Getting Started with Exaile — Tips, Plugins, and Shortcuts

Exaile vs. Clementine: Which GTK Music Player Wins?Both Exaile and Clementine are longstanding GTK-based music players that appeal to users who prefer a traditional desktop experience with powerful library features. Choosing a “winner” depends on what you value most: raw plugin flexibility and a lightweight footprint (Exaile), or a more polished, feature-complete experience with wide streaming support (Clementine). Below is a detailed comparison to help you decide.

Background and project status

• Exaile: Created to bring a Amarok-like feature set to GTK environments, Exaile focuses on extensibility through plugins, strong local library management, and lightweight performance. Development has been slower in recent years, with maintenance-level updates and community contributions keeping it usable on modern Linux desktops.
• Clementine: A cross-platform fork of the older Amarok 1.4, Clementine aimed to modernize that experience. It emphasizes a user-friendly UI, integrated streaming services, and stable cross-platform builds. Clementine’s development activity has also varied, but it remains popular and mature.

User interface and usability

• Exaile: Clean, minimal GTK interface that can feel utilitarian. Good for users who prefer simplicity and who want to configure their layout. Some default elements are sparse, but plugins add features and UI components.
• Clementine: More polished out of the box with clear panels for library, playlists, and Internet services. Better for users who want a ready-to-use experience with less setup.

Library management

• Exaile: Strong tagging and library scanning; supports smart playlists and dynamic filtering. The plugin system extends import/export and metadata handling. Tends to be faster on very large local collections because of its lightweight design.
• Clementine: Excellent library organization features, smart and dynamic playlists, and a robust search. It also provides convenient features like album art fetching and easy queue management.

Audio playback and formats

• Exaile: Supports a broad range of local formats through backend libraries (GStreamer/other system codecs). Playback quality is comparable to other players and relies on system audio stack.
• Clementine: Also uses underlying system codecs and supports most common formats. Both players can handle gapless playback depending on backend support.

Streaming and online services

• Exaile: Historically less focused on built-in streaming; relies on plugins for many online features. If you mainly play local files, this is sufficient; if you need many streaming integrations, expect to hunt for or develop plugins.
• Clementine: Strong advantage here — built-in support (or historically available plugins) for services like Spotify (via libspotify when it was available), SoundCloud, Grooveshark (now defunct), Google Play Music (legacy), and Internet radio. Clementine’s integrated streaming features make it better for users who mix local and online sources.

Plugin and extension ecosystem

• Exaile: Built around plugins; many core features are optional plugins that can be enabled/disabled. This gives Exaile a modular and customizable feel. Developers and users can create plugins in Python, making extension accessible.
• Clementine: Also supports plugins and external services, but many features are baked into the main app. Less focused on third-party extension development compared to Exaile.

Resource usage and performance

• Exaile: Generally lighter on memory and CPU — a good choice for older machines or for users who prioritize system resource economy.
• Clementine: Slightly heavier but still modest by modern standards. The extra overhead buys integrated services and a more polished UI.

Platform support

• Exaile: Primarily Linux (GTK-based desktops). Some users have run it on BSDs or other Unix-like systems; Windows builds have historically been less common.
• Clementine: Cross-platform — available on Linux, Windows, and macOS, which is useful if you want a similar experience across different OSes.

Stability and maintenance

• Exaile: Stable for everyday use, though updates and active development are less frequent. Plugin compatibility can vary over time.
• Clementine: Mature and generally stable; development pace has fluctuated but the application is feature-complete and reliable for most users.

Community and documentation

• Exaile: Community-driven, with documentation focused on plugin development and configuration. Troubleshooting resources exist but are more scattered.
• Clementine: Larger user base historically, more centralized documentation and tutorials, and more frequent community discussion about integrated features.

Which should you choose?

• Choose Exaile if you:

  • Want a lightweight, modular player focused on local music.
  • Prefer to customize functionality through plugins.
  • Use Linux and value low resource usage.

• Choose Clementine if you:

  • Want a polished, ready-to-use player with built-in streaming and online service support.
  • Need cross-platform availability.
  • Prefer an out-of-the-box experience with more integrated features.

Quick comparison table

Final verdict

Neither player is an absolute winner for everyone. If you prioritize modularity, low resource use, and local library control, Exaile is the better fit. If you want a more polished, cross-platform player with built-in streaming features, Clementine wins. Your choice should match whether you value extensibility and lightness (Exaile) or integration and convenience (Clementine).