What is the best panel/dock for Linux?

Question

15

Options
Considered

286

User
Recs.

Sep 16, 2023

Last
Updated

Here’s the Deal

The Best 1 of 14 OptionsWhy?

Best panel/dock for Linux	Price	Last Updated
90 Plank	-	Sep 16, 2023
79 Polybar	-	Jul 2, 2023
-- DockbarX	-	Jul 31, 2023
-- tint2	-	Feb 25, 2023
-- Docky	-	Jan 28, 2023

See Full List

13 Other Options Considered

tint2

Top Pro

Easy to theme and customize

You can easily tweak the panel and make it very good looking by using tint2-settings. See More

Top Con

No intelligent hide option

Tint2 provides autohide option but there's no way to autohide it when windows are maximized or overlap the panel. See More

PioneeringMeskhenet's Experience

Simple, easy to work with See More

Top Pro

Lightweight

Very lightweight with minimal resource use. Often used with lightweight window managers. See More

ExceptionalSatet's Experience

It is simple and very easy to use See More

Top Pro

Feature rich

Despite being lightweight, tint2 provides most options available for system panels including launchers, taskbar, system tray, clock. See More

Top Pro

Panel as well as dock

Depending on configuration, tint2 can be a panel with taskbar, systemtry, menu, battery etc or as a standalone dock for launchers. See More

Top Pro

Multi-instant support

Many instances of tint2 can be opened concurrently using different config files. See More

Top Pro

Works as a simple dock for i3wm

Tiling WMs are great but sometimes the mouse is your friend too! Tint2 can easily be configured as a little dock for i3wm. See More

See All

Cairo-Dock

Top Con

Looks old and ugly

The docks use old and tired themes, and doesn't always render properly See More

Top Pro

Cairo-Dock session

Users can choose to launch a stand alone Cairo-Dock session where the dock also serves as a taskbar where all apps are launchable such as in any other DE session. There is a composited version and one without. See More

TolerantBunene's Experience

No probhers, unlimited theme creationle. drag and droplaunchers, creat launclem, highly configurab See More

Top Con

Hard/Underwhelming to configure

Cairo dock proposes a feature rich tool, tweakable to any degree. The configuration menus are at times inappropriate, shallow and uninteresting, complex to navigate, and prefab-centric. Rarely offering a satisfying preset, and always unsatisfying to tweak. See More

Top Con

Poor/No system theme or icon integration

Docks use their own theme, own theme colors, icons, layout's and theme engines. See More

See All

AWN (Avant Window Navigator)

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Vala Panel

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bmpanel2

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fbpanel

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Lemonbar

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Tint 2

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score 75 · Accepted Answer

Plank

Top Pro

Simple and minimal

Plank is a good choice for those looking for something simple that just does its job well. There is no UI for options built in to the dock as to change anything those options will have to be accessed through a text file. See More

Top Con

Not for multiple monitors

There isn't a way to use more than one panel on two monitors. See More

whatev whatev's Experience

A very nice dock thats simple and minimal untill you want to use it as taskbar. See More

Top Pro

Easy to use

Top Con

No trayer support

InquisitiveAngerona's Experience

Lightweight See More

Top Pro

Solid and lightweight

Top Con

Poor workplace awareness (cycling windows)

When configured to only show apps on current workspace, cycling an app open on multiple workspaces will switch workspace focus, update the dock and often leave you to cycle another app. See More

LovelyPenthus's Experience

best See More

Top Pro

Works out of the box

Top Con

Blocks hot corners when Hide Dock is off

GutsyAchilles's Experience

Light & easy to use See More

Top Pro

Third party themer available

An additional third party app has been developed that allows theming the dock without the use of any extra resources. This is great for those that are not using elementary OS and the elementary tweaks extra. See More

See All

The Best 1 of 14 OptionsWhy?

My Recommendation for Plank

My Recommendation for Plank

Simple and minimal

Not for multiple monitors

Easy to use

No trayer support

Solid and lightweight

Poor workplace awareness (cycling windows)

Works out of the box

Blocks hot corners when Hide Dock is off

Third party themer available

13 Other Options Considered

My Recommendation for Polybar

My Recommendation for Polybar

Feature rich

Configuring can take time

Good design

Weird to configure

Eye candy themes

Configuring doesn't need to be hard

My Recommendation for DockbarX

My Recommendation for DockbarX

Easily customized

Great plugin to help blend in to XFCE4 panel

My Recommendation for tint2

My Recommendation for tint2

Easy to theme and customize

No intelligent hide option

Lightweight

Feature rich

Panel as well as dock

Multi-instant support

Works as a simple dock for i3wm

My Recommendation for Docky

My Recommendation for Docky

No trayer support

Simple and minimal

Easy to use

My Recommendation for XFCE Panel

My Recommendation for XFCE Panel

Highly customizable

No need to configure colors manually

My Recommendation for Cairo-Dock

My Recommendation for Cairo-Dock

Looks old and ugly

Cairo-Dock session

Hard/Underwhelming to configure

Poor/No system theme or icon integration

My Recommendation for Latte Dock

My Recommendation for Latte Dock

Highly customizable

You may have to get the git version to get all of the features and compability

Developed by KDE

My Recommendation for i3status

My Recommendation for i3status

Efficient use of screen space

Lightweight (uses minimal system resources)

Highly customizable

My Recommendation for AWN (Avant Window Navigator)

My Recommendation for AWN (Avant Window Navigator)

My Recommendation for Vala Panel

My Recommendation for Vala Panel

My Recommendation for bmpanel2

My Recommendation for bmpanel2

My Recommendation for fbpanel

My Recommendation for fbpanel

My Recommendation for Lemonbar

My Recommendation for Lemonbar

Don't see your favorite option? Add it.

My Recommendation for Tint 2

My Recommendation for Tint 2

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