AeroSpace vs Loop

AeroSpace

• Developers and advanced users who want i3-style tiling on a Mac
• Keyboard-driven work with configuration kept in dotfiles
• Multi-monitor setups that assign workspaces to particular displays

Loop

• Mac users who want to place windows with one held key and a cursor movement
• People looking for a free, open-source alternative to paid window snappers
• Those who want to theme the menu and preview to their taste

AeroSpace

• macOS only: the released binary runs on macOS 13 or later.
• Still a public beta; the README says to expect breaking changes until version 1.0.
• There is no settings window. Configuration is a TOML text file, and the project says it will never add a GUI for it.
• The app is not notarized by Apple, so a manual install can show a macOS security warning; the Homebrew install avoids it.

Loop

• macOS only; the README says it is compatible with macOS 13 and later.
• Its own comparison table lists no trackpad gestures, saved workspaces, pinning windows on top or resizing of adjacent windows.
• Using Caps Lock as the trigger key needs a modifier remap in System Settings or another app such as Hyperkey or Karabiner-Elements.

AeroSpace

Tree-based tiling

Each workspace holds its windows in a tree of containers, a model taken from i3. Focus moves in four directions, and the move and join-with commands reshape the tree.

Tiles and accordion layouts

Four layouts: horizontal and vertical tiles, plus horizontal and vertical accordions that stack windows and leave a padded edge to show the others.

Emulated workspaces

AeroSpace uses its own workspaces instead of macOS Spaces, moving inactive windows off screen so switching has no animation. It does not need System Integrity Protection disabled.

Plain-text configuration

Settings and key bindings live in a TOML file such as ~/.aerospace.toml. Binding modes swap in a different set of shortcuts, as in i3.

Command-line client

The aerospace CLI runs the same commands as key bindings and can query state. Man pages and bash, fish and zsh completion are included.

Callbacks and monitor assignment

An on-window-detected callback runs commands for each new window, for example to send an app to a set workspace. Workspaces can be assigned to particular monitors.

Loop

Radial menu

Hold the trigger key and move the cursor in a direction to move and resize the window. The menu's width, shape and color can be changed, and it can be turned off.

Preview window

An outline shows where the window will land before the action is committed. Its padding, corner radius and border are adjustable, and it is optional.

Keyboard shortcuts

Any key can be paired with the trigger key to run an action: halves, quarters, thirds, maximize, center, grow and shrink, undo, or a move to another screen.

Cycles

Pressing the same key combination repeatedly, or left-clicking repeatedly, steps a window through a sequence of positions.

Stash

Windows can be hidden at the edge of the screen and brought back by hovering near the edge or with a key binding.

URL scheme for scripts

A loop:// URL scheme lets shell scripts and AppleScript trigger window actions, chain several of them, and list the available commands.

AeroSpace

• AeroSpace$0

  Tree-based tiling, emulated workspaces, TOML configuration, the aerospace command-line client and multi-monitor support. MIT licensed.

Loop

• Loop$0

  Radial menu, preview window, keyboard shortcuts, cycles, stash, theming and URL-scheme scripting. GPLv3 licensed.