Features

Features

Explore the comprehensive feature set of Launcher.

Table of Contents

• Core Features
• User Interface
• Search Capabilities
• Extension System
• Built-in Services
• Performance Features
• Integration Features
• Upcoming Features

Core Features

Modern GTK4 Interface

• Native Linux Experience: Built with GTK4 for seamless integration
• Adwaita Design: Follows GNOME design guidelines
• Responsive UI: Smooth animations and transitions
• HiDPI Support: Crisp rendering on high-resolution displays
• Dark Mode: Automatic theme switching based on system preferences

Instant Search

• Real-time Results: See results as you type
• Fuzzy Matching: Find apps even with typos
• Smart Ranking: Most relevant results first
• Case Insensitive: No need to worry about capitalization
• Fast Performance: Optimized database queries

Flatpak Support

• Sandboxed Environment: Run safely with limited permissions
• All Dependencies Included: No manual dependency management
• Easy Updates: Simple update process
• Portable: Works across different Linux distributions
• Secure: Controlled filesystem and network access

User Interface

Dual View Modes

Compact Mode:

• Grid layout with application icons
• Minimal design for quick access
• Icon-focused presentation
• Perfect for fast launches

Extended Mode:

• List view with detailed information
• Application descriptions
• Additional metadata
• Better for browsing

Visual Design

• SVG Icons: Scalable vector graphics for any size
• Custom Icons: Support for custom application icons
• Consistent Theming: Adapts to system theme
• Smooth Animations: Polished user experience
• Accessibility: Screen reader support

Window Management

• Keyboard-first Design: Optimized for keyboard users
• Mouse Support: Full mouse interaction available
• Quick Dismiss: Press Esc to close instantly
• Position Memory: Remembers window position
• Size Adaptation: Responsive to window resizing

Search Capabilities

Application Discovery

• Desktop File Scanning: Automatically finds installed applications
• Multiple Sources: Scans system and user application directories
• Live Updates: Detects newly installed applications
• Icon Resolution: Finds and displays appropriate icons
• Metadata Parsing: Extracts name, description, categories

Search Algorithms

• Instant Search: Results appear as you type (no delay)
• Prefix Matching: Prioritizes matches at word start
• Substring Matching: Finds matches anywhere in name
• Intelligent Ranking: Most relevant results first
• Performance Optimized: Sub-millisecond search times

Filter Options

• By Name: Search application names
• By Category: Filter by application category
• By Keywords: Match desktop file keywords
• By Description: Search in app descriptions (extended mode)

Extension System

Architecture

• YAML Configuration: Extensions defined in YAML files
• Plug-and-Play: Easy to add and remove
• Service Registration: Extensions can register custom services
• Dynamic Loading: Load extensions on demand
• Isolated Execution: Extensions run independently

Extension Management

• Enable/Disable: Toggle extensions without restart
• Search Extensions: Find extensions by name
• Extension List: View all available extensions
• Extension Info: See details about each extension
• Configuration: Per-extension settings

Available Extensions

1. Application Search (Default)

• Search for installed desktop applications
• Access to all .desktop files
• Icon resolution and display
• Instant launch capability

2. Math Calculator

• Evaluate mathematical expressions
• Support for common functions
• Constants (pi, e)
• Real-time calculation

3. Command Runner (In Development)

• Execute shell commands
• Command history
• Output display
• Security controls

4. AI Assistant (In Development)

• Natural language queries
• Google Gemini integration
• Context-aware responses
• API key configuration required

5. File Manager (In Development)

• Browse file system
• Quick file search
• Recent files
• File actions (open, copy path)

6. Link Management (In Development)

• Web bookmark management
• Quick link access
• Link organization
• URL search

Built-in Services

ApplicationsService

Responsibilities:

• Discover installed applications from .desktop files
• Parse desktop entry specifications
• Maintain application database
• Provide search functionality
• Handle icon resolution

Features:

• Instant search across all applications
• Dynamic, ordered list via Gio.ListStore
• Caching for improved performance
• Automatic refresh on application changes

ExtensionService

Responsibilities:

• Manage extension lifecycle
• Load/unload extensions dynamically
• Track enabled/disabled state
• Register extension services
• Provide extension search

Features:

• Add, remove, enable, disable extensions
• Search and list extensions by name
• Service registration for custom extensions
• YAML-based configuration

MathService

Responsibilities:

• Evaluate mathematical expressions
• Provide calculator functionality
• Support mathematical functions
• Safe expression evaluation

Features:

• Basic arithmetic: +, -, *, /, **
• Functions: sqrt, sin, cos, tan, log, abs
• Constants: pi, e
• Safe evaluation (no code execution)
• Error handling

CommandService (In Development)

Responsibilities:

• Execute shell commands
• Manage command history
• Provide command output
• Security and permission control

