The chat is bridged across Matrix and Discord, so you can choose your preferred platform:
- -Matrix is a decentralized messenger, for an introduction see joinmatrix.org ↩︎
-µLauncher’s central mechanism for accessing important functionality quickly -is to bind actions (e.g. launching an app) to gestures (e.g. swiping up). -These bindings can be configured in µLauncher Settings > ACTIONS.
-Basic swipes: Swipe up, down, left, or right
-Double swipes: Swipe up, down, left, or right with two fingers
-Edge swipes:
-The size of the edges is configurable in settings. -For a swipe to be detected as an edge swipe, the finger must not leave the respective edge region while swiping.
-Tap then swipe up, down, left, or right
-To execute these gesture consistently, it is helpful to think of them as double taps, -where the finger stays on the screen after the second tap and then does a swipe. -The swipe must start very shortly after the tap ended.
-To any of the available gestures, one of the following actions can be bound:
-TODO: move the hedgedoc document here.
- -Install JDK 17 and the Android SDK.
-Make sure that JAVA_HOME and ANDROID_HOME are set correctly.
git clone https://github.com/jrpie/Launcher
-cd Launcher
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-./gradlew assembleDefaultRelease
-This will create an apk file at app/build/outputs/apk/default/release/app-default-release-unsigned.apk.
Note that you need to sign it:
-apksigner sign --ks "$YOUR_KEYSTORE" \
- --ks-key-alias "$YOUR_ALIAS" \
- --ks-pass="pass:$YOUR_PASSWORD" \
- --key-pass="pass:$YOUR_PASSWORD" \
- --alignment-preserved \
- --v1-signing-enabled=true \
- --v2-signing-enabled=true \
- --v3-signing-enabled=true \
- --v4-signing-enabled=true \
- app-default-release-unsigned.apk
-See this guide -for further instructions.
-Install Android Studio, import this project and build it.
-See this guide -for further instructions. How to
-The CI pipeline automatically creates debug builds.
---Note: These builds are not signed. They are in built in debug mode and only suitable for testing.
µLauncher is a fork of finnmglas’s app Launcher. -Here is an incomplete list of changes:
- -Additional gestures:
-Compatible with work profile, so apps like Shelter can be used.
-Compatible with private space
-Support for app widgets
-Support for pinned shortcuts
-Option to rename apps
-Option to hide apps
-Favorite apps
-New actions:
-The home button now works as expected.
-Improved gesture detection.
-"te", "termux" is sorted before "notes".de.jrpie.android.launcher to avoid clashing with the original app.The complete list of changes can be viewed here.
-[original-repo]: https://github.com/finnmglas/Launcher
-[hack-font]: https://sourcefoundry.org/hack/
-There are several ways to contribute to this app:
-You can add or improve translations.
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If you found a bug or have an idea for a new feature you can join the chat or open an issue.
---Please note that I work on this project in my free time. Thus I might not respond immediately and not all ideas will be implemented.
You can implement a new feature yourself:
-feature/<your feature> or fix/<your fix> and commit your changes.See build.md for instructions how to build this project. -The CI pipeline automatically creates debug builds.
-µLauncher is an minimal and distraction-free Android home screen that lets you launch apps using swipe gestures and button presses.
-This project is a fork of finnmglas’s app Launcher. An incomplete list of changes can be found here.
-
--You can also get it on Google Play, but this is not recommend.
See docs/contribute
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µLauncher is compatible with work profile, so apps like Shelter can be used. -Apps from the work profile are shown in the usual app list.
-µLauncher is compatible with private space.
-The private space can be (un)locked by a dedicated action.
-It is configurable whether apps from private space are
-Tweaks and customizations can be made from within the Launcher Settings page.
-These settings let you change wallpapers, change colors and fonts, enable monochrome app icons, change the app drawer layout, and much more.
-In the following documentation, ‘app drawer’ will be used to refer to the ‘All Apps’, ‘Favorite Apps’ and ‘Private Space’ views.
---- Choose a wallpaper - # -
This triggers Android’s mechanism to change the wallpaper using a photos app, file explorer, or native wallpaper setting app. -µLauncher uses the system-wide wallpaper, i.e. this change also affects other launchers.
