dmenu vs Walker
dmenu
tools.suckless.orgWalker
github.comSide by side
| Figure | dmenu | Walker |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · App Launcher Software | 8.7 (#5) | 7.2 (#32) |
| Spec score · App Launchers | 8.6 (#7) | 7.3 (#29) |
| Spec score · App launchers | 8.6 (#7) | 7.6 (#24) |
| Customization | The dmenu site links to a patches collection with contributed modifications. | Users can configure Walker and create themes with custom CSS and provider-specific layouts. |
| Installation | The README says dmenu installs into the /usr/local namespace by default and can be built and installed with make clean install. | The README documents building from source with Cargo and installation through Home Manager or NixOS modules and Nix packages. |
| License | dmenu uses the MIT/X Consortium License, which permits use, copying, modification, redistribution, sublicensing and sale subject to notice requirements. | The project states that it is licensed under GNU General Public License v3.0. |
| Purpose | dmenu is a dynamic menu for X that manages large numbers of user-defined menu items efficiently. | Walker is a fast, customizable application launcher built with GTK4 and Rust for Linux desktop environments. |
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.