When comparing Swish vs Slate, the Slant community recommends Slate for most people. In the question“What is the best window manager for Mac?” Slate is ranked 4th while Swish is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose Slate is:
Slate is similar to Linux WMs like Xmonad in that it is nearly infinitely configurable. You can either use the default configuration file or just Javascript for very complex/dynamic settings. Slate also offers editing a ".js" or a ".slate" file for configuration.
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Pros
Pro Best window manager for trackpad power users
Gestures are faster than dragging or keyboard shortcuts.
Pro Multi-monitor and spaces support
Switch intuitively between screens and spaces based on their physical location.
Pro Sleek and intuitive
Pro Easy to use
Intuitive gestures, doesn't get in the way like BetterTouchTool.
Pro Custom grid offsets
The default setting uses a clean single-pixel divider without any overlaps.
Pro Matches the Mac language
Pro Fast
Just squeezing on top of an icon to close the app is a breeze compared to right clicking and selecting "quit," using Command + Q, or APP NAME -> Quit.
Pro Extremely configurable
Slate is similar to Linux WMs like Xmonad in that it is nearly infinitely configurable. You can either use the default configuration file or just Javascript for very complex/dynamic settings. Slate also offers editing a ".js" or a ".slate" file for configuration.
Pro Based on hotkeys
Hotkeys can be set to re-size and focus windows, as well as activate layout presets.
Pro It's free
Slate is completely free to download and use, which is a great option in a field of Mac WMs that often costs money to use.
Pro Allows for tiling
Slate allows for customizing the config file in order to emulate tiling windows.
Pro Lets you set default layouts
By using a feature called "snapshots", users can set up different default window layouts in Slate that they can switch to and from on the fly.
Pro Window hints
Slate offers window hints which are an intuitive way to change window focus.
Cons
Con The tutorial within the app is not that thorough
Con Limited keybinding customization
Con Project is no longer in development
Development is no longer active on this project as of 2017.
Con Hard to configure
There's no graphical user interface for configuring Slate, meaning it has to be done from the command line interface or by editing a config file. This makes it somewhat difficult and time-consuming.
Con Missing features
Unable to perform all tasks of software it was meant to replace.
Can not move windows between 'Spaces' (virtual desktops).
Con Video fail
Demonstration video failed to highlight any of the advantages of the windowing system. Or at least, the advantages were so subtly intrinsic that no-one who didn't already use the system could appreciate them.