Qtile on a Mac: the closest alternatives
Qtile is a Python configured tiling window manager for Linux. What to use on macOS instead, from layouts to scripting, and how a scrolling strip compares.
Qtile does not run on macOS. On Linux it is a tiling window manager configured and extended in Python, with many layouts including columns, max and monad tall.
On a Mac
| Qtile layout | Mac equivalent |
|---|---|
| MonadTall | Amethyst's Tall layout |
| Columns | ClutterFreeMac's strip of columns, which can scroll past the screen |
| Max | Full width (⌃ ⌥ F) on the strip, or Amethyst's Fullscreen |
| Scripting | Hammerspoon (Lua) or Phoenix (JavaScript) |
If Qtile's Columns layout was your favourite, ClutterFreeMac will feel natural: columns side by side, windows stacked inside a column, and widths you set. The difference is that columns never get narrower to fit; the strip just gets longer.
Questions
Is there a Qtile for Mac?
No. Amethyst covers its MonadTall layout, and ClutterFreeMac covers a columns layout that scrolls.
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