Raycast (software)

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
Developer(s)Raycast Technologies Ltd
Initial release2020
Stable release
v1.71.0 / 10 April 2024 (2024-04-10)[1]
Operating systemmacOS
TypeApplication launcher (utility software)
LicenseProprietary
Websiteraycast.com

Features

Interface

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

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

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.

See also

References
  1. "Raycast Changelog". Raycast Technologies. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  2. Collins, Barry. "Raycast: The Free App That Every Mac Owner Should Install Now". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  3. Pot, Justin. "Raycast Is the Launcher App Apple Wishes It Made". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  4. Clark, Mitchell (2022-06-24). "How to use Raycast and how it compares to Spotlight and Alfred". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  5. Birchler, Matt (2022-11-10). "Raycast for Mac. The Next-generation Alfred?". The Sweet Setup. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  6. 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.
  7. Pathak, Khamosh (2021-07-06). "How to Disable Spotlight Search on Mac (and Replace It With Something Better)". Lifehacker. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  8. Lawrence, Lizzy. "Replace Apple's Spotlight: Productivity tool Raycast uses hotkeys - Protocol". www.protocol.com. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  9. Roth, Emma (2023-05-11). "Raycast's new Pro subscription adds AI and syncing features". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  10. Malik, Aisha (2021-11-30). "Developer productivity tools startup Raycast raises $15M from Accel and Coatue". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  11. Newman, Jared (2022-03-14). "This new breed of unified search apps does what Google doesn't". Fast Company.
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