RibbonGuides to window management on the Mac
How scrolling window managers work, how they compare with the tilers and snappers you may already use, and how to bring a niri, PaperWM, i3 or Hyprland habit over to macOS. Written by the maker of Ribbon, with the other tools described as fairly as we can.
Start here
Scrolling WMs explainedThe strip, the columns, the moves, and every scrolling WM by operating system.Best scrolling WMs for MacRibbon, OmniWM, Nehir, Paneru, PaperWM.spoon and the rest, ranked by situation.Tile windows on MacDrag, green button, Window menu and every Fn-Control shortcut, plus how to turn it off.MacBook window managerGrids get cramped on 13–15" screens. What works better on a laptop, honestly.Ultrawide window managerThirds, centre layouts or a scrolling strip: making a 34" or 49" screen usable.Stage Manager alternativesTurn Stage Manager off, then pick what to use instead: tiling, Spaces or a strip.
Coming from Linux or Windows
Niri for MacNiri itself is Linux-only. Five ways to get its scrolling strip on macOS.Niri config on macOSGaps, widths, centring, focus ring, input and rules: each niri option and its Mac twin.Niri keybindings on MacEach default niri bind next to its Ribbon shortcut, and the ones with no Mac twin.PaperWM for MacFree Lua plugin or paid native app: keys, setup and trade-offs compared.Niri vs PaperWMCompositor vs GNOME extension: the real differences, and the Mac options for both.PaperWM.spoon setupHammerspoon, init.lua, Mission Control settings, the swipe, and hotkey fixes.Hyprland for MacNo Hyprland on macOS, but each of its layouts has a Mac stand-in. Eye candy doesn't.i3 for MacNo i3 or sway on macOS. Match the i3 habit you miss to the right Mac tiler.komorebi for MacThe Windows tiler on macOS: licence, Spaces rules and Scrolling layout limits.
Compare
Ribbon vs AeroSpaceFree i3-style tree with its own workspaces vs a paid strip that keeps macOS Spaces.Ribbon vs yabaiFree BSP tiling driven by scripts vs a paid scrolling strip you set up in a window.Ribbon vs AmethystFree xmonad-style auto layouts vs a paid strip where windows keep their width.Ribbon vs RectangleOn-demand snapping vs an always-on scrolling strip, and when free is enough.Ribbon vs LoopA free radial-menu window mover vs a paid scrolling strip. Different jobs.Ribbon vs OmniWMFree and Tahoe-only vs paid and macOS 13+. Spaces, gestures and setup compared.AeroSpace alternativesyabai, Amethyst, Rectangle, Loop, OmniWM, Ribbon, PaperWM.spoon and macOS tiling.OmniWM alternativesScrolling WMs for Ventura to Sequoia, and for people who want native Spaces.yabai without SIPWhat yabai does with SIP on, which extras need it off, and what that costs you.