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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.
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 | 2.0 | April 20, 2020 | GPL | Yes | Delphi | No |
| Classic Shell | Ivo Beltchev | 4.3.1 | August 12, 2017 | MIT | Yes | C++ | Yes [note 1] |
| Keypirinha | Jean-Charles Lefebvre | 2.26 | November 18, 2020 | Freeware | No | ? | Yes |
| LiberKey | Captel SARL | 5.8.1129 | November 30, 2015 | Proprietary | No | ? | No |
| Microsoft PowerToys Run | Microsoft | 0.73.0 | August 23, 2023 | MIT | Yes | C++, C# | Yes |
| PortableApps.com Platform | Rare Ideas, LLC | 15.0.2 | May 17, 2018 | GPL | Yes [note 2] | Delphi | No |
| Quick Access Popup | Jean Lalonde | 11.5.10 | November 7, 2022 | Freeware | Yes | AutoHotkey | No |
| SliderDock | Dimitri Roozendaal | 1.21 | October 11, 2010 | Creative Commons | No | ? | No |
| SyMenu | Gianluca Negrelli | 7.00.8038 [1] | January 3, 2022 | Freeware | No | C# | Yes |
| Wox | Qianli Feng | v1.3.524 | February 24, 2018 | Freeware | Yes | C# | Yes |
| XIA Links | CENTREL Solutions | 4.2.12 [2] | July 1, 2021 | Proprietary | No | C# | No |
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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Launcher | Manuel Schneider | 0.18 | December 27, 2022 | Linux | ALL | No (Source available | C++ (Qt) | Yes | |
| 9menu | Arnold Robbins | 1.8 | June 1, 2004 | Linux | GPL | Yes | C | No | |
| Avant Window Navigator | Neil J. Patel | 0.4.2 [3] | November 27, 2013 | Linux | GPL | Yes | C | Yes | |
| dmenu | dwm developers | 4.5 [4] | December 19, 2011 | Linux | MIT License | Yes | C | No | |
| GNOME Do | GNOME Do Developers | 0.95.1 [5] | January 23, 2014 | Linux | GPL | Yes | C# | Yes | |
| Katapult | TDE Developers | R14.0.6 [6] | March 5, 2019 | Linux with TDE | GPL | Yes | C++ | Yes | |
| Unity Dash | Canonical Ltd. | 7.3.0 [7] | June 19, 2014 | Ubuntu | GPLv3 | Yes | Vala | Yes ("lenses" and "scopes") | |
| Synapse | Michal Hruby and Alberto Aldegheri | 0.2.99.4 [8] | April 8, 2018 | Linux | GPLv3 | Yes | Vala | Yes |
These desktop application launchers work with the Apple macOS operating system only.
| Creator | Latest stable version | Release date | Software license | Open source | Programming language | Plugin support | Runs on macOS Catalina | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred | Running with Crayons | 5.5 | March 18, 2024 | Proprietary | No | Objective-C | Yes | Yes |
| Butler | Peter Maurer | 4.4.8 | January 8, 2024 | Proprietary | No | Objective-C | Yes | Yes |
| DragThing | James Thomson | 5.9.17 | November 16, 2016 | Proprietary | No | C++ | Yes | No |
| LaunchBar | Objective Development | 6.19.1 | July 5, 2024 | Proprietary | No | Objective-C | Yes | Yes |
| Quicksilver | Quicksilver Foundation | 2.4.2 | December 28, 2023 | Apache License | Yes | Objective-C | Yes | Yes |
| Raycast | Raycast Technologies Ltd. | 1.79.0 | July 17, 2024 | Proprietary | No | Swift | Yes | Yes |
| SpeedDock | SpeedDock | 1.9 | November 5, 2019 | Proprietary | No | Swift | No | Yes |
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 | Runs on macOS Catalina | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launchy | Josh Karlin | 2.5.0 | April 4, 2010 | Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS | GPL | Yes | C++ (Qt) | Yes | No |
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