I’ve switched to macOS from Windows 8 years ago and I still find window management completely unusable without AltTab. The thing is, on a French keyboard layout you can’t even use cmd+backtick to switch between windows if the same application, it doesn’t work. Separating cmd+tab and cmd+backtick is moronic, but it’s not even possible if you’re not using a qwerty keyboard.
AltTab and Maccy are the 2 apps I can’t live without on macOS. Rectangle used to be in that list too, but I managed to not need it anymore since Apple introduced native tiling a few versions ago. Now they just need to introduce native clipboard history and sane alt+tab, hopefully this decade.
> it’s not even possible if you’re not using a qwerty keyboard
Well… it used to be possible.
I was using an AZERTY keyboard in my youth, and was definitely able to switch windows using cmd-< and/or cmd->. (I just tried, it is indeed not possible anymore as per my limited testing, for some reason…)
> Separating cmd+tab and cmd+backtick is moronic
Not for my taste. I like the app-centric worldview.
I can understand that not everybody does though.
First thing I do when I install macOS is to set application switching to cmd+tab and to cycle windows inside an application using cmd+§ (that's possible without third-party apps). On a Nordic keyboard § is above tab (perhaps it's same for US keyboards). I use KDE Plasma at home and have it set up the same way.
1. Restores minimized apps when you tab to them (Apple leaves them minimized, defeating the whole purpose of the hotkey)
2. Creates a new window if the app you're tabbing to lacks one (primarily Finder; the developer added this at my request)
Any similar utility that doesn't do the above two things has pretty much missed the boat.
Alt-Tab is one of the first things I install on a new Mac OS installation. The other is Karabiner, so I can add a real Delete key to my keyboard (fixing another irritating Apple omission).
AltTab and Maccy are the 2 apps I can’t live without on macOS. Rectangle used to be in that list too, but I managed to not need it anymore since Apple introduced native tiling a few versions ago. Now they just need to introduce native clipboard history and sane alt+tab, hopefully this decade.