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.
Windows
|
| Appetizer | Laurent Cozic | 1.4 | February 13, 2010;
3 years ago (2010-02-13) | Microsoft Windows | Yes | GPL | Yes | C++, wxWidgets | Yes |
|---|
| ASuite | SalvadorSoftware | 1.5.1.2 | May 24, 2008;
4 years ago (2008-05-24) | Microsoft Windows | Yes | GPL | Yes | Delphi | No |
|---|
| JetToolBar | JetAudio, Inc. | 3.8.1 | May 4, 2004;
8 years ago (2004-05-04) | Microsoft Windows | No | Proprietary | No | ? | No |
|---|
| Launchy | Josh Karlin | 2.5.0 | April 4, 2010;
2 years ago (2010-04-04) | Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS X | Yes | GPL | Yes | C++ (Qt) | Yes |
|---|
| LiberKey | Captel SARL | 5.7.0516 | May 18, 2012;
10 months ago (2012-05-18) | Microsoft Windows | No | Proprietary | No | ? | No |
|---|
| PortableApps.com Platform | Rare Ideas, LLC | 11.2 | October 4, 2012;
5 months ago (2012-10-04) | Microsoft Windows | Yes | GPL | Yes[note 1] | Delphi | No |
|---|
| SliderDock | Dimitri ROOZENDAAL | 1.21 | October 11, 2010;
2 years ago (2010-10-11) | Microsoft Windows | No | Creative Commons | No | ? | No |
|---|
| SyMenu | Gianluca Negrelli | 2.03 | March 25, 2013;
2 days ago (2013-03-25) | Microsoft Windows | Yes | Proprietary | No | C# | Yes |
|---|
- ^ PortableApps.com branding is trademarked
Linux
|
| 9menu | Arnold Robbins | 1.8 | June 1, 2004; 8 years ago (2004-06-01) | Linux | Yes | GPL | Yes | C | No |
|---|
| Avant Window Navigator | Neil J. Patel | 0.4 | April 11, 2010; 2 years ago (2010-04-11) | Linux | Yes | GPL | Yes | C | Yes |
|---|
| Cardapio | Cardapio Team[1] | 0.9 | ? | Linux | Yes | GPLv3 | Yes | ? | Yes, including Zeitgeist, Google, Wikipedia, VirtualBox and others[2] |
|---|
| dmenu | dwm developers | 4.4.1 | December 19, 2011; 14 months ago (2011-12-19) | Linux | Yes | MIT License | Yes | C | No |
|---|
| GNOME Do | GNOME Do Developers | 0.8.3.1 | March 4, 2012; 12 months ago (2012-03-04) | Linux | Yes | GPL | Yes | C Sharp | Yes |
|---|
| Katapult | Katapult Developers | 0.3.2.1 | July 23, 2008; 4 years ago (2008-07-23) | Linux with KDE | Yes | GPL | Yes | C++ | Yes |
|---|
| Kupfer | Ulrik Sverdrup[3] | v206[4] | June 1, 2012; 9 months ago (2012-06-01) - v208 (latest)[5] | Linux | Yes | GPL v3+ | Yes | Python | Yes |
|---|
| Launchy | Josh Karlin | 2.5.0 | April 4, 2010; 2 years ago (2010-04-04) | Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS X | Yes | GPL | Yes | C++ | Yes |
|---|
| Synapse | Synapse core-team | 0.2.10 | March 18, 2012; 12 months ago (2012-03-18)[6] (development unlikely to resume)[7] | Linux | Yes | GPL | Yes | Vala | Yes |
|---|
| Unity Dash | Canonical Ltd. | 6.08[8] | October 18, 2012; 5 months ago (2012-10-18) | Ubuntu | Yes | GPLv3 | Yes | Vala | Yes ("lenses" and "scopes") |
|---|
| wbar | warlock.cc[1] | 2.3.4 | September 28, 2012; 5 months ago (2012-09-28) | Linux | Yes | GPL | Yes | C | No |
|---|
Mac OS X
See also
References
External links
