Flow.Launcher

:mag: Quick file search & app launcher for Windows with community-made plugins

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Quick Overview

Flow Launcher is an open-source, fast, and customizable launcher for Windows. It allows users to quickly search for and launch applications, files, and perform various actions through a simple keyboard interface. Flow Launcher is inspired by Alfred for macOS and aims to provide a similar experience for Windows users.

Pros

Fast and responsive search functionality
Highly customizable with plugins and themes
Active community and regular updates
Lightweight and resource-efficient

Cons

Limited to Windows operating system
Some advanced features may require technical knowledge
Plugin ecosystem not as extensive as some competitors
May require initial setup and configuration for optimal use

Getting Started

To get started with Flow Launcher:

Download the latest release from the GitHub releases page.
Run the installer and follow the installation wizard.
Launch Flow Launcher using the default hotkey (Alt + Space).
Begin typing to search for applications, files, or use built-in plugins.
Explore settings and available plugins by clicking the gear icon in the search bar.

For developers interested in creating plugins:

Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.git
Open the solution in Visual Studio.
Explore the Plugins directory for examples and documentation.
Create a new plugin project using the provided templates.

Competitor Comparisons

Wox

24,325

A cross-platform launcher that simply works

Pros of Wox

Established project with a longer history and larger user base
More extensive plugin ecosystem due to its longer existence
Better documentation and community resources

Cons of Wox

Development has slowed down, with fewer recent updates
Some reported performance issues, especially with larger plugin sets
Less active community support and slower bug fixes

Code Comparison

Wox (Python plugin example):

from wox import Wox

class HelloWorld(Wox):
    def query(self, query):
        return [{"Title": "Hello World", "SubTitle": "Query: {}".format(query)}]

if __name__ == "__main__":
    HelloWorld()

Flow.Launcher (C# plugin example):

public class HelloWorld : IPlugin
{
    public List<Result> Query(Query query)
    {
        return new List<Result> { new Result { Title = "Hello World", SubTitle = $"Query: {query.Search}" } };
    }
}

Both Wox and Flow.Launcher offer similar functionality for creating launcher plugins. Wox uses Python, which may be more accessible for some developers, while Flow.Launcher uses C#, potentially offering better performance and tighter integration with Windows.

Flow.Launcher is a fork of Wox, aiming to address some of its limitations and provide more frequent updates. It has gained popularity among users looking for an actively maintained alternative to Wox.

albert

7,191

A fast and flexible keyboard launcher

Pros of Albert

Cross-platform support (Linux, macOS, Windows)
Extensible plugin system with a wide range of available plugins
Lightweight and fast performance

Cons of Albert

Less active development compared to Flow.Launcher
Smaller community and fewer contributors
Limited theming options

Code Comparison

Albert (C++):

void MainWindow::show()
{
    QWidget::show();
    if (QApplication::platformName() != "offscreen")
        this->raise();
    this->activateWindow();
}

Flow.Launcher (C#):

public void ShowApp()
{
    if (!_viewModel.MainWindowVisibility)
    {
        _viewModel.MainWindowVisibility = true;
        _mainWindow.Show();
    }
    _mainWindow.Activate();
}

Both projects aim to provide quick application launchers and file search functionality. Albert offers broader platform support and a more extensive plugin ecosystem. However, Flow.Launcher has a more active development cycle and a larger community. The code snippets demonstrate similar window activation approaches, with Albert using C++ and Qt framework, while Flow.Launcher utilizes C# and WPF.

hain

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An 'alt+space' launcher for Windows, built with Electron

Pros of Hain

Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Built with web technologies, making it easier for web developers to contribute
Extensible plugin system with a wide range of community-developed plugins

Cons of Hain

Less actively maintained (last commit over 4 years ago)
Smaller user base and community compared to Flow.Launcher
May have performance issues on older hardware due to Electron framework

Code Comparison

Hain (JavaScript):

const hain = require('hain-plugin-api');

module.exports = (context) => {
  const shell = context.shell;
  function search(query, res) {
    // Search implementation
  }
};

Flow.Launcher (C#):

using Flow.Launcher.Plugin;

public class Main : IPlugin
{
    public List<Result> Query(Query query)
    {
        // Query implementation
    }
}

Both projects offer extensible launcher functionality, but Flow.Launcher is more actively maintained and optimized for Windows. Hain provides cross-platform support but may have performance drawbacks. Flow.Launcher's C# codebase may be more familiar to Windows developers, while Hain's JavaScript approach caters to web developers. Flow.Launcher has a larger, more active community, potentially leading to better long-term support and feature development.

rofi

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Rofi: A window switcher, application launcher and dmenu replacement

Pros of Rofi

Lightweight and fast, with minimal resource usage
Highly customizable through theming and scripting
Supports various modes beyond application launching (e.g., window switching, SSH connections)

