yabai
A free, open-source tiling window manager for macOS controlled from the command line.
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- Alternatives ranked
- 4
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About yabai
yabai is a tiling window manager that extends macOS's own window server. It arranges windows automatically using binary space partitioning, so each new window splits the space of the focused one, and it can also float or stack windows. Everything is controlled through a command-line interface, which makes it highly scriptable; keyboard shortcuts are usually added with the companion hotkey daemon skhd or another tool. Extra features include focus-follows-mouse, removing the animation when switching Spaces and creating more than the usual 16 Spaces. Some of its most powerful features, such as moving windows between Spaces, need System Integrity Protection to be partly disabled so it can inject code into the Dock, which many users and employers will not accept. It is free and open source under MIT and supports recent macOS versions on Intel and Apple Silicon. Setup is entirely by config file and shell, with no settings window, so it is aimed squarely at developers and tinkerers.
Best for: Developers who want a fully scriptable tiling window manager on macOS.
Pros and cons
What works
- Automatic BSP tiling with stacking and floating
- Fully scriptable command-line control
- Free and open source
Why people leave
- Best features require partially disabling SIP
- No settings window; config and shell only
- Shortcuts need a separate tool such as skhd
Top yabai alternatives
See all 4- 1
AeroSpace66.5i3-style tiling that does not need SIP disabled, with its own fast workspaces.
- 2
Amethyst62.6Simpler preset tiling layouts with a normal settings window.
- 3
Rectangle57.2Manual keyboard snapping if automatic tiling turns out to be too much.
- 4
Hammerspoon50.3General Lua automation that can also script window arrangements.
Why people left yabai
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yabai: common questions
Is yabai free?
Yes. yabai is free, open-source software.
Is yabai open source?
Yes. The source code is on GitHub at asmvik/yabai.
What platforms does yabai run on?
yabai is available for macOS.
What are the best alternatives to yabai?
The highest-ranked yabai alternatives right now are AeroSpace, Amethyst and Rectangle. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.