Do Mac desktop widgets slow the computer down?

Kakuchi's widgets only read data while they're on screen, and everything pauses while the display sleeps.

Can widgets go on top of windows?

Normally they sit on the wallpaper, under your windows. In Kakuchi, right-click a widget and choose Keep on Top to float it above everything.

How to add widgets to your Mac desktop

With Apple's built-in widgets

1Right-click an empty part of the desktop and choose Edit Widgets.
2Pick a widget and a size, then drag it onto the desktop.
3Click Done.

Apple's widgets come in fixed sizes and stay on the desktop. That's enough for many people, and it's free.

With Kakuchi

1Download Kakuchi, drag it into Applications and open it. Its icon appears in the menu bar.
2Activate it with the licence key from your purchase email.
3Click the menu bar icon and choose Widget Gallery.
4Find a widget and click Add to Desktop. It appears in free space.
5Drag it where you want it. It snaps into line with the widgets around it; hold Option to place it freely.
6Drag the grip in its bottom-right corner to resize it. Hold Shift to keep its proportions.

Change what a widget shows

Right-click a widget and choose Widget Settings: the city for weather, the time zones for a world clock, the symbols for a ticker. You don't touch any code.

Tidy them up

Click the menu bar icon and choose Tidy Up to line everything up, or pick a layout under Settings › General › Arrange. Right-click › Reset Position puts a single widget back.

Questions

Do Mac desktop widgets slow the computer down?: Kakuchi's widgets only read data while they're on screen, and everything pauses while the display sleeps.
Can widgets go on top of windows?: Normally they sit on the wallpaper, under your windows. In Kakuchi, right-click a widget and choose Keep on Top to float it above everything.