# Ulauncher — Fast Application Launcher for Linux

> A Python-based application launcher for Linux desktops with fuzzy search, extensions, and customizable themes.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# Ulauncher — Fast Application Launcher for Linux

## Quick Use
```bash
# Install on Ubuntu/Debian
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:agornostal/ulauncher
sudo apt update && sudo apt install ulauncher
# Launch and trigger with Ctrl+Space (default hotkey)
ulauncher
```

## Introduction
Ulauncher is a lightweight application launcher for Linux that provides quick access to apps, files, bookmarks, and custom actions through a keyboard-driven search interface. It fills the same role as Spotlight on macOS or PowerToys Run on Windows.

## What Ulauncher Does
- Searches and launches installed desktop applications with fuzzy matching
- Browses files and directories with real-time path completion
- Runs custom web searches and calculator expressions
- Extends functionality through a community extension ecosystem
- Supports custom shortcut keywords for frequently used actions

## Architecture Overview
Ulauncher is built with Python and GTK, running as a persistent background process that listens for a global hotkey. On activation, it presents an overlay search bar that queries an indexed list of desktop entries, files, and extension results. Extensions communicate via a WebSocket-based API, allowing both Python and script-based extensions to provide search results asynchronously.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via PPA (Ubuntu), AUR (Arch), RPM, or from the GitHub releases
- Configure hotkey, theme, and behavior from the preferences window
- Extensions are installed by pasting their GitHub URL into the extension panel
- Custom user shortcuts can map keywords to URL patterns or shell commands
- Autostart is configurable via the desktop environment autostart mechanism

## Key Features
- Fuzzy search with smart ranking that learns from usage patterns
- Extension API with 300+ community extensions for various services
- Customizable themes with CSS-based styling
- Custom shortcuts for parameterized commands and URL templates
- Low memory footprint with fast startup time

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Albert** — C++/Qt-based launcher with similar features but heavier resource usage
- **Rofi** — powerful but primarily a window switcher/dmenu replacement with steeper configuration
- **dmenu** — minimal and composable but requires scripting for app-launcher functionality
- **GNOME Shell search** — built-in but limited extension support and not available on other desktop environments
- **Flow Launcher (Windows)** — similar concept but Windows-only

## FAQ
**Q:** Which Linux desktop environments does Ulauncher support?
A: It works on GNOME, KDE, XFCE, i3, Sway, and most X11 or Wayland-based desktops.

**Q:** Can I write my own extensions?
A: Yes. Extensions are Python packages that implement the Ulauncher extension API. A project template is available in the documentation.

**Q:** Does it support Wayland?
A: Yes, with caveats. The global hotkey works on most Wayland compositors but may require compositor-specific configuration on some.

**Q:** How much memory does it use?
A: Ulauncher typically uses 30-60 MB of RAM while running in the background.

## Sources
- https://github.com/Ulauncher/Ulauncher
- https://ulauncher.io

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Author: AI Open Source