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Tech riderRev. 30 Sept 2026

i3

Ch 086.8of 64 Window Management Software
  1. 1Runs onLinux, self-hosted
  2. 2CostsFree plan
  3. 3PlatformsLinux
  4. 4Layout presetsYes
  5. 5Application rulesYes
  6. 6Window groupingYes
  7. 7Virtual desktop controlsYes
7 lines stated Written from the maker's own pages: i3wm.org
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The i3 homepage

Overview

i3 is ranked #8 of 64 in window management software on Specifiction. It runs on Linux, Self-hosted. There is a free plan.

i3 plans and pricing

All plans
i3 Free Free and Open Source Software · BSD license · GNU/Linux and BSD i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026

Compared on window management software

Free plan
Yesi3wm.org
Platforms
Linuxi3wm.org
Layout presets
Yesi3wm.org
Application rules
Yesi3wm.org
Window grouping
Yesi3wm.org
Virtual desktop controls
Yesi3wm.org

Facts

Product
i3 is a tiling window manager written from scratch.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
Intended users
The project primarily targets advanced users and developers.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
Window layouts
i3 arranges windows in a tree and supports split, stacking, and tabbed layouts.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
Workspaces
Users can group windows into workspaces and associate workspaces with multiple screens.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
Configuration
Users can customize key bindings, application startup, workspace assignments, and colors through a configuration file.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
Multi-monitor
The project goals include multi-monitor support, including attaching or detaching monitors during operation and rotated monitors.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
IPC
i3 provides an inter-process communication interface that accepts commands and supports event subscriptions.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
Integrations
The documentation describes i3bar, i3status, and external workspace bar programs such as dzen2.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
License
The project describes its software as free and open source under the BSD license.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
Release security
The downloads page says releases are cryptographically signed and asks users to verify them before use.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
Current release
The downloads page lists version 4.25.1 as the current stable release, dated 2026-02-06.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
Installation
The project recommends using packages provided by the user's distribution and also provides Debian and Ubuntu repositories.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
Documentation and help
The user guide directs users to GitHub Discussions, IRC, or the mailing list for questions.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026
Notable limit
The project describes i3 as an X11 window manager and lists GNU/Linux and BSD as its target operating systems.i3wm.org · 30 Sept 2026

Company

Founded
2009i3wm.org · 23 Sept 2026

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Where it ranks on Specifiction

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Sources