rofi is a window switcher, application launcher and dmenu replacement. Its main aim is to improve your workflow, allowing users to quickly switch between windows, start applications or log into a remote machine via ssh.
Rofi has several built-in modes implementing common use cases and can be extended by scripts (either called from Rofi or calling Rofi).
The run mode allows users to quickly search for and launch a program.
Run mode features:
Shift-Returnto run the selected program in a terminal- favorites list, with frequently used programs sorted on top
- custom entries, like aliases, added by executing a command
rofi focuses on being fast to use and have minimal distraction. It supports keyboard and mouse navigation, type to filter, tokenized search and more.
Other features include:
- Fully configurable keyboard navigation.
- Type to filter:
- tokenized: type any word in any order to filter.
- (togglable) case insensitive.
- support for fuzzy-, regex-, and glob matching.
- UTF-8 enabled:
- UTF-8-aware string collating.
- international keyboard support (`e -> è).
- RTL language support.
- Cairo drawing and Pango font rendering.
- Built-in modes:
- window switcher mode.
- EWMH compatible WM.
- application launcher.
- desktop file application launcher.
- SSH launcher mode.
- Combi mode, allowing several modes to be merged into one list.
- window switcher mode.
- history-based ordering — last 25 choices are ordered on top based on use (optional).
- Levenshtein distance ordering of matches (optional).
- drop-in dmenu replacement:
- many added improvements.
- easily extensible using scripts.
- theming.
Website: github.com/DaveDavenport/rofi
Support: GitHub code repository
Developer: Qball Cow, Rasmus Steinke, Quentin Glidic and many contributions (Original author: Sean Pringle)
License: MIT/X11 License
rofi is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Return to Application Launchers
| Popular series | |
|---|---|
 | The largest compilation of the best free and open source software in the universe. Each article is supplied with a legendary ratings chart helping you to make informed decisions. |
 | Hundreds of in-depth reviews offering our unbiased and expert opinion on software. We offer helpful and impartial information. |
 | Replace proprietary software with open source alternatives: Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Autodesk, Oracle, Atlassian, Corel, Cisco, Intuit, and SAS. |
 | Awesome Free Linux Games Tools showcases a series of tools that making gaming on Linux a more pleasurable experience. This is a new series. |
 | Machine Learning explores practical applications of machine learning and deep learning from a Linux perspective. We've written reviews of more than 40 self-hosted apps. All are free and open source. |
 | New to Linux? Read our Linux for Starters series. We start right at the basics and teach you everything you need to know to get started with Linux. |
 | Alternatives to popular CLI tools showcases essential tools that are modern replacements for core Linux utilities. |
 | Essential Linux system tools focuses on small, indispensable utilities, useful for system administrators as well as regular users. |
 | Linux utilities to maximise your productivity. Small, indispensable tools, useful for anyone running a Linux machine. |
 | Surveys popular streaming services from a Linux perspective: Amazon Music Unlimited, Myuzi, Spotify, Deezer, Tidal. |
 | Saving Money with Linux looks at how you can reduce your energy bills running Linux. |
 | Home computers became commonplace in the 1980s. Emulate home computers including the Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, ZX81, Amstrad CPC, and ZX Spectrum. |
 | Now and Then examines how promising open source software fared over the years. It can be a bumpy ride. |
 | Linux at Home looks at a range of home activities where Linux can play its part, making the most of our time at home, keeping active and engaged. |
 | Linux Candy reveals the lighter side of Linux. Have some fun and escape from the daily drudgery. |
 | Getting Started with Docker helps you master Docker, a set of platform as a service products that delivers software in packages called containers. |
 | Best Free Android Apps. We showcase free Android apps that are definitely worth downloading. There's a strict eligibility criteria for inclusion in this series. |
 | These best free books accelerate your learning of every programming language. Learn a new language today! |
 | These free tutorials offer the perfect tonic to our free programming books series. |
 | Linux Around The World showcases usergroups that are relevant to Linux enthusiasts. Great ways to meet up with fellow enthusiasts. |
 | Stars and Stripes is an occasional series looking at the impact of Linux in the USA. |