Cons of Rofi

Limited to Linux systems, not cross-platform
Steeper learning curve for advanced customization
Less user-friendly for non-technical users

Code Comparison

Rofi configuration (example):

rofi.theme: /path/to/theme.rasi
rofi.modi: window,run,ssh
rofi.width: 50
rofi.lines: 15
rofi.columns: 1

Flow Launcher settings (example):

{
  "Theme": "Light",
  "MaxResultsToShow": 5,
  "IgnoreHotkeysOnFullscreen": true,
  "OpenResultModifiers": "Alt"
}

While both launchers offer customization, Rofi's configuration is typically done through command-line options or configuration files, whereas Flow Launcher uses a more user-friendly JSON format for settings. Rofi's approach allows for more granular control but may be less intuitive for some users.

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README

A quick file search and app launcher for Windows with community-made plugins.

Dedicated to making your work flow more seamless. Search everything from applications, files, bookmarks, YouTube, Twitter and more. Flow will continue to evolve, designed to be open and built with the community at heart.

_{Remember to star it, flow will love you more :)}

Getting Started â¢ Features â¢ Plugins â¢ Hotkeys â¢ Sponsors â¢ Questions/Suggestions â¢ Development â¢ Docs

ð Getting Started

Installation

Windows 7+ Installer or Portable Version

Winget

winget install "Flow Launcher"

Scoop

scoop install Flow-Launcher

Chocolatey

choco install Flow-Launcher

When installing for the first time Windows may raise an issue about security due to code not being signed, if you downloaded from this repo then you are good to continue the set up.

Or download the early access version.

ð Features

Applications & Files

Search for apps, files or file contents.
Supports Everything and Windows Index.

Support search using environment variable paths.

Web Searches & URLs

Browser Bookmarks

System Commands

Provides system related commands. shutdown, lock, settings, etc.
System command list

Calculator

Do mathematical calculations and copy the result to clipboard.

Shell Command

Run batch and PowerShell commands as Administrator or a different user.
Ctrl+Shift+Enter to Run as Administrator.

Explorer

Save file or folder locations for quick access.

Drag & Drop

Drag a file/folder to File Explorer, or even Discord.
Copy/move behavior can be change via Ctrl or Shift, and the operation is displayed on the mouse cursor.

Windows & Control Panel Settings

Search for Windows & Control Panel settings.

Priority

Prioritise the order of each plugin's results.

Preview Panel

Use F1 to toggle the preview panel.
Media files will be displayed as large images, otherwise a large icon and full path will be displayed.
Turn on preview permanently via Settings (Always Preview).
Use Ctrl++/- and Ctrl+[/] to adjust search window width and height quickly if the preview area is too narrow.

Customizations

Window size adjustment, animation, and sound
Color Scheme (aka Dark Mode)

There are various themes and you also can make your own.

Date & Time Display In Search Window

Display date and time in search window.

ð¬ Languages

Supports languages from Chinese to Italian and more.
Supports Pinyin (æ¼é³) search.
Crowdin support for language translations.

Supported languages

English
ä¸æ
ä¸æï¼ç¹ä½ï¼
Ð£ÐºÑÐ°ÑÐ½ÑÑÐºÐ°
Ð ÑÑÑÐºÐ¸Ð¹
FranÃ§ais
æ¥æ¬èª
Dutch
Polski
Dansk
de, Deutsch
ko, íêµì´
Srpski
PortuguÃªs
PortuguÃªs (Brasil)
Spanish
es-419, Spanish (Latin America)
Italiano
Norsk BokmÃ¥l
SlovenÄina
TÃ¼rkÃ§e
ÄeÅ¡tina
Tiáº¿ng Viá»t

Portable

Fully portable.
Type flow user data to open your saved user settings folder. They are located at:
- If using roaming: %APPDATA%\FlowLauncher
- If using portable, by default: %localappdata%\FlowLauncher\app-<VersionOfYourFlowLauncher>\UserData
- Type open log location to open your logs folder, they are saved along with your user settings folder.

ð® Game Mode

Pause hotkey activation when you are playing games.
When in search window use Ctrl+F12 to toggle on/off.
Type Toggle Game Mode

ð¦ Plugins

Support wide range of plugins. Visit here for our plugin portfolio.
Publish your own plugin to flow! Create plugins in:

SpotifyPremium

Steam Search

Clipboard History

Home Assistant Commander

Colors

GitHub

Window Walker

......and more!

