HopTab–free,open source macOS app switcher and tiler that replaces Cmd+Tab
HopTab is a free, open-source macOS app switcher and window tiler designed to revolutionize native workspace management. It offers robust features like focused app pinning, advanced window snapping, and workflow profiles with session management. This highly customizable, keyboard-driven utility addresses power users' frustrations with macOS's built-in limitations, making it a compelling tool on HN.
The Lowdown
HopTab presents itself as the comprehensive macOS workspace manager that many users feel the operating system should natively include. This free and open-source application significantly upgrades standard macOS functionality, offering unparalleled control over app switching, window organization, and workflow customization.
- Focused App Switching: Users can pin essential applications to a custom list, cycling through them with Option+Tab, effectively decluttering the default macOS switcher. It also allows quick quitting, hiding, or minimizing from the switcher interface.
- Advanced Window Tiling: Global keyboard shortcuts enable snapping windows into halves, thirds, or quarters, with the ability to cycle through different sizes and undo previous snaps. It also offers configurable gaps between windows and the screen edge.
- Layout Templates: Pre-defined layouts, such as 50/50 splits or IDE-specific configurations, allow users to assign applications to zones and apply arrangements with a single click. This functionality even extends to 'stubborn' GPU-rendered applications.
- Workflow Profiles: Create distinct profiles for different tasks (e.g., Coding, Design, Research), each with its own pinned apps, layout, hotkeys, and even sticky notes. These profiles can automatically switch when moving between macOS Spaces, enhancing contextual efficiency.
- Session Management: HopTab allows users to save and restore entire window sessions per profile, preserving the exact position, size, and z-order of all windows.
- Full Customization: Nearly every aspect, including app switcher hotkeys, profile shortcuts, and 17 different snap directions, is configurable through a built-in shortcut recorder, supporting various modifier keys and HyperKey compatibility.
- Cross-Monitor Movement: Windows can be effortlessly thrown to adjacent displays while maintaining proportional placement.
- Quality of Life Features: Includes auto-unminimize for activated apps, configurable window gaps, and a menu bar native interface without a Dock icon, along with automatic updates.
In essence, HopTab aims to transform the macOS experience for power users, providing a seamless and highly efficient environment for managing multiple applications, windows, and distinct workflows with precision and speed.