GNOME User's Guide
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# Window Managers and GNOME

# About Window Managers

In Unix and Linux, nearly all graphical applications use a lower-level software component called the "X window system" for managing the mouse, keyboard, and low-level display issues. A separate piece of software, called a "window manager," works with the X window system to control windows.

The window manager is the piece of software that controls the windows in the X window environment. The placement, borders, and decorations of any window are managed by the window manager. This is very different from many other operating systems, and the way GNOME deals with window managers is different from other desktop environments.

GNOME is not dependent on any one window manager. This means that major parts of your desktop environment will not change when you decide to switch window managers. GNOME works with the window manager to give you the easiest work environment you can have. GNOME does not worry about window placement but gets information from the window manager about their placement. However, some GNOME features require a "GNOME compliant window manager" to work correctly, in particular the Desk Guide applet as well as drag and drop on the desktop. In most cases, we'd recommend the user of a GNOME compliant window manager for new users.

At the time of this writing, there are only two window managers 100% GNOME-compliant, Sawmill and Enlightenment. There are many other window managers that are partially compliant or are being modified to meet compliance.

Some of the window managers that have partial to full compliance at the time of this version of the GNOME User's Guide are:

- Sawfish (formerly named Sawmill)

- IceWM

- WindowMaker

- Enlightenment

- AfterStep

- FVWM2

There are a host of newer window managers being developed that will work with GNOME. You can find some of these on the GNOME Software Map.

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GNOME Quick Start |  | Changing Window Managers