Open-source alternatives to HotKey

Glass is an AI desktop assistant and screen-to-LLM interface that processes visual and auditory context from a computer to automate tasks. It functions as a tool for screen analysis, bridging real-time desktop captures with large language models to extract semantic meaning and data insights. The system enables AI-assisted desktop interaction by recording live screen and audio data to provide a persistent digital memory for processing. This allows the application to analyze visible screen information and trigger automation workflows through global keyboard shortcuts.

MeetingBar is a macOS menu bar application that turns your calendar into a one‑click meeting hub. It syncs with your calendar accounts via EventKit, displays your current or next meeting title and countdown directly in the menu bar, and lets you join or create video meetings without opening your calendar app. The app lives as a status‑item popover and can launch automatically at login, register system‑wide keyboard shortcuts, and send local notifications or full‑screen reminders before meetings. What sets MeetingBar apart is its broad support for over fifty video‑conferencing platforms. It de

React hotkeys is a keyboard shortcut manager designed for declaring, scoping, and handling keyboard shortcuts and focus areas in React applications. It allows developers to define declarative shortcuts by binding key combinations or sequences to action names and handler functions, enabling components to respond predictably to user input. The library provides distinct mechanisms for managing how keyboard events interact with the document. It supports scoping hotkeys to specific component subtrees and DOM descendants to match natural browser focus behavior, alongside global key event handling t

Pomotroid is a cross-platform desktop Pomodoro timer application designed for managing work and break intervals. It functions as a focus manager and productivity statistics tracker that utilizes a high-precision timer engine to organize focus sessions. The application distinguishes itself by operating as a WebSocket timer broadcaster, featuring a local server that streams timer state and lifecycle events to external automation scripts and stream overlays. It also includes a productivity trend analysis system that logs completed rounds to a local database to generate daily summaries, weekly st

EverythingToolbar is a Windows productivity utility that integrates a file search interface directly into the system taskbar. It functions as a client for the Everything search engine, enabling rapid discovery of local files and folders through a dedicated, keyboard-driven launcher. The tool distinguishes itself by offering deep integration with the Windows shell, allowing users to trigger searches from any application using global hotkeys. Beyond simple file discovery, it supports automated workflows by mapping custom scripts and commands to specific file types or patterns, enabling tasks su

go-astilectron is a cross-platform GUI framework and binding that enables the creation of desktop software by combining a compiled Go backend with an Electron frontend. It functions as an inter-process communication bridge, utilizing an asynchronous messaging system to exchange JSON events and synchronize state between the Go process and the JavaScript user interface. The project provides a native desktop API wrapper to orchestrate system-level features from the backend. This includes the ability to manage browser windows, construct native application menus, and control system tray icons and

QWidgetDemo is a collection of reusable GUI components, layout templates, and a desktop UI framework built with the Qt framework. It functions as a component library for creating modern graphical user interfaces, ranging from system event managers and network debugging toolsets to multi-channel video dashboards. The project focuses on creating specialized user interface elements, including frameless windows, flat design aesthetics, and custom themes. It provides the means to implement specialized controls such as battery indicators, resource monitors, and IP address inputs. Its capabilities

This project is an autonomous desktop automation agent that interprets natural language instructions to control applications, browser interfaces, and system terminals. It functions as a cross-platform utility designed to manage complex workflows by integrating visual screen analysis with system-level input simulation. The agent distinguishes itself through its ability to perform tasks asynchronously, ensuring that web and terminal operations run in the background without interrupting the active user session or desktop focus. By combining computer vision to map interface elements with event-dr

This project is a local-first task manager and time tracking tool designed to consolidate work items from multiple external project management platforms into a single, unified interface. By prioritizing local data sovereignty, it ensures that all task lists, time logs, and application states remain on the user's device, providing full functionality in offline environments while maintaining privacy. The application distinguishes itself through a focus on deep work and structured productivity rituals. It integrates distraction-free modes, configurable focus timers, and automated time tracking t

