What application launchers are available for Ubuntu?

Question

What are some alternative launchers that can be used to launch programs in Ubuntu's default Unity desktop?

You can get many such as Docky, however they will not properly integrate with Unity and you won't be able to get rid of the default Unity Launcher. — , Nov 07 '15 at 12:08
It doesn't have to replace the default launcher. Just want to know if any other ways to launch programs, even from the Launcher itself, like Gnome DO. — Muzaffar, Nov 07 '15 at 12:19
just to mention: http://askubuntu.com/a/606252/72216 with specific functionality :) Should work not only on Unity. — Jacob Vlijm, Nov 08 '15 at 11:12
@JacobVlijm already mentioned that question in my answer bellow ^_0 — Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy, Nov 09 '15 at 04:20
This Q&A would be more readable and friendly to users, if rewritten into "one application launcher per answer" style and likely more easier to update as "Community Wiki". This way, we can avoid duplicates also. Good example is this related post. — , Nov 09 '15 at 08:14

RPiAwesomeness · Answer 1 · 2015-11-07T13:55:12.163

One that I use and like is Albert.

It's very similar to OS X's Spotlight Search, especially in how it looks, but I've found it to be invaluable if you're a keyboard-heavy power user.

You have to install it via a PPA (not in the official repos yet):

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:flexiondotorg/albert
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install albert

On the first launch you will have to set the hotkey to launch Albert, but that's fairly easy:

I've set it to Ctrl-Space.

score 10 · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-07T12:55:58.913

10

Docky is a great app, you can install it with:

sudo apt-get install docky

GNOME Pie is another great one that can be installed with:

sudo apt-get install gnome-pie

(Launch with CTRL + ALT + A - this hot key is customizable.)

Cairo-Dock is also good, and can be installed with:

sudo apt-get install cairo-dock

Plank is another good one that can be installed with:

sudo apt-get install plank

edited Nov 07 '15 at 12:55

answered Nov 07 '15 at 12:45

I may update this answer with more. – Nov 07 '15 at 12:45

score 9 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 07 '15 at 13:21

Here are some more ways to launch and organize applications:

GnomeDO

sudo apt-get install gnome-do gnome-do-plugins

Duck Launcher

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:the-duck/launcher
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install duck-launcher

Launcher Folders:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:asukhovatkin/unity-launcher-folders
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install unity-launcher-folders

Slingscold Launcher

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:noobslab/apps
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install slingscold

score 5 · Answer 4 · edited Nov 07 '15 at 14:19

5

You also have dockbarx. You can install it with:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:dockbar-main/ppa 
sudo apt-get update 
sudo apt-get install dockbarx

More info here.

edited Nov 07 '15 at 14:19

Muzaffar

5,597

answered Nov 07 '15 at 14:02

iamatrain

536

score 3 · Answer 5 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:23

3

My personal favorite is the Classic Menu Indicator

In addition to other answers, me and @JacobVlijm have tried to script launchers as an answer to Launch app only if not already open question

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:23

Community

1

answered Nov 07 '15 at 16:57

Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy

105,154
20
279
497

2

Now I know why you're not in the chat room: in the mean time, your battery ran out! :D – Fabby Nov 07 '15 at 20:12
@Fabby actually this screenshot is not from my desktop, but my battery is really running out , so had to be quick. Also I'm not in the chat because i am running around, covering people – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy Nov 07 '15 at 20:47
@Serg Thanks for mentioning :) How could I overlook... – Jacob Vlijm Nov 09 '15 at 06:01

score 2 · Answer 6 · answered Nov 07 '15 at 13:23

2

Gnome-Do works with the keyboard as Unity. Press Super + Space and then you type the name of the program you want to run. Don't know about the project status and haven't used it since 2009. Hope this can help.

answered Nov 07 '15 at 13:23

userDepth

2,010

score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Jun 12 '17 at 07:43

2

Consider Synapse:

Just start typing the program, file or directory you're looking for.

Installation:

sudo apt install synapse

answered Jun 12 '17 at 07:43

Exeleration-G

7,655

score 1 · Answer 8 · edited Jun 12 '20 at 14:37

1

lxqt-runner is an option:

Installation: sudo apt install lxqt-runner

edited Jun 12 '20 at 14:37

Community

1

answered Dec 27 '18 at 01:14

Exeleration-G

7,655

score 0 · Answer 9 · answered Mar 23 '18 at 17:57

My recent favorite: the very very lightweight dmenu

Installation:

sudo apt install dmenu

Improve that tool with dmenu-extended to be able to find files and directories from dmenu, too. Very useful.

sudo apt install suckless-tools xfonts-terminus
git clone git@github.com:MarkHedleyJones/dmenu-extended.git
cd dmenu-extended
sudo python setup.py install

userDepth · Answer 10 · 2017-03-16T01:49:23.790

0

Cairo Dock has launchers too.

To install it click below

Cairo Dock

I use Compiz with Cairo dock so I use it in fall back mode. It adds a session for cairo only environment if you don't want to use Unity

edited Mar 16 '17 at 01:49

answered Dec 13 '16 at 18:22

userDepth

2,010

What application launchers are available for Ubuntu?

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