| Rainmeter | |
|---|---|
 Rainmeter icon | |
 Rainmeter 4.4 settings panel | |
| Initial release | 22 February 2001 (24 years ago) (2001-02-22) |
| Stable release | |
| Written in | C++ andC# used for plugins |
| Operating system | Windows 7 SP1 and later[2] |
| Platform | IA-32 andx64 |
| Available in | 32 languages |
| License | GNU GPL v2 |
| Website | www |
| Repository | github |
Rainmeter is afree and open-source desktop customization utility forWindows released under theGNU GPL v2 license. It allows users to create and display user-generated customizabledesktop widgets orapplets called "skins" that display information.[3][4] Ready to use collections of skins can be downloaded and installed in packages known as "suites".[5]
Common functionalities of Rainmeter skins include desktop clocks,RSS readers,system monitors, weather widgets,application launchers andaudio players.[6][7]
The Rainmeter project was originally founded by Kimmo 'Rainy' Pekkola, the developer ofRainlendar, in 2001.[8] The project is primarily written inC++, while plugins can be written in eitherC++ orC#.[9]
Rainmeter skins are written in Rainmeter code using a text editor and stored asINI configuration files.[10] System resource values and other information such as weather or time are stored through "measure" values within a skin, which can then be shown through different kinds of customizable visual elements called "meters".[4]
CNET, in a 4 out of 5 star rating, praised the software's flexibility, wide variety of themes and "enthusiastic community", while noting the program "isn't as intuitive as it could be."[11]Softpedia also gave the software a 4 out of 5 star rating, citing its comprehensive tutorials and low system resource usage, while criticizing its lack of cross-platform support.[12]