# Wox — Cross-Platform Keyboard Launcher for Power Users

> A fast, extensible application launcher that finds files, runs commands, and integrates with hundreds of plugins. Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# Wox — Cross-Platform Keyboard Launcher for Power Users

## Quick Use
```bash
# Windows: download from GitHub releases or use scoop
scoop install wox

# Launch with Alt+Space, then type to search
```

## Introduction
Wox is a cross-platform launcher that lets you search applications, files, bookmarks, and more from a single keystroke. Originally built for Windows as an Alfred alternative, it has evolved into a Go-based cross-platform tool with a rich plugin ecosystem. It helps developers stay in the flow by eliminating mouse-driven navigation.

## What Wox Does
- Instantly launches applications and opens files from keyboard input
- Searches the web, bookmarks, and system settings
- Runs shell commands and scripts directly from the launcher
- Supports hundreds of community plugins for extended functionality
- Provides calculator, dictionary, and URL shortcut features built-in

## Architecture Overview
Wox is built in Go with a native UI layer that adapts to each operating system. The core indexes installed applications and file metadata for instant fuzzy-match search. A plugin API allows third-party extensions written in Go, Python, or Node.js to hook into the launcher pipeline, each receiving the user query and returning ranked results.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Download pre-built binaries from GitHub releases for Windows, macOS, or Linux
- Configure the global hotkey (default Alt+Space) in settings
- Install plugins from the built-in plugin store or manually
- Customize themes and result display preferences via the settings panel
- Portable mode available for USB or shared-drive setups

## Key Features
- Sub-100ms search response with fuzzy matching
- Cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Over 300 community plugins covering dev tools, utilities, and workflows
- Themeable interface with light and dark modes
- Query history and frecency-based result ranking

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Alfred** — macOS-only, polished workflows; Wox is cross-platform and free
- **Raycast** — macOS-only with AI features; closed source
- **Albert** — Linux-only Qt launcher; Wox covers more platforms
- **Ulauncher** — Linux-focused Python launcher; smaller plugin ecosystem
- **PowerToys Run** — Windows-only, part of Microsoft PowerToys suite

## FAQ
**Q: Is Wox free and open source?**
A: Yes. Wox is MIT-licensed and fully open source.

**Q: Can I write my own plugins?**
A: Yes. Plugins can be written in Go, Python, or Node.js using the documented plugin API.

**Q: Does Wox support file content search?**
A: The core searches file names. Plugins like Everything integration enable full content search on Windows.

**Q: How does Wox compare to Spotlight on macOS?**
A: Wox offers deeper plugin integration, customizable themes, and cross-platform consistency that Spotlight does not provide.

## Sources
- https://github.com/Wox-launcher/Wox
- https://wox.one/

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-43ec4a4a
Author: AI Open Source