Ice is a macOS menu bar manager designed to provide granular control over the visibility, arrangement, and spacing of system status icons. It functions as a workspace organization utility that allows users to hide unnecessary icons and rearrange active elements through a drag-and-drop interface, helping to maintain a clean and focused desktop environment. The application distinguishes itself by prioritizing keyboard-driven navigation and workflow optimization. Users can assign custom global hotkeys to trigger specific menu bar actions or toggle visibility settings, enabling interaction with b

skhd is a hotkey daemon and keyboard remapper for macOS. It operates as a background service that maps custom keyboard shortcuts to shell commands, scripts, and system actions. The utility features application-aware shortcut management, allowing the same hotkey to execute different commands depending on which application is focused. It also includes an input mode manager to define distinct operational modes that change how keys behave based on the active state. The system supports contextual routing through application-specific shortcuts and event exclusions to preserve native app behavior.

Kit is a desktop automation framework and scriptable UI toolkit designed for building personalized productivity tools. It serves as a cross-platform CLI wrapper and macOS system automator, providing an environment to execute scripts that manage operating system tasks, file management, and application workflows. The project distinguishes itself with a dedicated LLM integration layer for structured data extraction and text generation, alongside a specialized UI framework for creating interactive input forms, HTML windows, and floating widgets. It features deep macOS integration through AppleScr

Kando is a cross-platform desktop pie menu launcher that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, including Wayland compositors. It opens a radial menu on a hotkey and lets users select applications, files, or shortcuts by moving the cursor toward a slice, and can also be controlled from the command line to open specific menus or trigger shortcuts. The project distinguishes itself through a gesture-based selection system that interprets pointer movement direction and distance rather than requiring precise clicking, and an input device abstraction layer that normalizes input from mouse, stylus, touc

Sigma File Manager is a cross-platform desktop application for browsing, organizing, and searching local and network files through a modern graphical interface. It functions as an integrated file previewer, network storage client, and local network file share utility. The application is built on an extensible architecture that allows users to add custom commands, pages, and settings through a plugin system and marketplace. It distinguishes itself with the ability to stream local files and folders to other devices over a local network using browser access, QR codes, and FTP. Core capabilities

Hydra is a scriptable productivity platform for macOS that functions as a global hotkey manager, window manager, and automation tool. It allows users to extend system functionality by executing scripts and custom functions to automate repetitive operating system tasks. The system enables the binding of specific keyboard shortcuts to trigger scripts from any active application. It provides capabilities to inspect and modify the state of running application windows to organize the desktop workspace. The platform supports a module-based extension model, allowing for the installation of third-pa

VoiceInk is a system-wide speech-to-text dictation tool that converts spoken audio into text using local or cloud AI models. It functions as a local AI transcription engine and a context-aware voice assistant, allowing users to insert transcribed text directly into any active application on the operating system. The project distinguishes itself through the use of custom vocabulary management, which trains transcription engines to recognize industry-specific technical terms, professional terminology, and personal names. It further enhances output by using large language models to refine raw tr

Mjolnir is a macOS automation framework and extensible scripting engine. It provides a system for creating custom productivity workflows, managing application states, and controlling the macOS desktop interface programmatically. The project functions as a global hotkey manager that binds keyboard shortcuts to trigger automated scripts across the operating system. It includes a macOS application controller to inspect active windows and manage system-wide user interface interactions. The environment supports extensibility through a pluggable package management system, allowing for the installa

STranslate is a desktop application that combines translation, optical character recognition (OCR), QR code decoding, and silent text-to-speech into a single tool for processing text on screen. It functions as a multi-source translation aggregator, sending queries to dozens of translation services simultaneously and displaying results side by side for comparison, while also offering OCR-based text extraction from images and QR code decoding from screen captures or files. The application distinguishes itself through a comprehensive set of automation and integration capabilities. A global hotke

