Keypirinha vs Starling
Keypirinha
keypirinha.comStarling
starling.buildSide by side
| Figure | Keypirinha | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Start Menu Customization Software | 7.8 (#13) | 8.4 (#5) |
| Integrations | Official examples include Apps, TaskSwitcher, Winamp, ControlPanel, PuTTY, Calc, GoogleTranslate and URL packages. | The Linux desktop launches applications installed on the machine; its App Store can install more applications. |
| Product | Keypirinha is a fast launcher for keyboard ninjas on Windows. | Starling is a desktop environment with a 2D workspace and an optional 3D city workspace. |
| Support | The project provides a support chat room, issue reporting guidance and direct contact through the @polyvertex account. | The user guide directs users to GitHub Issues for problems and questions. |
Plans
In their own words
Keypirinha
Keypirinha is a free keyboard-oriented launcher for Windows. It can find and open applications, files, bookmarks, URLs, registry keys, and sessions for PuTTY, WinSCP, and FileZilla; it can also search configured websites and online dictionaries. Built-in utilities handle translation, mathematical evaluation, base conversion, environment-variable lookup, URL processing, hashing, and generation of UUIDs, passwords, or bytes. Its plugin design combines a C++ core with Python 3 plugins, and an embedded interpreter with exposed modules allows extensions. Users can adjust colors, fonts, visible interface elements, and their positions. Configuration is managed in readable files, with separate machine-specific and user-specific settings. Keypirinha is distributed as an archive rather than an installer, with full, 64-bit-only, and 32-bit-only packages. Portable Mode keeps required files in one folder for moving the application on a USB device. The project describes it as a niche option for advanced users, noting that its minimal interface and learning curve can be demanding.
Starling
Starling is a desktop environment with a 2D workspace and an optional 3D city workspace. Its Linux desktop combines a Wayland compositor, window manager, dock, spaces, and nine first-party apps in a session alongside the existing desktop. It runs native Wayland clients and X11 apps, can launch applications installed on the machine, and includes an App Store for installing more. The supported Linux package target is Ubuntu 26.04 LTS on amd64; the desktop can also run through Ubuntu 26.04 on WSL2. Starling’s Windows shell supports Windows 10 and 11 on x64, and its page says Store apps keep working. The shell, apps, build tools, documentation, and host code are open source under Apache 2.0, and the product is free. The Linux session runs without elevated privileges. Starling labels the desktop an early preview and says users should expect rough edges, missing pieces, and bugs. Its Windows preview installer installs per user without administrator privileges, but is unsigned and prompts SmartScreen on first run.