AeroSpace
i3-like tiling window manager for macOS
Install with Homebrew
brew install --cask aerospaceQuick Take: AeroSpace
AeroSpace is the best i3-class tiling window manager experience on macOS in August 2026 for developers willing to live in a TOML config. Free, SIP-friendly, and actively maintained, but still public beta and intentionally unfriendly to casual ricers. If Rectangle is not enough and yabai feels heavy, AeroSpace is the sweet spot.
Best For
- •Developers coming from i3/Sway on Linux
- •Mac power users who want keyboard-first tiling without disabling SIP
- •Dotfiles enthusiasts managing TOML in Git
- •Multi-monitor desk setups that need predictable workspaces
- •People who outgrew Rectangle-style snap shortcuts
What is AeroSpace?
AeroSpace is a free, open-source, i3-like tiling window manager for macOS aimed at advanced users and developers. It automatically arranges windows in a tree-based tiling layout, provides fast keyboard-driven workspaces, and — critically — does not require disabling SIP (System Integrity Protection). In August 2026 it is still labeled Public Beta: fully usable as a daily driver, but maintainers warn of breaking changes until 1.0. Unlike yabai, which historically pushed deeper into private APIs and SIP tradeoffs for fancy behavior, AeroSpace prioritizes practical tiling with mostly public Accessibility APIs plus one documented private call for window IDs. It emulates its own virtual workspaces instead of relying on macOS Spaces, which the author considers limited. Configuration is a plain TOML dotfile; there is intentionally no settings GUI. Installation is typically brew install --cask nikitabobko/tap/aerospace. The app is not notarized; the Homebrew cask strips the quarantine attribute so it launches without Gatekeeper theater. Binaries run on macOS 13+; building from source has higher Xcode/macOS requirements (release builds note macOS 15+ / Xcode 26+). Active development continued through 2026 (commits and discussions on GitHub), and community screenshots still show up in unixporn-style Mac ricing circles — even though the project explicitly de-prioritizes rice features like heavy animations. Choose AeroSpace if you want i3 muscle memory on a MacBook without turning off SIP. Choose Rectangle or Raycast window management if you only need shortcuts for halves and thirds. Choose Amethyst if you prefer xmonad-like automatic layouts with a more traditional Mac Spaces relationship. Expect to invest an evening in ~/.aerospace.toml before it feels like home.
Deep Dive: How AeroSpace Brought i3 to macOS Without Compromising Security
The design decisions behind AeroSpace's tree-based layout, why SIP compatibility matters, and how it compares to Linux tiling WMs.
History & Background
AeroSpace was created by Nikita Bobko, a developer who used i3 on Linux for years before switching to Mac for work. Existing macOS tiling managers didn't satisfy him: Amethyst's layout model was too simple (no tree-based splits), and Yabai required disabling SIP. Bobko set out to build an i3-style tiler that worked within macOS's security model. AeroSpace launched on GitHub in 2023 and gained rapid adoption among developers who shared the same frustration.
How It Works
AeroSpace uses macOS's Accessibility API (AXUIElement) to discover, position, and resize windows. When a new window appears, AeroSpace inserts it into its internal tree data structure and recalculates the layout. The tree model mirrors i3's approach: each node is either a leaf (a window) or a container (split horizontally or vertically, containing child nodes). Workspace management is implemented at the application level—AeroSpace creates its own workspace abstraction rather than relying on macOS's Spaces/Mission Control, which is why workspace switching is instant (no Core Animation transitions).
Ecosystem & Integrations
AeroSpace's ecosystem is centered around configuration sharing. The GitHub repository includes example configs for common setups: single-monitor developer, dual-monitor developer, and i3 migration. The community shares configs on Reddit and GitHub Discussions, often with screenshots showing their layouts. AeroSpace integrates with other keyboard-driven tools: Karabiner-Elements for key remapping, Raycast for app launching, and Ghostty/Alacritty for terminal interaction.
Future Development
AeroSpace's roadmap includes window stacking (overlapping windows within a tiled container, like i3's tabbed/stacked mode), improved handling of macOS-specific window types (sheets, panels, popovers), and a built-in IPC mechanism for scripting workspace and layout changes from external tools. Bobko is also considering a status bar integration similar to i3bar, though he currently recommends using the macOS menu bar or third-party tools like SketchyBar.
