[Share] Utility Program – App Launcher, with Big White Dot

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:

Mode 1. 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

Mode 2. 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 visible 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

• Download: methodox.itch.io/launcher
• Source: github.com/MethodoxTech/Launcher

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.