dmenu vs Executor
dmenu
tools.suckless.orgExecutor
executor.dkSide by side
| Figure | dmenu | Executor |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · App Launcher Software | 8.7 (#5) | 8.5 (#7) |
| Spec score · App Launchers | 8.6 (#7) | 8.4 (#8) |
| Spec score · App launchers | 8.6 (#7) | 8.5 (#9) |
| Customization | The dmenu site links to a patches collection with contributed modifications. | Users can customize keywords, appearance, hotkeys, indexing, behavior, skins, and themes. |
| Extensibility | The source tree includes configuration headers, shell helpers, C sources and manual pages, while the project publishes community patches. | The documentation describes internal-browser JavaScript integration and keyword command primitives rather than a separate plugin marketplace. |
| Praise: customization | Sugggest says appearance and behavior can be customized and extended through scripts and pipes. | Softpedia highlighted extensive control over keywords, hotkeys, indexing, completion, skins and launcher behavior. |
| Support | The suckless community page identifies the dev mailing list as a place for dmenu users, development discussion, bug reports, and general discussion. | Bug reports are directed to the Executor Community GitHub issues, with a report command for diagnostic output. |
| What it does | dmenu is a dynamic menu for X that efficiently handles large sets of user-defined items. | Executor is a native Windows desktop workflow launcher for opening applications, files, folders, websites and commands. |
Plans
In their own words
dmenu
dmenu is a free dynamic menu for X that handles large sets of user-defined menu items and can launch commands. It runs on Linux and was originally designed for the dwm window manager. Community scripts apply it to tasks such as browsing directories, managing clipboard contents, accessing passwords, and controlling music; contributed modifications are available in a patches collection. The project provides a browsable source repository and a Git clone command. Building requires Xlib header files, and the README describes building and installing with `make clean install`, with files placed in the `/usr/local` namespace by default. The listed release is dmenu 5.4, dated 2025-08-09. Its source uses the MIT/X Consortium License, which permits use, copying, modification, distribution, sublicensing, and sale of copies subject to its conditions, while disclaiming warranties. The suckless dev mailing list is identified as a venue for user questions, development discussion, bug reports, and general discussion.