Raycast

Raycast is a desktop application designed to replace the default Spotlight search on macOS and provide an extendable launcher for Windows (currently in beta). Its core functionality is to give users a single, unified interface to quickly access files, applications, system controls, and a growing library of third-party tools. The launcher is activated via a customizable keyboard shortcut, allowing users to type queries and commands without lifting their hands from the keyboard. The application features a high-performance search engine that indexes local files, installed apps, bookmarks, contacts, and clipboard history. Users can perform calculations, convert units, define words, and look up time zones instantly. Additionally, Raycast includes a built-in clipboard manager that remembers copied text and images, enabling rapid retrieval of past entries. One of its distinguishing capabilities is the extension system. Raycast hosts an open-source extension store where developers and users can publish plugins that integrate with services like GitHub, Notion, Jira, Linear, Figma, and hundreds of other APIs. These extensions allow users to create issues, search repositories, manage to‑do lists, preview markdown, generate QR codes, resize images, and perform many other task‑specific actions directly from the launcher. The extensions are written in TypeScript and benefit from a shared UI toolkit, making them consistent and quick to load. Raycast also offers a Pro subscription tier that unlocks features such as cloud sync of configuration and extensions across devices, custom color themes, AI‑powered natural language commands (using GPT models), unlimited custom snippets, and advanced focus modes. Snippets let users store frequently used text templates and insert them anywhere with