AeroSpace
i3-like tiling window manager for macOS
Quick Take: AeroSpace
AeroSpace is the tiling window manager that macOS deserved. It brings i3's tree-based layout model to the Mac without requiring SIP to be disabled, configures cleanly through TOML, and handles multi-monitor setups correctly. The learning curve is real—if you've never used a tiling WM, expect a week of adjustment. But once the muscle memory sets in, the efficiency gain is dramatic. Developers who spend their day switching between a terminal, editor, browser, and communication tools will recover the setup cost within the first week. If you've ever looked at your Mac desktop covered in overlapping windows and thought 'there has to be a better way,' AeroSpace is that better way.
Best For
- •Developers Coming from i3/sway on Linux
- •Keyboard-Driven Power Users
- •Multi-Monitor Developers Who Want Organized Workspaces
Install with Homebrew
brew install --cask aerospaceWhat is AeroSpace?
AeroSpace is an i3-inspired tiling window manager for macOS, built by Nikita Bobko. If you've used i3 or sway on Linux and missed the keyboard-driven workflow when you switched to Mac, AeroSpace is the closest thing macOS has. It uses a tree-based layout algorithm (the same model i3 uses), supports workspaces, handles multi-monitor setups, and is controlled entirely from the keyboard. The fundamental idea is simple: windows don't overlap. When you open a new window, AeroSpace automatically tiles it next to your existing windows. Your screen is divided into non-overlapping rectangles, and you navigate between them with keyboard shortcuts. No dragging, no resizing, no hunting for buried windows. You define a layout mode (horizontal or vertical split), and new windows slot in accordingly. Press a key combo to move a window left, right, up, or down. Press another to resize. Press another to move it to workspace 3 on your second monitor. Everything is instantaneous because there's no animation and no mouse. AeroSpace differs from older macOS tiling managers like Amethyst and Yabai in a few important ways. Amethyst uses a simpler 'master and stack' layout model that doesn't give you i3's tree-based flexibility. Yabai is powerful but requires disabling System Integrity Protection (SIP) for its best features, which is a security risk many users won't accept. AeroSpace works without disabling SIP, uses plain-text TOML configuration, and implements the i3 tree layout natively. It's the tiling window manager that macOS power users have been waiting for—capable enough for i3 veterans, approachable enough for developers trying tiling for the first time.
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-Style Tree-Based Layout
AeroSpace uses the same tree-based tiling algorithm as i3/sway on Linux. Every workspace is a tree of containers. Each container splits either horizontally or vertically, and you can nest splits arbitrarily deep. This gives you far more flexibility than the 'pick a layout from a list' approach that Amethyst uses. You can have three columns on the left and two rows on the right, or a complex nested layout that matches exactly how you work. If you know i3 tree layouts, AeroSpace's behavior will feel instantly familiar.
Virtual Workspaces
AeroSpace adds virtual workspaces to macOS—numbered workspaces (1-9 by default, expandable) that you switch between with keyboard shortcuts. Each workspace has its own set of tiled windows. This is different from macOS's built-in Spaces, which are controlled through Mission Control and require animation-heavy gestures. AeroSpace workspaces switch instantly with no transition animation, and you can assign specific apps to specific workspaces in your config.
Multi-Monitor Support
Each monitor gets its own set of workspaces. You can move windows between monitors with a key combo, move entire workspaces to a different monitor, and focus specific monitors by number. The workspace numbering is per-monitor or global depending on your config. This is essential for developers running a MacBook with an external display—each screen has its own organized set of workspaces.
TOML Configuration
AeroSpace is configured through a single TOML file (~/.aerospace.toml). Key bindings, workspace rules, gaps, and app-specific behavior are all defined in plain text. No GUI settings, no plist editing. The config is version-controllable, shareable, and readable. Changes take effect immediately when you reload the config (one keyboard shortcut). If you maintain dotfiles, your AeroSpace config slots right in.
No SIP Disable Required
Unlike Yabai, which requires disabling System Integrity Protection for its most powerful features (window opacity, animations, injecting into WindowServer), AeroSpace works entirely within macOS's standard accessibility APIs. You don't compromise your system's security to use it. This matters for work machines where IT policies require SIP to remain enabled, and for anyone who's uncomfortable lowering macOS's security protections.
