Type Less, Do More with Wox – The 25K-Star Open Source Power Tool
❓Why Wox? Your Keyboard-First Superpower
Tired of digging through messy Start menus? Wox (25K+ GitHub stars) is the cross-platform launcher that transforms your workflow. Inspired by Alfred (macOS) and Launchy, it lets you control everything via one magical search box (Alt+Space
):
- Launch apps instantly: Type
vs
→ Open VS Code - Find files at light speed: Integrated Everything engine →
e:report.docx
- Run system commands:
> ipconfig
→ View network info - Web searches:
g python tutorial
→ Google results - Real-time calculations:
(2025-365)*0.8
→ Instantly solves - Translate:
yd hello
→ 你好 (with Youdao plugin)
🚀 4 Core Strengths: Why Devs & Pros Love It
- Plugin Ecosystem:
-
50+ plugins (Python/JS/C#) via
wpm install [name]
-
Examples:
-
b keyword
→ Search bookmarks -
Clipboard history manager
-
Spotify/NetEase music control
- Cross-Platform Consistency: Same experience on Windows/macOS/Linux – single executable, zero install.
- Customizable & Smart:
-
Themes/CSS skins
-
Fuzzy search (
*.log
), filters (.pdf finance
)- Automate Without Coding:
Settings → Plugins → Web Search → Add:
Keyword: amz → URL: https://amazon.com/s?k={q}
Then: "amz mechanical keyboard" → Amazon results!
⚡ 3-Step Mastery (Under 5 Mins)
- Install: Download Full Installer (includes Everything + Python)
- Configure:
- Press
Alt+Space
→ Right-click → Settings → Language: English - Link Everything.exe path
- Try These:
Action | Command | Result |
---|---|---|
🚀 Open app | slack |
Launches Slack |
📂 Find file | e:budget.xlsx |
Locates spreadsheet |
🧮 Calculate | sin(pi/2)+5^2 |
→ 26 |
🔥 Why Wox Beats Alternatives
Tool | Pros | Cons | Best For |
---|---|---|---|
🛠 Wox | 💰 Free • 🔌 Plugins • 💻 Cross-Platform | ⚠️ Needs Everything/Python | 👨💻 Power users • Devs |
📂 Listary | 🔍 Deep file explorer integration | 💵 Premium features paid | 📁 File-heavy workflows |
🎯 Rolan | 📦 Portable • 🎨 Beautiful UI | ⚠️ Limited plugins | 🧘 Minimalists |
⏳ Launchy | 🏛 Classic • ⚡ Lightweight | ❌ No updates since 2010 | 🕰 Legacy users |
💡 User Testimonial: “My desktop is finally clean! Wox replaced 100+ clicks/day with 3 keystrokes.”
💎 Pro Tips: Unlock Hidden Power
- App Switching:
w
+ app initial (e.g.,wc
→ Chrome) - Bookmark Search: Install plugin →
b github
→ Open repo - Custom Automation (Python):
# Shutdown PC after work
def shutdown():
import os
os.system("shutdown /s /t 600") # 10-min countdown
Bind to off
→ One-key shutdown!
🌟 The Future: What’s Coming (2024)
- AI-Powered UI: Adapts to your habits
- Blazing Speed: Millisecond response for 1M+ files
- Cloud Sync: Plugin settings across devices (beta)
Transform Your Workflow: Replace endless clicking with keyboard magic. Whether you code, design, or write – Wox is your silent productivity partner.
🚀 Get Started Now:
- Download Wox
- Press
Alt+Space
- Explore Plugins