HopTab
A yabai alternative with no SIP and no config files
yabai is the most powerful window manager on macOS — and the most demanding. If the dealbreaker is disabling System Integrity Protection or living in a shell config, HopTab gives you fast keyboard window management, snapping, and workspace profiles through a normal GUI app.
Keep yabai if you want true automatic BSP tiling and you're comfortable disabling SIP and scripting your setup. Choose HopTab if you want most of the day-to-day speed — keyboard snapping, an app switcher, profiles, saved layouts — without touching SIP or editing a config file. Both are free and open source.
What yabai is great at
yabai is a free, open-source tiling window manager. Windows arrange themselves automatically in a binary space-partitioning layout, and you drive everything from the keyboard — typically paired with skhd for hotkeys. For people who want a Linux-style tiling WM on a Mac and enjoy configuring it, nothing else comes close.
The cost of that power: yabai's scripting addition and its more advanced features require partially disabling System Integrity Protection, and the whole thing is configured through a shell config file. That's fine if you love it and a non-starter if you don't.
Where HopTab is different
HopTab isn't trying to be a tiling WM. It's a GUI window manager that gives you precise control on demand:
- No SIP changes. It runs on the standard Accessibility permission, like Rectangle or Magnet.
- No config files. Shortcuts, profiles, layouts, and rules are all set in a settings window.
- Snapping, not auto-tiling. Snap any window to one of 17 positions with a shortcut, or drag-to-snap to an edge/corner — you decide when, instead of every window being placed for you.
- Layout templates & sessions. Apply a saved layout to a set of apps, or save and restore an entire window arrangement.
- App switcher & profiles. Cycle only your pinned apps with
Option+Tab, and switch whole workspaces (apps + layout + hotkey) at once.
yabai vs HopTab
| yabai | HopTab | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free (Pro $5) |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Works without disabling SIP | Limited | Yes |
| GUI setup (no config file) | — | Yes |
| Automatic BSP tiling | Yes | — |
| On-demand snapping & drag-to-snap | Yes | Yes |
| Layout templates / saved sessions | Scripted | Built-in |
| Focused app switcher | — | Yes |
| Workspace profiles | Scripted | Built-in |
| Learning curve | Steep | Minimal |
yabai can do almost anything if you script it; HopTab does the common things out of the box without scripting or SIP changes.
Window management without the setup
Keyboard snapping, an app switcher, and workspace profiles — no SIP changes, no config files. Free and open source, macOS 14+.
FAQ
Does HopTab require disabling SIP like yabai?
No. HopTab works entirely through the standard macOS Accessibility permission and never asks you to disable System Integrity Protection. yabai needs SIP partially disabled for its scripting addition and its more advanced features.
Is HopTab a tiling window manager?
Not an automatic one. yabai auto-tiles every window with a BSP layout. HopTab snaps windows on demand with keyboard shortcuts or drag-to-snap, plus layout templates and saved sessions — manual control rather than fully automatic tiling.
Do I need to edit config files to use HopTab?
No. Everything is configured in a GUI settings window — shortcuts, profiles, layouts, and rules. yabai is configured through a shell config file and usually skhd for keybindings.