Comparison of desktop application launchers




An application launcher is a computer program that helps a user to locate and start other computer programs. An application launcher provides shortcuts to computer programs, and stores the shortcuts in one place so they are easier to find.


In the comparison of desktop application launchers that follows, each section is devoted to a different desktop environment.




Contents






  • 1 Android


  • 2 Windows


  • 3 Linux


  • 4 macOS


  • 5 Cross platform


  • 6 See also


  • 7 References


  • 8 External links





Android


Main article: List of Android launchers


Windows


These desktop application launchers work with Microsoft Windows operating systems only.










































































 Creator
 Latest stable version
 Release date
Software license
Open source
Programming language
 Plugin support

Appetizer
 Laurent Cozic
 1.4.6.494
February 13, 2010
GPL
 Yes
C++, wxWidgets
 Yes

ASuite
 SalvadorSoftware
 1.5.1.2
May 24, 2008
GPL
 Yes
Delphi
 No

Classic Shell
 Ivo Beltchev
 4.3.1
August 12, 2017
MIT
 Yes
C++
 Yes (via shell namespace extensions inside the menu)

LiberKey
 Captel SARL
 5.8.1129
November 30, 2015
Proprietary
 No
 ?
 No

PortableApps.com Platform
 Rare Ideas, LLC
 15.0.2
May 17, 2018
GPL
 Yes[note 1]
Delphi
 No

SliderDock
 Dimitri Roozendaal
 1.21
October 11, 2010
Creative Commons
 No
 ?
 No




  1. ^ PortableApps.com branding is trademarked




Linux


These desktop application launchers work with Linux operating systems only.

















































































 Creator
 Latest stable version
 Release date
 OS
Software license
Open source
Programming language
 Plugin support

9menu
 Arnold Robbins
 1.8
June 1, 2004
Linux
GPL
 Yes
C
 No

Avant Window Navigator
 Neil J. Patel
 0.4.2 [1]
November 27, 2013
Linux
GPL
 Yes
C
 Yes

dmenu
dwm developers
 4.5[2]
December 19, 2011
Linux
MIT License
 Yes
C
 No

GNOME Do
 GNOME Do Developers
 0.95.1[3]
January 23, 2014
Linux
GPL
 Yes
C Sharp
 Yes

Katapult
 Katapult Developers
 0.3.2.1
July 23, 2008
Linux with KDE
GPL
 Yes
C++
 Yes

Unity Dash
Canonical Ltd.
 7.3.0[4]
June 19, 2014
Ubuntu
GPLv3
 Yes
Vala
 Yes ("lenses" and "scopes")


macOS


These desktop application launchers work with the Apple macOS operating system only.


























































 Creator
 Latest stable version
Software license
Open source
Programming language
 Plugin support

Alfred
 Running with Crayons
 3.0.3
Proprietary
 No
Objective-C
 Yes

Butler
 Peter Maurer
 4.1.6
Proprietary
 No
Objective-C
 Yes

DragThing
 James Thomson
 5.9.11
Proprietary
 No
C++
 Yes

LaunchBar
 Objective Development
 6.9.5
Proprietary
 No
Objective-C
 Yes

Quicksilver
Blacktree Software
 1.3.4
Apache License
 Yes
Objective-C
 Yes


Cross platform


These desktop application launchers work with two or more different operating systems.


























 Creator
 Latest stable version
 Release date
 OS
Software license
Open source
Programming language
 Plugin support

Launchy
 Josh Karlin
 2.5.0
April 4, 2010
Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS
GPL
 Yes
C++ (Qt)
 Yes


See also



  • List of dock applications


  • Novell ZENworks, software formerly named (and still informally termed) "Novell Application Launcher"



References





  1. ^ "Awn in Launchpad". Launchpad. Retrieved 5 August 2014..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}


  2. ^ "suckless.org software that sucks less". suckless.org. Retrieved 5 August 2014.


  3. ^ Rogers, Chris. "Do 0.95.1 released". Launchpad. Retrieved 4 August 2014.


  4. ^ "Unity". Launchpad. Retrieved 4 August 2014.




External links



  • John Emmatty (November 2011) A Mouse Free Approach For Working With Your System.


  • (in German) Anke Anlauf (14 January 2010), Schmucke PC-Docks wie auf dem Mac (roundup of MS Windows launchers), Softonic OnSoftware

  • Peter (October 15, 2008) The State of Linux Docks, linuxhaxor.net

  • jdeslip (June 25, 2009) The Best Docks on the Linux Coast, Berkeley Linux Users Group




-

Popular posts from this blog

Guess what letter conforming each word

Image
6 $begingroup$ This is an entry in the Fortnightly Topic Challenge #41: Short and Sweet. 1 letter only could be mean anything . With an additional letter in front , could be used as medicine component and something you definitely learn or at least heard once. Add another letter in front , you would possibly hear that many times . Add an additional letter in front , you would found an independent country . With an additional letter, in the end , you would found something related to apple . Add another letter in the end , you would found something bad . Hint: Each letter is unique . word knowledge letters chemistry share | improve this question ...
Read more

Port of Spain

Image
For ports in the country of Spain, see List of ports in Spain. City in City of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Port of Spain City City of Port of Spain Top to bottom (left to right): Skyline of Port of Spain from Gulf of Paria; National Academy for the Performing Arts, Independence Square, Eric Williams Plaza; MovieTowne, Port of Port of Spain Motto(s):  "We Gather Strength As We Go Along" Port of Spain Coordinates: 10°40′N 61°31′W  /  10.667°N 61.517°W  / 10.667; -61.517 Coordinates: 10°40′N 61°31′W  /  10.667°N 61.517°W  / 10.667; -61.517 Country   Trinidad and Tobago Jurisdiction City of Port of Spain Settled 1560 Incorporated (town) 1853 Incorporated (city) 1914 Government  • Mayor Joel Martinez  • Governing body City Corporation Area [1]  • City 12 km 2 (5 sq mi) Elevation [2] 66 m (217 ft) Population (2011) [1]  • City 37,074  • Rank 3rd  • Density 3,090/km 2 (8,000/sq mi)...
Read more

Run scheduled task as local user group (not BUILTIN)

Image
0 I am trying to run a scheduled task with User Group (not a single user). This is working fine when I in the field "when running a task, use the following user account:" insert BUILTIN User Group (for example: Administrators or Users). But when I try it with the created Local User Group (example: TestGroup) it is not working. The Users in the TestGroup are the same as in the Administrators group. What could be the problem? Are there some restrictions to the Created User Group compared to BUILTINUsers? scheduled-tasks taskscheduler windowstaskschedule share | improve this question asked Nov 15 '18 at 15:36 Far...
Read more