Translation(s): Français - Italiano


In the X Window System, the X Server itself does not give the user the capability of managing windows that have been opened. Instead, this job is delegated to a program called a window manager.

The window manager gives windows a border and allows you to move them around and maximize/minimize them. The user interface for these functions is left up to its author.

This proves to be quite confusing for the new user of a X windowing environment because most other environments simply use one window manager and give the user no choice. In this sense, X is much more versatile and allows more tailoring of the environment to whatever the user wants. It allows the creation of an xterminal, a diskless workstation which runs only an X server (out of ROM) and leaves all user interface implementation to a central compute server.

The most commonly used Linux window managers are:

Other WMs include:

Tiling Window manager

awesome

dwm

http://dwm.suckless.org Package: dwm

PROS:

  • Clean and minimalistic user interface. Very lightweight.

CONS:

  • It has no configuration file, one have to fetch the source and recompile it to customize it.

See also ?fr/DWM (French)

larswm

i3-wm

ion

mutter

sawfish

wmii

Uses a 9P file system for scripting and configuration.

xfwm

xmonad

see x-window-manager packages descriptions

If you use startx rather than a login manager, you'll probably want to choose a default Window Manager. To change the default window manager use

  update-alternatives --config x-window-manager

( See update-alternatives manpage).

Window Managers must not be confused with ?Desktop_environments such as GNOME, KDE, XFce. These three environments use a window manager as a single part of a much larger system. And to make things much more complicated, GNOME doesn't force you to use any one window manager. They have a list of "supported" window managers that you can choose from.

Afterstep should be mentioned - (and fvwm is actually fvwm2 whereas fvwm1 already had/has lots of "functionality" and lives on a smaller foot-print)

See also



CategoryDesktopEnvironment | CategoryXWindowSystem