swiftbar/SwiftBar
SwiftBar
SwiftBar is a macOS menu bar customizer and plugin-based status monitor that displays the output of executable scripts and shell commands directly in the system menu bar. It functions as a shell script dashboard, rendering real-time data and script results as interactive menu items and dropdowns.
The project distinguishes itself by acting as an automation interface that integrates with system shortcuts and external URL schemes to trigger actions and update status indicators. It supports the installation of community-made scripts and the packaging of complex plugin assets into local directories.
The system covers a wide range of capabilities, including metadata-driven rendering for fonts and colors, interval-based polling and real-time data streaming, and the integration of embedded web views within the menu interface. It also provides environment variable access for dynamic logic and allows script execution results to be launched in a terminal emulator for debugging.
Features
- Shell Script Execution Engines - Runs executable shell scripts as plugins and renders their standard output in the macOS menu bar.
- Menu Bar Script Runners - Executes system scripts and displays their output directly in the macOS menu bar for real-time monitoring.
- Shell Script Interfaces - Provides a visual interface for running executable scripts and shell commands to trigger system actions.
- Incremental Menu Updates - Maintains open processes to update menu items in real-time as events occur without restarting scripts.
- Plugin Managers - Manages the lifecycle of plugins, including discovery from local folders and repository installations.
- Real-time Event Streams - Updates menu bar items in real-time via persistent background processes and event streams.
- Item Action Triggers - Executes shell scripts, opens links, or refreshes plugins upon selection of specific menu items.
- Interactive Dashboards - Renders real-time data and script results as interactive menu items and dropdowns on the desktop.
- Fixed Interval Schedulers - Refreshes menu bar items at fixed intervals or based on cron expressions defined in metadata.
- Directory-Based Plugin Discovery - Automatically discovers and imports executable plugins by scanning designated local directories.
- Dashboard Refresh Scheduling - Automates the periodic refreshing of menu bar status items using intervals or cron schedules.
- Real-Time Monitoring Systems - Tracks live data streams and system events using persistent background processes that update the menu bar.
- Status Monitors - Runs community-made or custom scripts on schedules to show live system and web information.
- Rich Text Formatting - Customizes menu entry appearance using parameters for colors, fonts, symbols, and markdown.
- Metadata-Driven Rendering - Uses script output parameters to dynamically control fonts, colors, and images in the menu bar.
- macOS Automation Tools - Provides a way to build personalized productivity tools by combining shell scripts and custom menu actions on macOS.
- MacOS Shortcut Runners - Integrates macOS Shortcuts by displaying their results directly in the system menu bar.
- Environment Variable Providers - Provides runtime system and metadata details via environment variables for conditional script logic.
- URL Scheme Handlers - Provides a custom URL scheme to trigger plugin updates and system notifications from external apps.
- Repository Plugin Installations - Enables browsing and installing pre-made script plugins from a built-in community repository.
- Embedded Web Views - Renders specific URLs as persistent or temporary interactive web views within the menu interface.
- Ephemeral Notifications - Generates temporary menu bar entries via URL schemes to display notifications and alerts.
- Menu Bar Tools - Powerful menu bar customization tool.
- Menu Bar Utilities - Listed in the “Menu Bar Utilities” section of the Awesome Mac awesome list.
- System Utilities - Turns script output into macOS menu bar items.
Star history
How this analysis was created: This summary and feature list were written by an AI model that read the project's README and public documentation pages. Each feature links to the documentation it came from; stars, license and language come straight from the GitHub API. The model does not read the source code, and the analysis is refreshed when the project is re-analysed. Learn more on our About page.