Key Features
i3-like tree tiling
Windows split in a tree paradigm familiar to i3 users: nested containers, focus movement, and resize operations from the keyboard. New windows join the tree instead of floating randomly.
Emulated virtual workspaces
AeroSpace implements its own workspaces rather than macOS Spaces, enabling faster switching without animation delays and avoiding Spaces limitations. This is a deliberate non-Mac-like tradeoff.
Plain TOML configuration
All behavior lives in a dotfile-friendly TOML config (default documented in the guide). Bindings, gaps, callbacks, and monitor rules are text — ideal for Git-managed dotfiles, hostile to checkbox GUIs.
CLI-first control
A CLI with manpages and shell completion lets scripts query and command the window manager. Power users wire AeroSpace into sketchybar, custom choosers, and automation.
Multi-monitor support
Proper multi-monitor layouts following an i3-like mental model. The docs stress arranging displays correctly in System Settings; misaligned monitors cause confusing workspace behavior.
No SIP disable required
AeroSpace is designed to run with System Integrity Protection enabled, using public Accessibility APIs where possible. That lowers the security and upgrade-risk cost versus tools that demand SIP off.
Minimal ricing surface
Gaps and bar integration callbacks exist, but flashy borders/animations are intentionally out of scope. The project values practical keyboard control over aesthetic plugins.
Who Should Use AeroSpace?
1The Linux Developer on Mac
A developer spent years using i3 on Arch Linux and recently switched to a MacBook for work. They miss the keyboard-driven workflow and can't stand dragging windows around. They install AeroSpace, copy their i3 key bindings into aerospace.toml (the syntax is different but the concepts map directly), and within an hour they have a tiling setup that feels like home. Workspace 1 is the terminal, workspace 2 is the browser, workspace 3 is Slack, and they switch between them without touching the mouse.
2The Multi-Monitor Developer
A senior engineer has a 27" external display and a MacBook Pro screen. On the external display, they tile their code editor and terminal side by side on workspace 1, and their browser and API client on workspace 2. On the MacBook screen, they keep Slack, email, and Spotify. AeroSpace manages the layout across both screens, and they move windows and switch workspaces with keyboard shortcuts. When they unplug the external display (going to a meeting), AeroSpace gracefully moves windows to the remaining screen.
3The Keyboard Purist
A Vim user who does everything from the keyboard finds macOS window management infuriating. Cmd+Tab is slow, Mission Control requires gestures, and dragging windows to resize them is a waste of time. They install AeroSpace and eliminate the mouse from their window management entirely. Focus left, focus right, move window, resize, switch workspace—all keyboard shortcuts that they can execute without thinking.
How to Install AeroSpace on Mac
AeroSpace installs via Homebrew. It requires macOS 13 (Ventura) or later and Accessibility permissions.
Install via Homebrew
Run brew install --cask aerospace in your terminal. This installs AeroSpace to your Applications folder.
Grant Accessibility Permissions
On first launch, macOS asks for Accessibility permissions. Grant them in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility. AeroSpace needs these to manage window positions.
Create Configuration File
Create ~/.aerospace.toml with your desired layout and keybindings. AeroSpace provides a well-documented default config on its GitHub that you can use as a starting point. The default binds Alt+1 through Alt+9 for workspace switching and Alt+H/J/K/L for window focus (Vim-style).
Start Tiling
Launch AeroSpace from Applications or enable 'Launch at Login' in its menu bar icon. Your windows immediately tile according to your configuration. Use the keybindings to navigate, move, and resize.
Pro Tips
- • Start with the default config from the AeroSpace GitHub and modify it over a week as you discover your preferences.
- • Add
gapsto your config for visual breathing room between tiles (e.g.,outer-gap = 8, inner-gap = 4). - • Use the
on-window-detectedrules in your config to auto-assign specific apps to workspaces (e.g., Slack always opens on workspace 4).
Configuration Tips
Use Vim-Style Navigation Keys
The default AeroSpace config uses Alt+H/J/K/L for focusing left/down/up/right, matching Vim's navigation model. If you're a Vim user, this muscle memory transfers directly. Add Alt+Shift+H/J/K/L for moving windows in the same directions. Your hands never leave the home row.
