As someone who uses and writes lots of programs, and works on countless projects simultaneously, it's undesirable to switch between different workspaces constantly, and I felt it would be nice to be able to "just launch it" whenever I needed something.
There's something oddly satisfying about Apple's little gray AssistiveTouch dot on iOS – the floating button that saves your Home button from being hammered thousands of times a day. I remember the first time I used it; I thought, "This is the kind of small, thoughtful shortcut that makes tech feel effortless."
For years, I've wanted something just as simple and frictionless on my desktop – something to jump straight into my most-used apps, folders, or websites without digging through menus or cluttered taskbars.
I was busy, so I couldn't work on a GUI – that's what MULTITUDE was originally intended to do. As a compromise, I adopted a CLI approach this time – that's how Launcher was born.
The Concept
I'm not trying to reinvent Rainmeter or the Windows taskbar. In fact, I used Rainmeter for a while, but over time, I realized I just wanted the core utility – fast launching – without the heavy desktop widgets, skins, or constant tweaking.
Launcher is my take on that: a lightweight, no-nonsense tool for power users who live in the terminal but still appreciate having a quick-click GUI when they need it. Think of it as a "pocket taskbar" that doesn't get in your way.
Two Faces: CLI & Big White Dot
Launcher comes in two modes:
CLI (lc) – For when I'm already in a terminal. One command is all I need:
lc Chrome
lc Search "best coffee shops near me"
lc --list
Big White Dot (GUI) – A semi-transparent, always-on-top floating button. One click, and I'm in my favorites, recents, or common folders. No scrolling. No fuss.
It's the desktop equivalent of that Apple gray dot – always there when you need it, invisible when you don't.
When launched, it's also available in Task Tray on Windows:
Features
Faster than Rainmeter – There's no overhead, no heavy widget engine.
Customizable – You own the shortcuts. A single YAML file defines everything:
Editor: "C:\Program Files\MyEditor\editor.exe"
Docs: "C:\Users\You\Documents"
Search: "https://google.com/search?q="
Build: !? dotnet build MySolution.sln
Script-friendly – Need the raw path for a shortcut? lc --print Name. Want fuzzy search? lc --search keywords.
Resources
Add it to your PATH, tweak the Configurations.yaml, and you're ready to fly.
Final Thoughts
Launcher is the utility I didn't realize would work so well until I started using it daily. It's a very simple concept, but indispensable. It's for anyone who values speed, simplicity, and staying in flow. If you've ever wished for a desktop equivalent of that iOS gray dot, give it a try – and tell me what shortcuts you end up building with it.