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.
Android
Windows
These desktop application launchers work with Microsoft Windows operating systems only.
| Creator | Latest stable version | Release date | OS | Free according to the FSF | Software license | Open source | Programming language | Plugin support | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appetizer | Laurent Cozic | 1.4 | February 13, 2010 | Microsoft Windows | Yes | GPL | Yes | C++, wxWidgets | Yes |
| ASuite | SalvadorSoftware | 1.5.1.2 | May 24, 2008 | Microsoft Windows | Yes | GPL | Yes | Delphi | No |
| Classic Shell | Ivo Beltchev | 4.2.4 | August 9, 2015 | Microsoft Windows | Yes | MIT License (except for skins, logo, artwork etc. which is copyrighted) [1] | Yes | C++ | Yes (via shell namespace extensions inside the menu) |
| Executor[2] | Martin Bresson | 0.99.12b | November 9, 2013 | Microsoft Windows | No | Proprietary | No | ? | No |
| LiberKey | Captel SARL | 5.8.1114 | November 15, 2014 | Microsoft Windows | No | Proprietary | No | ? | No |
| PortableApps.com Platform | Rare Ideas, LLC | 12.1 | September 10, 2015 | Microsoft Windows | Yes | GPL | Yes[note 1] | Delphi | No |
| SliderDock | Dimitri Roozendaal | 1.21 | October 11, 2010 | Microsoft Windows | No | Creative Commons | No | ? | No |
| SyMenu | UGMFree.it | 5.00 | January 23, 2016 | Microsoft Windows | No | Proprietary | No | C# | Yes |
- ↑ PortableApps.com branding is trademarked
Linux
These desktop application launchers work with Linux operating systems only.
| Creator | Latest stable version | Release date | OS | Free according to the FSF | Software license | Open source | Programming language | Plugin support | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9menu | Arnold Robbins | 1.8 | June 1, 2004 | Linux | Yes | GPL | Yes | C | No |
| Avant Window Navigator | Neil J. Patel | 0.4.2 [3] | November 27, 2013 | Linux | Yes | GPL | Yes | C | Yes |
| dmenu | dwm developers | 4.5[4] | December 19, 2011 | Linux | Yes | MIT License | Yes | C | No |
| GNOME Do | GNOME Do Developers | 0.95.1[5] | January 23, 2014 | Linux | Yes | GPL | Yes | C Sharp | Yes |
| Katapult | Katapult Developers | 0.3.2.1 | July 23, 2008 | Linux with KDE | Yes | GPL | Yes | C++ | Yes |
| Kupfer | Kupfer | 208 | June 1, 2012 | Linux | Yes | N/A | Yes | N/A | Yes |
| Synapse [6] | Synapse core team | 0.2.99.1 | January 28, 2015 | Linux | Yes | GPLv3 | Yes | Vala | Yes |
| Unity Dash | Canonical Ltd. | 7.3.0[7] | June 19, 2014 | Ubuntu | Yes | GPLv3 | Yes | Vala | Yes ("lenses" and "scopes") |
OS X
These desktop application launchers work with Apple OS X operating systems only.
| Creator | Latest stable version | OS | Free according to the FSF | Software license | Open source | Programming language | Plugin support | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred | Running with Crayons | 2.0.3 | OS X | No | Proprietary | No | Objective-C | Yes |
| Butler | Peter Maurer | 4.1.6 | OS X | No | Proprietary | No | Objective-C | Yes |
| DragThing | James Thomson | 5.9.11 | OS X | No | Proprietary | No | C++ | Yes |
| LaunchBar | Objective Development | 5.6.2 | OS X | No | Proprietary | No | Objective-C | ? |
| Quicksilver | Blacktree Software | 1.2.0 | OS X | Yes | 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 | Free according to the FSF | Software license | Open source | Programming language | Plugin support | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launchy | Josh Karlin | 2.5.0 | April 4, 2010 | Microsoft Windows, Linux, OS X | Yes | GPL | Yes | C++ (Qt) | Yes |
See also
- List of dock applications
- Novell ZENworks, software formerly named (and still informally termed) "Novell Application Launcher"
References
- ↑ Classic Shell FAQ
- ↑ executor homepage
- ↑ "Awn in Launchpad". https://launchpad.net. Retrieved 5 August 2014. External link in
|website=(help) - ↑ "suckless.org software that sucks less". http://suckless.org/. Retrieved 5 August 2014. External link in
|website=(help) - ↑ Rogers, Chris. "Do 0.95.1 released". https://launchpad.net. Retrieved 4 August 2014. Missing
|last1=in Authors list (help); External link in|website=(help) - ↑ synapse-project
- ↑ "Unity". https://launchpad.net. Retrieved 4 August 2014. External link in
|website=(help)
External links
- John Emmatty (November 2011) A Mouse Free Approach For Working With Your System.
- (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
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