dmenu vs Kunkun
dmenu
tools.suckless.orgKunkun
kunkun.shSide by side
| Figure | dmenu | Kunkun |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 0 |
| Spec score · App Launcher Software | 8.7 (#5) | 7.2 (#30) |
| Spec score · App Launchers | 8.6 (#7) | 7.1 (#34) |
| Spec score · App launchers | 8.6 (#7) | 6.8 (#36) |
| Support | The suckless community page identifies the dev mailing list as a place for dmenu users, development discussion, bug reports, and general discussion. | The documentation directs users to Discord for help with building extensions. |
Plans
In their own words
dmenu
dmenu is a free dynamic menu for X that handles large sets of user-defined menu items and can launch commands. It runs on Linux and was originally designed for the dwm window manager. Community scripts apply it to tasks such as browsing directories, managing clipboard contents, accessing passwords, and controlling music; contributed modifications are available in a patches collection. The project provides a browsable source repository and a Git clone command. Building requires Xlib header files, and the README describes building and installing with `make clean install`, with files placed in the `/usr/local` namespace by default. The listed release is dmenu 5.4, dated 2025-08-09. Its source uses the MIT/X Consortium License, which permits use, copying, modification, distribution, sublicensing, and sale of copies subject to its conditions, while disclaiming warranties. The suckless dev mailing list is identified as a venue for user questions, development discussion, bug reports, and general discussion.
Kunkun
Kunkun is a free, open-source app launcher for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It supports command launching and extensions, and its maker describes it as an alternative to Alfred and Raycast. Users can build lightweight extensions in JavaScript, including interfaces made with React, Vue, or Svelte. The community extension store includes tools such as Google Search, VSCode project opening, SQLite browsing, JSON formatting and inspection, and YouTube downloading. Extensions can also be installed from GitHub, npm, or tarball files. Before installing an extension, users can view its declared permissions; Kunkun says it blocks and logs unauthorized API access. The maker says submissions are personally reviewed before being added to the repository. The application and community extension code can be examined on GitHub. The project describes itself as early-stage and a work in progress. Downloads are listed for all three desktop platforms, including macOS AArch64, x64, and Universal builds. Extension-building questions are directed to Discord.