Planned Features:

• Command execution with output
• Command history and suggestions
• Environment variable support
• Permission-based execution

AIService (In Development)

Responsibilities:

• Integration with AI APIs
• Natural language query processing
• Context management
• Response formatting

Planned Features:

• Google Gemini API integration
• Conversation history
• Context-aware responses
• Customizable prompts

Performance Features

Caching

• Desktop Entry Caching: Avoid repeated file parsing
• Icon Caching: Store resolved icon paths
• Database Connection Pooling: Reuse connections
• Class Instance Caching: Avoid redundant instantiation
• Regex Precompilation: Compile patterns once

Optimization

• Lazy Loading: Load resources on demand
• Background Processing: Non-blocking UI operations
• Efficient Queries: Optimized SQLite queries
• Memory Management: Careful resource cleanup
• Thread Management: Background thread pool

Benchmarks

Typical performance metrics:

• Startup Time: < 1 second (cold start)
• Search Latency: < 50ms for instant results
• Memory Usage: ~30-50MB resident
• Database Queries: < 1ms for most operations

Integration Features

Desktop Integration

• Desktop Files: Standard .desktop entry support
• Icon Themes: Respects system icon themes
• D-Bus Integration: System bus communication
• Portal Support: XDG Desktop Portal integration
• Application Launching: Proper process spawning

System Integration

• Wayland Support: Native Wayland compositor support
• X11 Fallback: Works on X11 when Wayland unavailable
• Multi-monitor: Proper handling of multiple displays
• HiDPI Aware: Scales correctly on high-DPI displays
• Keyboard Layouts: Respects system keyboard settings

Platform Support

• GNOME: First-class support and integration
• KDE Plasma: Functional with Plasma desktop
• XFCE: Compatible with XFCE environment
• Other DEs: Works on most modern Linux desktops
• Distribution Agnostic: No distro-specific code

Data Management

Persistent Storage

• SQLite Database: Local data storage
• User Preferences: Saved settings and configurations
• Extension State: Enabled/disabled state
• Search History: Recent searches (if enabled)
• Window State: Position and size

Configuration

• YAML Files: Extension and resource configuration
• GSettings Support: Desktop environment integration
• Environment Variables: Override default settings
• Command-line Options: Launch-time configuration

Development Features

Code Quality

• Type Annotations: Full type hints for IDE support
• Docstrings: Comprehensive documentation
• Testing: Unit test suite included
• Linting: Flake8 configuration provided
• Formatting: Black code style

Architecture

• MVC Pattern: Clear separation of concerns
• Service Layer: Business logic abstraction
• Handler Pattern: Extensible input handling
• Widget Components: Reusable UI elements
• Helper Utilities: Common functionality

Upcoming Features

Features currently in development:

Short-term (Next Release)

• ⏳ Command Service: Full command execution capability
• ⏳ AI Integration: Complete Gemini API integration
• ⏳ File Search: File system search and navigation
• ⏳ Link Manager: Web bookmark management
• ⏳ Keyboard Customization: Custom keyboard shortcut configuration

Mid-term (Future Releases)

• 🔮 Plugin System: Third-party plugin support
• 🔮 Web Search: Search engines integration
• 🔮 Calculator History: Math calculation history
• 🔮 Clipboard Manager: Clipboard history integration
• 🔮 Window Manager: Quick window switching

Long-term (Roadmap)

• 🎯 Cloud Sync: Sync settings across devices
• 🎯 Mobile Companion: Mobile app integration
• 🎯 Workflow Automation: Custom automation scripts
• 🎯 AI Learning: Personalized suggestions
• 🎯 Multi-language: Localization support

Feature Comparison

vs. GNOME Shell Search

• ✅ Faster startup
• ✅ More customizable
• ✅ Extension system
• ✅ Standalone application
• ➖ Less integrated with system

vs. Rofi/dmenu

• ✅ Modern GTK4 interface
• ✅ Mouse support
• ✅ Better visuals
• ✅ Extension system
• ➖ Higher resource usage

vs. Albert/Ulauncher

• ✅ Native GTK4 (no Qt)
• ✅ Flatpak support
• ✅ Type-safe codebase
• ✅ Modern design
• ➖ Fewer extensions (currently)

Accessibility Features

• Keyboard Navigation: Full keyboard control
• Screen Reader: Compatible with screen readers
• High Contrast: Support for high contrast themes
• Large Text: Scales with system font settings
• Focus Indicators: Clear keyboard focus indication

Security Features

• Sandboxing: Flatpak provides isolated environment
• Limited Permissions: Minimal required permissions
• Safe Evaluation: Math expressions evaluated safely
• No Code Execution: User input not executed as code
• Read-only Access: Limited filesystem access

For detailed usage of these features, see the Usage Guide.

For technical implementation details, see the Architecture documentation.