Introduction

Raffi is a flexible application launcher designed for Wayland environments that lets you define commands, scripts, and workflows in a simple YAML configuration file.

What is Raffi?

Raffi is an application launcher that sits on top of Fuzzel or operates using its own built-in native interface. It provides a powerful way to launch applications, run scripts, and execute commands with support for:

YAML-based configuration - Define all your commands and workflows in a simple, readable format
Icon support - Visual application identification with cached icon paths
Script execution - Run inline scripts with configurable interpreters (Bash, Python, etc.)
Conditional visibility - Show/hide entries based on environment variables or binary availability
Multiple UI modes - Use external Fuzzel or the built-in native interface

Key Features

Dual Interface Modes — Choose between Fuzzel integration for a minimal Wayland-native experience or the built-in iced-based GUI with fuzzy search and theming.
YAML Configuration — Define applications, scripts, and commands in ~/.config/raffi/raffi.yaml with support for arguments, icons, and conditional display.
Native Interface Addons — Built-in calculator, currency converter, file browser, web searches, text snippets, and script filters for extended functionality.
Script Support — Execute inline scripts with any interpreter (Bash, Python, Node.js) directly from the launcher with environment variable expansion.

Native Interface Addons

When using the native UI mode (-u native), Raffi includes several powerful addons:

Calculator

Evaluate mathematical expressions as you type with support for standard operators and functions like sqrt, sin, cos, log, and more. Results can be copied to clipboard with Enter.

2 + 2 * 5
sqrt(144)
sin(90) * cos(45)

Currency Converter

Convert between currencies with real-time exchange rates from the Frankfurter API (cached for one hour).

$10 to eur
$50 gbp to usd
$100eur to jpy

File Browser

Navigate your filesystem directly in the launcher. Type / for root or ~ for home directory. Select files to open with xdg-open, or use Alt+Enter to copy the path.

Script Filters

Extend Raffi with dynamic results from external commands using the Alfred Script Filter JSON format. Perfect for custom workflows like PR browsers, password managers, or any data source.

Web Searches

Quick web searches via URL templates. Type a keyword followed by your query to search Google, DuckDuckGo, GitHub, Wikipedia, and more.

g rust async traits
gh user/repo
wiki wayland

Text Snippets

Store and quickly insert reusable text snippets from inline config, YAML files, directories, or command output.

Use Cases

Application Launcher

Launch applications with custom arguments and environment variables. Define entries only for binaries that exist in your PATH.

firefox:
  binary: firefox
  args: [--marionette]
  icon: firefox
  description: Firefox browser with marionette enabled

Script Execution

Run inline scripts with any interpreter directly from the launcher.

hello_python:
  binary: python3
  script: |
    import os
    print("Hello from Python!")
    print(os.environ)
  description: "Hello Python script"
  icon: "script"

Conditional Workflows

Show entries only when specific conditions are met.

gnome_app:
  binary: gnome-tweaks
  description: GNOME Tweaks
  ifenveq: [DESKTOP_SESSION, GNOME]

Window Manager Integration

Integrate with Sway, Hyprland, or other Wayland compositors for seamless launching.

# Sway
bindsym $super+Space exec raffi -p | xargs swaymsg exec --

# Hyprland
bind = $super, R, exec, (val=$(raffi -pI); echo $val | grep -q . && hyprctl dispatch exec "$val")

Why Raffi?

Lightweight - 1.1 MB binary when built without native UI, ~15 MB with GUI support
Flexible - Works with Fuzzel or standalone with built-in interface
Extensible - Script filters and addons for custom workflows
Wayland-first - Designed specifically for modern Wayland compositors
Simple configuration - Human-readable YAML with path expansion and environment variables

Next Steps

Install Raffi — Get started with installation via cargo, AUR, Homebrew, or build from source
Quick Start — Configure and launch your first application with Raffi