Side by side
Cerebro vs dmenu
Both stand on app launchers. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Cerebro brings common searches and utility actions into a desktop launcher, with plugin support for extending it. Note that the search-engine list includes options not yet implemented.
Visit Cerebro Free plan Open source LinuxMacSelf-hosted
dmenu offers a focused menu for Linux’s X environment, with command launching and community scripts extending its uses. Building requires Xlib header files, so check that requirement before choosing it.
Visit dmenuThe facts
| Cerebro | dmenu | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | cerebroapp.com | tools.suckless.org |
| On app launchers | #7 of 40 | #3 of 40 |
Cerebro: what it does well
- Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Includes file search, application launch, and previews.
- Users can build and share plugins.
- Free and open source under the MIT license.
What to know first
- Some listed search-engine options are not yet implemented.
- The linked downloads are labeled version 0.11.0.
dmenu: what it does well
- Free under the MIT/X Consortium License.
- Handles large sets of user-defined menu items.
- Can launch commands.
- Community scripts cover several practical tasks.
- Contributed patches are available.
What to know first
- Building requires Xlib header files.
- Listed for Linux only.
- No file search, workflow, plugin, or cloud-sync support.
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