LaunchBar

LaunchBar is a productivity application for macOS developed by Objective Development. It functions as a keyboard-driven launcher and automation tool, designed to speed up access to applications, documents, and tasks by typing rather than clicking.

When activated via a global hotkey, LaunchBar presents a prompt. Users type to filter items such as apps, files, bookmarks, contacts, clipboard snippets, and web search results. The search engine uses fuzzy matching to order results by relevance and usage history, making frequently used items appear near the top.

LaunchBar supports actions—scriptable operations that can be invoked from the bar. Built-in actions exist, and users can create custom actions using languages such as AppleScript, shell scripts, or Python. Actions enable tasks like opening URLs with parameters, running terminal commands, inserting text into applications, or triggering workflows in other software.

The application maintains an index of searchable items and can remember recent activity, supporting aliases and the ability to search a variety of data sources, including the system clipboard, contacts, and web results. It integrates with macOS features and supports automation via Apple Events, enabling deeper control of the environment.

LaunchBar has been described as a long-running macOS launcher and automation tool and is often compared with other launchers and system search tools. It remains a commercial product with a license and optional updates, valued by users who favor a scriptable, keyboard-centric workflow.