---- Font (in-app font) - # -
Set the font used within the app settings. This setting does not affect the date/time home screen font.
-type: dropdown
options: Hack,System default,Sans serif,Serif,Monospace,Serif monospace
--- Text Shadow - # -
type: toggle
--- Background (app list and setting) - # -
type: dropdown
type: Transparent,Dim,Blur,Solid
--- Monochrome app icons - # -
Remove coloring from all app icons. Can help decrease visual stimulus when enabled.
-type: toggle
--- Font (home screen) - # -
Set the home screen font for date and time. This setting does not affect the in-app font.
-type: dropdown
options: Hack,System default,Sans serif,Serif,Monospace,Serif monospace
--- Color
[bug]- # -
Set the color for the home screen date and time.
-Accepts a HEX color code (consisting of a ‘#’ followed by three sets of two alphanumeric (letters and numbers) characters. A fourth set of two alphanumeric characters may be added to set the transparency of the color.
- -type: HEX,RGBA
--- Use localized date format - # -
Adapt the display of dates and times to the specific conventions of a particular locale or region. Different locales use different date orders (e.g., MM/DD/YYYY in the US, DD/MM/YYYY in Europe).
-type: toggle
--- Show time - # -
Show the current time on the home screen.
-type: toggle
--- Show seconds - # -
Show the current time down to the second on the home screen.
-type: toggle
--- Show date - # -
Show the current date on the home screen.
-type: toggle
--- Flip date and time - # -
Place the current time above the current date on the home screen.
-type: toggle
--- Launch search results - # -
Launches any app that matches user keyboard input when no other apps match.
-As you type inside the app drawer, the app narrows down the list of apps shown based on the app title matching your text input. -With the ’launch search results’ setting, once only one matching app remains, it is launched immediately. -Usually it suffices to type two or three characters the single out the desired app.
-This feature becomes more powerful when combined with renaming apps, effectively letting you define custom app names that could be considered ‘aliases’ or shortcuts.
-For instance, if you want the keyboard input gh to open your GitHub app, you could rename GitHub to GitHub gh, gh GitHub, or simply gh.
-Assuming no other installed apps have the gh combination of letters in them, opening the app drawer and typing gh would immediately launch your GitHub app.
Press space to temporarily disable this feature and allow text entry without prematurely launching an app. Useful when combined with the Search the web feature.
-type: toggle
--- Search the web - # -
Press return/enter while searching the app list to launch a web search.
-type: toggle
--- Start keyboard for search - # -
Automatically open the keyboard when the app drawer is opened.
-type: toggle
--- Double swipe gestures - # -
Enable double swipe (two finger) gestures in launcher settings. Does not erase gesture bindings if accidentally turned off.
-type: toggle
--- Edge swipe gestures - # -
Enable edge swipe (near edges of screen) gestures in launcher settings. Does not erase gesture bindings if accidentally turned off.
-type: toggle
--- Edge width - # -
Change how large a margin is used for detecting edge gestures. Shows the edge margin preview when using the slider.
-type: slider
--- Choose method for locking the screen - # -
There are two methods to lock the screen and unfortunately both have downsides.
-Device Admin
Accessibility Service
type: text buttons
options: USE DEVICE ADMIN,USE ACCESSIBILITY SERVICE
--- Hidden apps - # -
Open an app drawer containing only hidden apps.
---- Don’t show apps that are bound to a gesture in the app list - # -
Remove certain apps from the app drawer if they are already accessible via a gesture.
-Reduces redundancy and tidies up app drawer.
-type: toggle
--- Hide paused apps - # -
Remove paused apps from the app drawer. -For example an app belonging to the work profile is paused when the work profile is inactive.
-type: toggle
--- Hide private space from app list - # -
Remove private space from app drawer.
-type: toggle
--- Layout of app list - # -
Changes how the apps are displayed when accessing the app drawer.
-Default: All apps in the drawer will show in a vertically-scrolled list with their app icon and title.Text: Removes the app icons, shows only app titles in the drawer as a vertically-scrolled list.
