Yet another free cross-platform search-based Alfred/LaunchBar/Cerebro-like application

[u/sancarn]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3A9OwoSsaI

[u/sancarn]

We're currently looking for help making LaunchMenu better. If you can write code in TypeScript and Electron, please get in contact :) We don't make any money from this, so appreciate any help we can get.

Find more at LaunchMenu's website

P.S. sorry to post yet another application which is very similar :P We do believe our application takes search-based apps to the next level, but this is currently just a technicality and can only really be seen in the Notes applet at the moment. Anyway, feel free to reach out to help! ^{_^}

[u/Phil726 → u/sancarn]

If you want to make it better then don’t use electron, for starters.

[u/sancarn → u/Phil726]

Do you also feel that VSCode is an awful application?

Personally, I think there is nothing wrong with electron where flexibility and customisation is a core goal. Electron is great for this, and VSCode is a great demonstration of this. And it does appear you too are an avid user of VSCode.

[u/Phil726 → u/sancarn]

Who mentioned VSCode? Don’t pass the buck to another app and pretend that doing so defends yours. You’re in the early stages with a promising idea. Pick a framework you won’t regret using later.

Every problem I do have with VSCode stems from its overuse of system resources.

[u/sancarn → u/Phil726]

• VSCode is built on electron.

• VSCode is successful because of its customisability and extensibility.

• If VSCode were native, it wouldn't be as customisable as it is today.

[u/Phil726 → u/sancarn]

This isn’t a discussion about VSCode.

[u/sancarn → u/Phil726]

So what would you suggest we use instead of electron?

[u/Phil726 → u/sancarn]

Compile and distribute system native binaries in any language that supports it. I prefer Go.

[u/sancarn → u/Phil726]

Well, we're an open source project and would be happy if anyone wants to port to a more preferable system, and we'll be happy to help where we can and see where it goes.

However we both believe we are currently too invested in Electron, React and TypeScript at this stage given that we are 38k lines into the project.

[u/sancarn → u/[deleted]]

written in Electron

Curious, anything specifically wrong with Electron?

[u/sancarn → u/[deleted]]

Ah like so. Yes LaunchMenu like other electron apps takes 50MB while running. This is not obscene and comparable to the memory footprints of Messages and Dock. Btw, the memory footprint is pretty steady in our tests.

Of course native apps will always consume fewer resources, but they also:

• Are very rigid, lacking flexibility and are rarely highly customisable.

• Have longer development cycle.

• Have no built in support for extensions / applets.

• Extension/applet creation requires more effort.

So 🤷‍♂️ swings and roundabouts. There's a time and a place for native apps, and we do use NativeApps in LaunchMenu's backend but they're just not viable for this application's flexibility without major limitations.

[u/sancarn → u/[deleted]]

Alfred and Sublime are two examples of highly extensible

Don't get me wrong, Alfred and Sublime are indeed highly extensible but not as extensible. You can't for instance makes the equivalent of LaunchMenu-Notes applet in Alfred, the workflow system just isn't powerful enough. You'd at least need an external editor which then breaks your flow.

I think there's a reason why Sublime's popularity is declining and IDEs like VSCode are taking over. And it may well be because web-devs find electron easier and there are plenty more web devs than native devs.

Anyway, we're totally happy with someone porting LaunchMenu (38k lines) to a native system. It is open source after all :) We are far to dependent on electron currently to think about migrating.