Floating Window Support
Not every window should be tiled. Dialog boxes, preferences windows, and certain app windows need to float above the tiled layout. AeroSpace handles this with configurable rules: you can mark specific apps or window types as floating by default. You can also toggle any focused window between tiled and floating mode with a keyboard shortcut. This flexibility means you get the benefits of tiling without fighting the exceptions.
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 `gaps` to your config for visual breathing room between tiles (e.g., `outer-gap = 8, inner-gap = 4`).
- • Use the `on-window-detected` rules 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
AeroSpace is the best i3-style tiler for Mac, but other window managers serve different workflows.
Rectangle
Rectangle provides keyboard shortcuts for snapping windows to halves, quarters, and thirds of the screen. It's simple and effective for basic window organization. But it's not a tiling window manager—windows can still overlap, and there's no automatic layout algorithm. If you want quick snapping without learning tiling, choose Rectangle. If you want a full tiling workflow, choose AeroSpace.
Amethyst
Amethyst is the original open-source tiling manager for Mac. It uses predefined layouts (tall, wide, fullscreen, column) rather than i3's tree model. This makes it simpler but less flexible. Amethyst is the better choice if you want tiling without configuration. AeroSpace is better if you want i3-level layout control and are willing to write a config file.
Yabai
Yabai is the most powerful macOS window manager—it can do things AeroSpace can't, like controlling window opacity and animations. But its best features require disabling SIP, which is a dealbreaker for many users. AeroSpace provides 80-90% of Yabai's tiling functionality without the SIP compromise. If you're willing to disable SIP for maximum control, choose Yabai. If security matters, choose AeroSpace.
Pricing
AeroSpace is free and open-source under the MIT License. There are no paid tiers, no premium features, and no commercial entity behind it. The project is maintained by Nikita Bobko with community contributions.
Pros
- ✓True i3-style tree-based tiling layout (the most flexible model)
- ✓Works without disabling System Integrity Protection (unlike Yabai)
- ✓Fast, no-animation workspace switching
- ✓Multi-monitor support with per-monitor workspaces
- ✓TOML configuration is clean and version-controllable
- ✓Floating window support for dialog boxes and preferences
- ✓Active development with responsive maintainer
- ✓Free and open-source (MIT License)
Cons
- ✗Steep learning curve if you've never used a tiling window manager
- ✗Requires manual configuration (no GUI settings)
- ✗Some macOS apps don't tile well (full-screen apps, certain modal dialogs)
- ✗No built-in status bar (unlike i3bar on Linux; use a separate tool or macOS menu bar)
- ✗Smaller community than Yabai or Rectangle
Community & Support
AeroSpace has a growing community on GitHub, where Nikita Bobko actively responds to issues and feature requests. The project's documentation is thorough, covering configuration syntax, all available commands, and migration guides from i3/Yabai. Discussion also happens on Reddit's r/macapps and r/unixporn (where AeroSpace setups are frequently showcased). The community contributes example configs, tips, and troubleshooting guides through GitHub Discussions.
Frequently Asked Questions about AeroSpace
Our Verdict
AeroSpace is the tiling window manager that macOS deserved. It brings i3's tree-based layout model to the Mac without requiring SIP to be disabled, configures cleanly through TOML, and handles multi-monitor setups correctly. The learning curve is real—if you've never used a tiling WM, expect a week of adjustment. But once the muscle memory sets in, the efficiency gain is dramatic. Developers who spend their day switching between a terminal, editor, browser, and communication tools will recover the setup cost within the first week. If you've ever looked at your Mac desktop covered in overlapping windows and thought 'there has to be a better way,' AeroSpace is that better way.
About the Author
Productivity & Workflow Analyst
Related Technologies & Concepts
Related Topics
Power User Utilities
Tools for keyboard-driven macOS productivity.
Sources & References
Fact-CheckedLast verified: Feb 23, 2026
- 1AeroSpace GitHub Repository
Accessed Feb 23, 2026
Research queries: AeroSpace tiling window manager macOS 2026