Red/Yellow/Green lights at different heights?

It is normal. Apple is making radical changes in how software is developed virtually every year. You have 1) an old Mac app, 2) a 3rd party app, 3) a newer Mac app, 4) an old Mac app (same as 1), and 5) a new iOS/Catalyst Mac app.

Those are visually left aligned, and are centered vertically, within the area they’re contained.

If you’re interested in the current Apple thoughts on the human interface design, here’s your reading:

https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/macos/overview/themes/

It seems to be fairly logical when looked at a UI layout PoV. The rows of lights seem to be centred in the height of the row of elements that they are alongside.

If there is just a title of the window in that row, the height of that row will likely be less and the lights would be closer to the top border of the window (than they are on other windows).

If other elements (such as a search box, or back/forward arrow buttons) are alongside the lights, then they will increase the height of that row, and the lights will be further from the top border. (as they are centred in its height).

perryub wrote:

I just noticed today that the red/yellow/green buttons in the corner of almost every window are at different heights. From left to right:

Mail, Chrome, Photos, Messages, Music.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/4ae43c1e-ec87-44a7-b89b-04c738c781c1

Is this normal? What's the rationale?

Normal — I would not try and read too much into this. Does a reboot change anything?

Is your mac functioning normally? Are you having issues with this?

Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback