Originally posted by: Electrode
Introduction to X window managersX, unlike Windows, has no built-in window management capabilities (such as titlebars, things to resize or close the window, etc), instead relying on external programs to provide these functions. These programs are commonly called Window Managers.
In addition to the aforementioned window management functions, many window managers provide other features, like root menus (you click on an empty part of your root window and a menu pops up), a dock (a bar that so-called "dockapps" live in), or virtual desktops. Examples of window managers are
WindowMaker,
Blackbox,
FVWM, KWM (part of KDE),
Sawfish, TWM (included with X), and
Enlightenment.
There are also a few packages out there, known as Desktop Environments. These are suites of programs that work together to provide a more complete work environment. In addition to a window manager, they usually include a toolbar, a program that turns the root window into a more functional desktop (icons, fancy interactive wallpapers, etc), text editors, a web browser, a file browser, maybe an entire API. Examples of desktop environments are
GNOME,
KDE, and
XFCE.
Virtually all desktop environments are comprised of cooperative but seperable components. For example, you can run Konqueror without actually running KDE, you can stick the GNOME toolbar in pretty much any environment you want, or run KDE with a window manager other than the included KWM. The possibilities are limitless.
There's a fairly big list of window managers and desktop environments at
XWinMan.org.