i3 vs awesome

i39.4Visit Aawesome9.1Visit

Higher score i3 #1 in Window Management Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit i3

vs

A awesome #4 in Window Management Software 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit awesome

• i3 fits best

  Linux users wanting configurable tiling

• awesome fits best

  Linux users who want Lua customization

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Side by side

Feature	i3 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Aawesome 9.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	9.1
Ranking	#1 in Window Management Software	#4 in Window Management Software
Best for	Linux users wanting configurable tiling	Linux users who want Lua customization
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Linux	Linux
Features i3 4/4 · awesome 4/4
Layout presets	✓	✓
Application rules	✓	✓
Window grouping	✓	✓
Virtual desktop controls	✓	✓
Specs
Platforms	linux	linux
Maximum displays	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Switch among tiling, stacking, tabbed, floating, and fullscreen layouts Assign workspaces to screens and windows to workspaces or outputs Save and restore workspace or output layouts with JSON files	Offers both tiling and floating layouts, with per-screen tags. Lua configuration supports application rules and fine-grained window control. Includes custom widgets, status bars, and D-Bus support.
Cons	Aimed primarily at advanced users and developers Designed for X11 rather than a broad range of desktop platforms Requires configuration to define bindings, app rules, and workspace behavior	Designed for X, rather than a general-purpose desktop environment. Lua-based configuration may not suit users seeking a mostly graphical setup. The latest stable release listed by the project is version 4.3, dated 28 January 2019.
Our verdict	i3 is a free, open-source tiling window manager for X11, aimed primarily at advanced users and developers. It arranges windows in a tree structure and offers horizontal and vertical splits, stacking and tabbed containers, plus floating and… Read the review →	For Linux users who want control over how windows are arranged and managed, awesome is a free, open-source window manager for X. It combines tiling and floating layouts with keyboard-driven operation, multiple-screen support, and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• i3 — where it wins

  • Switch among tiling, stacking, tabbed, floating, and fullscreen layouts
  • Assign workspaces to screens and windows to workspaces or outputs
  • Save and restore workspace or output layouts with JSON files

  Where it doesn't

  • Aimed primarily at advanced users and developers
  • Designed for X11 rather than a broad range of desktop platforms
  • Requires configuration to define bindings, app rules, and workspace behavior

• awesome — where it wins

  • Offers both tiling and floating layouts, with per-screen tags.
  • Lua configuration supports application rules and fine-grained window control.
  • Includes custom widgets, status bars, and D-Bus support.

  Where it doesn't

  • Designed for X, rather than a general-purpose desktop environment.
  • Lua-based configuration may not suit users seeking a mostly graphical setup.
  • The latest stable release listed by the project is version 4.3, dated 28 January 2019.

• i39.4/10 · Free plan

  A configurable X11 window manager for Linux users who want precise tiling and workspace control.

  Visit i3Full verdict →
• Aawesome9.1/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source X window manager built for keyboard control and deep customization.

  Visit awesomeFull verdict →