Ueli: An efficient application launcher for the Linux desktop

More than four (4) years ago we made a great series of publications about the most well known and used Desktop application launchers of Linux-based operating systems (distributions)And as you can imagine, that's enough time for many of these projects to become much more developed (updated), while a few others have been abandoned or even deleted. Also, during this period, some other projects have been created that are worth exploring and trying out little by little. And one of them is the one we'll introduce and try today, whose name is... "Ueli".

And if, to begin with, you don't have much knowledge or memories about This type of software (Application Launchers) It is worth noting that some of those we have previously discussed are, for example: Dmenu and Rofi, suitable for Window Managers (WM); and Gnome-Pie, Albert Kupfer, Ulauncher, Synapse y CerebroIdeal for Desktop Environments (DE). So, if you're one of those smart and innovative users who like these kinds of productivity tools, keep reading this post to learn more about this interesting and useful application and keyboard launcher, which is also open and cross-platform, and is very similar to Ulauncher.

Ulauncher and Synapse: 2 Excellent Application Launchers for Linux

But, before revealing some of the most relevant technical details of this AI tool called «Ueli», which has been developed through the Electron framework and with a simplicity-oriented approach, we recommend you explore a previous related post with other similar productivity tools for Linux, after finishing reading it:

Ulauncher is a fast application launcher for the Linux desktop, which also...It is written in Python with GTK+ and has great features such as an application search (using approximate matching), calculator, extensions, shortcuts, a file explorer mode, and beautiful custom color themes.

Ulauncher and Synapse: 2 Excellent Application Launchers for Linux

Ueli: An efficient and simple application launcherdeveloped with the Electron framework

What is Ueli?

According to its developers, in its official GitHub repository, said application is briefly described as follows:

Ueli is a simple and efficient application launcher and keystroke launcher that is also free, open source, and cross-platform.

For this reason, it's considered a tool focused on increasing user productivity, regardless of the operating system (Windows, macOS, and Linux) being used. Its use facilitates quick access to applications, files, and web searches with just the touch of a key. Furthermore, it can customize workflows and automate repetitive tasks effortlessly. Therefore, it's undoubtedly one of those applications capable of transforming anyone's desktop experience.

Finally, it is worth noting that it currently has available a current stable version under the description 9.26.0dated November 10, 2025. Meanwhile, for Linux, files are available in the following format: AppImage y Deb.

When starting Ueli for the first time, the application will display the main window and the user can start typing what they are looking for. Use the shortcut key "Alt+Space" to show/hide Ueli. Use the arrow keys to navigate up and down in the search results list. Press the "Enter" key to open the selected item. Press "Cmd+K" (macOS) or "Ctrl+K" (Windows, Linux) to open the additional actions of the selected search result and use the arrow keys to navigate up and down in the menu. Also, it can be donePress the "Enter" key to invoke the selected action. The pPress the "Escape" key to close the additional actions menu. Browse official website

program visual interface

In Ueli, to add a frequently used item to your favorites, you must open the additional actions menu and then click on "Add to favorites". This way, this item will always appear first in the search results list. To remove an item from favorites, open the additional actions and then click on "Remove from favorites". You can also open the settings and go to "Favorites" to see all your favorites. In addition, it can also be done Click on the "x" icon to remove an item from your favorites. While pressing the "Cmd+" (MacOS) or "Ctrl+" (Windows, Linux) keys or clicking the "Settings" button opens the program's settings section, where you can configure Ueli to your liking. Finally, to explore the extensions, you can click on "Extensions" in the left navigation menu, to achieveactivate or deactivate one. For example, toWhen you activate an extension, an additional item will appear in the left navigation menu where you will find the settings for that specific extension.

Top 15 Application Launchers for the Linux Desktop and Terminal (2026)

Albert is an application launcher that can access virtually anything with minimal effort. It can run applications, open files and their paths (folders/directories), open browser bookmarks, search the web, perform calculations, and much more. Albert is a desktop-agnostic launcher focused on usability, aesthetics, performance, and extensibility. Written in C++ and based on the Qt framework, it is developed under the GPL license and is 100% free and open source.

Albert and Kupfer: 2 excellent pitchers as alternatives to Cerebro

Summary

In summary, «Ueli is a modern, simple, and efficient application launcher. developed through the "Electron framework" This nascent year of 2026 is worth exploring and trying out various GNU/Linux distributions, in order to take advantage of its low resource consumption and excellent versatilityTherefore, it's definitely worthwhile to support and provide feedback to the development team so that the project can progress and become established amidst so much competition from other similar, equally good, or more complete projects. And if you're already using this or a similar project, we invite you to share your experience in the comments for the benefit of our loyal and growing community of Linux readers.

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