ð Plugin Store

You can view the full plugin list or quickly install a plugin via the Plugin Store menu inside Settings
or type pm install/uninstall/update + the plugin name in the search window,

â¨ï¸ Hotkeys

Hotkey	Description
`Alt`+`Space`	Open search window (default and configurable)
`Enter`	Execute
`Ctrl`+`Enter`	Open containing folder
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`Enter`	Run as admin
`â`/`â`, `Shift`+`Tab`/`Tab`	Previous / Next result
`â`/`â`	Back to result / Open Context Menu
`Ctrl`+`O` , `Shift`+`Enter`	Open Context Menu
`Ctrl`+`Tab`	Autocomplete
`F1`	Toggle Preview Panel (default and configurable)
`Esc`	Back to results / hide search window
`Ctrl`+`C`	Copy folder / file
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`C`	Copy folder / file path
`Ctrl`+`I`	Open Flow's settings
`Ctrl`+`R`	Run the current query again (refresh results)
`F5`	Reload all plugin data
`Ctrl`+`F12`	Toggle Game Mode when in search window
`Ctrl`+`+`,`-`	Adjust maximum results shown
`Ctrl`+`[`,`]`	Adjust search window width
`Ctrl`+`H`	Open search history
`Ctrl`+`Backspace`	Back to previous directory
`PageUp`/`PageDown`	Previous / Next Page

System Command List

Command	Description
Shutdown	Shutdown computer
Restart	Restart computer
Restart With Advanced Boot Options	Restart the computer with Advanced Boot option for safe and debugging modes
Log Off/Sign Out	Log off
Lock	Lock computer
Sleep	Put computer to sleep
Hibernate	Hibernate computer
Empty Recycle Bin	Empty recycle bin
Open Recycle Bin	Open recycle bin
Exit	Close Flow Launcher
Save Settings	Save all Flow Launcher settings
Restart Flow Launcher	Restart Flow Launcher
Settings	Tweak this app
Reload Plugin Data	Refreshes plugin data with new content
Check For Update	Check for new Flow Launcher update
Open Log Location	Open Flow Launcher's log location
Index Option	Open Windows Search Index window
Flow Launcher Tips	Visit Flow Launcher's documentation for more help and how to use tips
Flow Launcher UserData Folder	Open the location where Flow Launcher's settings are stored
Toggle Game Mode	Toggle Game Mode

ðââï¸ Tips

More tips

â Questions/Suggestions

Yes please, let us know in the Q&A section. Join our community on Discord!

Development

New changes

All changes to flow are captured via pull requests. Some new changes will have been merged but still pending release, this means whilst a change may not exist in the current release, it may very well have been accepted and merged into the dev branch and available as a pre-release download. It is therefore a good idea that before you start to make changes, search through the open and closed pull requests to make sure the change you intend to make is not already done.

Each of the pull requests will be marked with a milestone indicating the planned release version for the change.

Contributing

Contributions are very welcome, in addition to the main project(C#) there are also documentation(md), website(html/css) and others that can be contributed to. If you are unsure of a change you want to make, let us know in the Discussions, otherwise feel free to put in a pull request.

You will find the main goals of flow placed under the Projects board, so feel free to contribute on that. If you would like to make small incremental changes, feel free to do so as well.

Get in touch if you like to join the Flow-Launcher Team and help build this great tool.

Developing/Debugging

Flow Launcher's target framework is .Net 7
Install Visual Studio 2022
Install .Net 7 SDK
- via Visual Studio installer
- via winget winget install Microsoft.DotNet.SDK.7
- Manually from here

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Quick Overview

Pros

Cons

Getting Started

Competitor Comparisons

Pros of Wox

Cons of Wox

Code Comparison

Pros of Albert

Cons of Albert

Code Comparison

Pros of Hain

Cons of Hain

Code Comparison

Pros of Rofi

Cons of Rofi

Code Comparison

Convert designs to code with AI

README

Getting Started â¢ Features â¢ Plugins â¢ Hotkeys â¢ Sponsors â¢ Questions/Suggestions â¢ Development â¢ Docs

ð Getting Started

Installation

Winget

Scoop

Chocolatey

ð Features

Applications & Files

Web Searches & URLs

Browser Bookmarks

System Commands

Calculator

Shell Command

Explorer

Drag & Drop

Windows & Control Panel Settings

Priority

Preview Panel

Customizations

Date & Time Display In Search Window

ð¬ Languages

Portable

ð® Game Mode

ð¦ Plugins

ð Plugin Store

â¨ï¸ Hotkeys

System Command List

ðââï¸ Tips

Sponsors

Mentions

â Questions/Suggestions

Development

New changes

Contributing

Developing/Debugging

Top Related Projects

Convert designs to code with AI

Getting Started â¢ Features â¢ Plugins â¢ Hotkeys â¢ Sponsors â¢ Questions/Suggestions â¢ Development â¢ Docs

ð Getting Started

ð Features

ð¬ Languages

ð® Game Mode

ð¦ Plugins

ð Plugin Store

â¨ï¸ Hotkeys

ðââï¸ Tips

â Questions/Suggestions