-Work profile and private space apps are distinguished by a different label instead of a badge.Grid: Shows apps with their app icon and title in a grid layout.type: dropdown
options: Default,Text,Grid
--- Reverse the app list - # -
Enable reverse alphabetical sorting of apps in the app drawer. -Useful for keeping apps within easier reach from the keyboard.
-type: toggle
--- Rotate screen - # -
type: toggle
--- Keep screen on - # -
type: toggle
--- Hide status bar - # -
Remove the top status bar from the home screen.
-type: toggle
--- Hide navigation bar - # -
Remove the navigation bar from the home screen. Enabling this setting may make it difficult to use the device if gestures are not setup properly.
-type: toggle
--- App Drawer Long Press on App - # -
Access additional per-app details and settings. To use, open the app drawer and long press on any app.
-type: dropdown
options: App Info,Add to favorites,Hide,Rename,Uninstall
μLauncher allows to add app widgets to the home screen and to widget panels.
-Widgets can be added, moved, removed and configured in Settings > Manage Widgets.
It is configurable whether or not interaction with a widget should be enabled.
-If interaction is enabled, touch events are forwarded to the widget as usual. -However, μLauncher gestures can not be executed in areas where such a widget is present.
-If interaction is disabled, the widget does not respond to any touch events. -This is recommended when using a widget only to display information.
-μLauncher’s clock behaves similar as an app widget and can be managed in the same way.1
-Widget panels can contain widgets that are not needed on the home screen.
-They can be managed in Settings > Manage Widget Panels.
-Widget panels can be opened by using the Open Widget Panel action.
However, it is technically not an app widget and cannot be used with other launchers. ↩︎
-Thank you for considering to donate to μLauncher!
-μLauncher is charityware.1 -Please send your donations to Brot für die Welt ("bread for the world"):
-| IBAN: | DE10 1006 1006 0500 5005 00 |
| BIC: | GENODED1KDB |
Copy IBAN
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μLauncher is not affiliated to Brot für die Welt in any official way.
-Their main topics include food security, human rights, education and mitigating the climate crisis. -They also campaign for legislation in Germany, e.g. the supply chain act. -See this page for an overview. -More than 90% of donations are used for project work.
-As much as you like! -Similar software costs about 5 - 40€ for a lifetime subscription, you can use that as a frame of reference.
-Yes.
-No. I work on this as a hobby project. -My financial situation is currently very good: There are no tuition fees in Germany (!), my student apartment is quite cheap and I get a scholarship. Money is needed more urgently elsewhere. I’m very grateful that you want to donate, but I don’t really need money for myself, so please donate to Brot für die Welt instead.
-Yes!
-Inspired by the business model of the formidable text editor vim. RIP Bram Moolenaar! ↩︎
-µLauncher is an Android home screen that lets you launch apps using swipe gestures and button presses. -It is minimal, efficient and free of distraction.
-The source code is available on GitHub -and on my Forgejo instance.
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You can also get it on Google Play, but I don’t recommend that.
-µLauncher is a fork of finnmglas’s app Launcher. -An incomplete list of changes can be found here.
-µLauncher aims to turn your phone into an efficient tool. -By default, the home screen only displays the date, time and a wallpaper. -The most important apps (as well as some additional actions) can be bound one of 35 gestures, e.g. swipe right to open Signal, swipe down to open the browser or press a volume button to turn on the flashlight. An complete list of -actions and gestures can be found here.
-Pressing back or swiping up1 opens a list of all installed apps, -which can be searched efficiently. -Once only one app matches the search it is launched automatically2, -usually typing two or three characters suffices.
-μLauncher strives to be minimal software in the sense of Unix philosophy.
-μLauncher is opinionated software. -It is built around the main concept of actions and gestures and searching for everything else. -Not every feature fits this approach well, e.g., -μLauncher does not support organizing apps in directories or in a grid layout like other launchers do. -If you dislike this approach, that is no problem, -other great open source alternatives exist!
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This can be configured. Opening the app list is just a regular action. ↩︎
-This can be configured as well. Typing space before starting to search disables the auto launch temporarily. It can also be disabled completely. ↩︎
-