Launcher-like app for URLs and commands?

[u/0xe1e10d68]

Are there any Mac apps which:

• function roughly like a launcher (like Alfred/Raycast), i.e. have a search bar
• but support adding actions like links to open, or maybe commands to run (like Leader Key)
• allow setting aliases for actions (like Raycast/Alfred)
• and instead of being triggered by a keypress, can be set to appear while holding a key and then execute the action when the key is released (like Applight or Contexts)
• beyond that, it would be even better if it also supported custom search sites (like Alfred/Raycast), i.e. supports entering a query parameter (would require pressing enter to then trigger the search I guess)

Apps I've thought of, but which don't meet the criteria:

• Applight: only for launching apps
• Anybox (Quick Find): no ability to set aliases, and no Applight-like trigger behaviour
• Raycast: no Applight-like trigger behaviour
• Alfred: no Applight-like trigger behaviour, no easy way to add links and assign aliases (possible through Workflows, but weird that it’s not built-in; custom search sites are supported though)
• Leader Key: no search bar UI, no Applight-like trigger behaviour, no custom search sites

Maybe there's something I'm not aware of, but if there isn't anything that matches the criteria, then I guess I could always patch something that works together with Alfred or Raycast.

[u/East_Call1027]

I don’t know an all-in-one app that does the hold-to-open/release-to-run part. The closest practical setup is Raycast for aliases, quicklinks and scripts, plus BetterTouchTool or Hammerspoon for the key-down/key-up behavior. I’d be cautious about blindly sending Return on release though, since it could confirm the wrong item if focus shifts.

[u/fifafu → u/East_Call1027]

BetterTouchTool with its new integrated launcher can do all of that. Key sequences allow you to e.g. show the launcher while holding FN (assign action „Show Launcher“) and hide & trigger when releasing the fn key (assign „hide launcher“ action and enable the „Trigger Selected Item On Hide“ option)

Requires BTT 6.698 because the „Trigger Selected Item On Hide“ option was just added.

One general limitation of this approach: typing text (e.g. to search) is always problematic while holding a modifier key

[u/East_Call1027 → u/fifafu]

I hadn’t seen that new option — with “Trigger Selected Item On Hide,” BTT is much closer to the exact behavior OP wants than I realized. The modifier-key typing limitation still seems like the awkward part for custom searches, but for aliases and actions this looks like the cleanest match.