Auto-Assign Apps to Workspaces
In your aerospace.toml, add rules like [[on-window-detected]]\nif.app-id = 'com.tinyspeck.slackmacgap'\nrun = 'move-node-to-workspace 4'. This ensures Slack always opens on workspace 4, your browser on workspace 2, and your terminal on workspace 1. Combined with workspace keybindings, you always know exactly where each app lives.
Alternatives to AeroSpace
macOS window management spans simple snap tools to full tiling WMs. Pick your complexity budget.
yabai
More powerful scripting and Spaces integration when you accept SIP/complexity tradeoffs. AeroSpace aims for i3 familiarity with fewer dark-magic requirements.
Amethyst
xmonad-inspired automatic tiler that is easier for some Mac users. Less i3-exact; different configuration culture.
Rectangle / Rectangle Pro
Keyboard snap to halves/thirds without becoming a full WM. Best if AeroSpace's workspace model is overkill.
Raycast Window Management
Good enough tiling-lite for people already living in Raycast. Not a replacement for AeroSpace's tree WM depth.
Pricing
AeroSpace is free under the MIT License with no paid tiers, no premium features, and no commercial upsell. Optional GitHub sponsorships support the maintainer. You pay only in configuration time and the usual open-source tradeoff: public beta sharp edges until 1.0.
Pros
- ✓True tiling WM feel on macOS without disabling SIP
- ✓i3-like mental model and fast workspace switching
- ✓Dotfile-friendly TOML config and solid CLI
- ✓Free MIT-licensed open source with active 2026 maintenance
- ✓Multi-monitor support designed around i3 paradigms
- ✓Homebrew cask install path is straightforward
- ✓Explicit advanced-user focus keeps the tool honest about complexity
- ✓Avoids heavy animation chrome that slows context switching
Cons
- ✗Public beta — breaking changes possible before 1.0
- ✗Not notarized; relies on Homebrew quarantine stripping or manual approval
- ✗Does not play nicely with all native macOS Spaces assumptions
- ✗Learning curve for users without i3/Sway background
- ✗Ricing features intentionally limited
Community & Support
Support happens on GitHub Discussions (questions, potential bugs, feature ideas, release announcements) rather than a traditional issue-first workflow. The maintainer is explicit about project values and beta status. Community configs circulate on blogs, dotfiles repos, and Reddit/unixporn showcases. Sponsorship links on GitHub fund ongoing work.
Frequently Asked Questions about AeroSpace
About the Author
Productivity & Workflow Analyst
Expert Tips for AeroSpace
Spend the first hour only on workspace bindings and a single monitor; multi-monitor arrangement bugs are usually display layout in System Settings, not AeroSpace magic.
If you need pretty animations more than deterministic tiling, you will hate AeroSpace's values — pick a different tool rather than filing rice issues maintainers deprioritize.
Related Technologies & Concepts
Related Topics
Power User Utilities
Tools for keyboard-driven macOS productivity.
Sources & References
Fact-CheckedLast verified: Aug 9, 2026
Key Verified Facts
- AeroSpace is an i3-like tiling window manager for macOS distributed free under MIT and installable via Homebrew cask.[cite-1]
- AeroSpace is in Public Beta, usable as a daily driver but with possible breaking changes until 1.0.[cite-1]
- AeroSpace does not require disabling SIP and documents macOS 13+ binary compatibility.[cite-1, cite-2]
- 1AeroSpace GitHub Repository
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
"Project README: features, install, beta status, SIP stance, macOS compatibility."
- 2AeroSpace Guide
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
"Official user guide for configuration, workspaces, and installation details."
- 3
- 4Trying AeroSpace (2026 blog)
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
"Hands-on comparison notes versus other Mac tiling options."
- 5AeroSpace Setup Guide
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
"Homebrew install and config walkthrough popular with developers."
- 6Community discussion recommending AeroSpace
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
"Developer recommendation of AeroSpace for keyboard-driven window and space management."
Research queries: AeroSpace macOS tiling window manager 2026; AeroSpace vs yabai SIP; nikitabobko AeroSpace beta