Raycast is an application launcher and productivity software developed for macOS by Raycast Technologies Ltd. It offers fast access to applications, dictionaries, files, text snippets, clipboard, and more.[2] Raycast is an alternative to the macOS's built-in Spotlight function, with a richer interface providing additional ways to display varied content.[3]
 Raycast App Icon | |
| Developer(s) | Raycast Technologies Ltd |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 2020 |
| Stable release | v1.74.0
/ 15 May 2024[1] |
| Operating system | macOS |
| Type | Application launcher (utility software) |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | raycast |
Features edit
Interface edit
Activated with a keyboard shortcut, ⌥ Option+Space by default but can be changed, Raycast displays a window at the center of the screen, awaiting the user's input and displaying a list of suggested apps.[4]
Using an incremental search as the user types, Raycast predicts the action the user intends to perform and displays the corresponding result.[5] The application outputs the data in different formats such as lists and grids with a single or two-pane layout, supporting various data types like text with Markdown, media, and additional input fields. Each result might have more than one action available.[6]
Built-in functions edit
Raycast comes with many built-in features that can have a shortcut or an alias assigned, most notably:
- Application search
- File search
- Clipboard history[7]
- Floating notes
- Calculator
- Changing volume, brightness, hibernating
- Word definitions
- Window management
- Snippets and text expansion[8]
- Access to calendar events
- Quick access to ChatGPT (paid feature)[9]
Extensibility edit
While Raycast itself is a closed-source application, it includes a built-in store that offers open-source extensions to extend its functionality.[10] The API is open for developers and simple scripts could be written without extensive programming knowledge.
Some noteworthy extensions include managing GitHub repositories, controlling Spotify,[11] language translation through Google Translate, accessing browser bookmarks, connecting to Jira, and more.[12][13]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Raycast Changelog". Raycast Technologies. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ Collins, Barry. "Raycast: The Free App That Every Mac Owner Should Install Now". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
- ^ Pot, Justin. "Raycast Is the Launcher App Apple Wishes It Made". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
- ^ Clark, Mitchell (2022-06-24). "How to use Raycast and how it compares to Spotlight and Alfred". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
- ^ Birchler, Matt (2022-11-10). "Raycast for Mac. The Next-generation Alfred?". The Sweet Setup. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
- ^ Ashwin (2022-07-20). "Raycast for macOS gets a new UI, Action Bar and Compact Mode - gHacks Tech News". gHacks Technology News. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
- ^ Pathak, Khamosh (2021-07-06). "How to Disable Spotlight Search on Mac (and Replace It With Something Better)". Lifehacker. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
- ^ Lawrence, Lizzy. "Replace Apple's Spotlight: Productivity tool Raycast uses hotkeys - Protocol". www.protocol.com. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
- ^ Roth, Emma (2023-05-11). "Raycast's new Pro subscription adds AI and syncing features". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
- ^ Malik, Aisha (2021-11-30). "Developer productivity tools startup Raycast raises $15M from Accel and Coatue". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
- ^ Newman, Jared (2022-03-14). "This new breed of unified search apps does what Google doesn't". Fast Company.
- ^ Pot, Justin (2024-04-19). "The Best Raycast Extensions for Practically Anything". Lifehacker. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ Chavanu, Bakari (2023-12-18). "My Favorite Raycast Extensions". Mac Automation Tips. Retrieved 2024-05-16.