AutoHotkey is a Windows automation scripting language and task automator. It serves as a keyboard macro engine and custom hotkey manager designed to map specific key combinations to scripted actions. The project provides a domain-specific language for automating repetitive tasks and operating system functions. It enables the creation of keyboard shortcuts and macros to replace manual input and streamline digital workflows on Windows. The system covers window and process management, virtual input simulation, and the interception of keyboard and mouse input via operating system hooks. It furth

ImTip is a desktop utility that provides input method visualization and large language model integration. It renders real-time indicators at the system text cursor to track language, layout, and punctuation settings. The project connects large language model APIs to a desktop interface to render rich content, including mathematical formulas and syntax-highlighted code. It uses a scriptable logic engine and global hooks to map programmable hotkeys to complex task sequences and external API calls. The software includes tools for desktop UI customization, allowing users to adjust the style, col

Spectacle is a keyboard-driven window manager and organizer that uses system accessibility frameworks to manipulate window coordinates and dimensions. It allows for the arrangement, resizing, and movement of application windows across multiple displays using global keyboard shortcuts. The tool focuses on multi-monitor layout management, enabling users to shift active windows between connected displays and snap windows into predefined screen regions such as halves, thirds, or corners. It also provides the ability to center and maximize windows to optimize screen real estate without using a mou

This project is an AI-powered screenshot manager and visual assistant designed for capturing screen content and processing it through large language models. It functions as an OCR translation application and screen annotation tool, allowing users to extract text from images and perform intelligent analysis of visual data. The software differentiates itself through an AI-driven OCR pipeline and the ability to convert screenshots into structured Markdown or HTML via layout-aware document transformation. It features a visual AI assistant capable of analyzing screen content and a prompt-engineere

Vimium-C is a keyboard-driven browser extension that provides a vim-like navigation tool for web browsers. It functions as a customizable key mapper and accessibility tool, allowing users to interact with web content and manage browser tabs and windows without a mouse. The project distinguishes itself through advanced key mapping capabilities, including the ability to define contextual shortcuts based on the website host and remap keyboard layouts. It implements mode-specific mappings to prevent command conflicts and allows for specific keyboard mappings to function within text input boxes.

Stretchly is a cross-platform desktop break reminder application that helps prevent eye strain and repetitive strain injury by periodically prompting you to take microbreaks and long breaks. Built with Electron, it runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux with a consistent interface, and can be controlled both through its graphical interface and via terminal commands. The application distinguishes itself through extensive customization and context-aware behavior. You can adjust break intervals, durations, sounds, and the content displayed during breaks to match your personal workflow. Stretchly auto

OnlySwitch is a macOS menu bar utility that provides a centralized panel of toggle switches for quickly changing system settings, running custom scripts, and controlling connected devices. It functions as a standalone application that combines AirPods management, notch hiding, Shortcuts launching, and system settings control into a single interface accessible from the menu bar. The application distinguishes itself through AI-powered automation capabilities, allowing users to generate and execute AppleScript from natural language commands using multiple AI model providers. It also supports voi

hotkeys-js is a JavaScript keyboard shortcut library and event manager used to map key combinations to callback functions within web applications. It serves as an input shortcut orchestrator that captures and filters keyboard events to execute custom actions. The library distinguishes itself through shortcut scope management, allowing shortcuts to be organized into named groups. These scopes can be toggled to prevent command conflicts across different application states. The system covers keyboard shortcut binding and unbinding, real-time key state querying, and input event filtering to prev

iTerm2 is a high-performance terminal emulator designed specifically for macOS. It functions as a programmable environment that supports advanced session management, including tabbed windows, split panes, and persistent state serialization to maintain complex workflows across application restarts. The application distinguishes itself through deep shell integration and extensive automation capabilities. It utilizes a Python-based scripting bridge and a regex-driven trigger engine to allow users to programmatically control the terminal, automate responses to output patterns, and integrate exter