macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install launchlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install launchMacPorts ports tree · aqua/launch/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 8794
Install launch with Homebrew, MacPorts
Command-line launcher for macOS, in the spirit of open. Version 1.2.5 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with macports: sudo port install launch.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Command-line launcher for macOS, in the spirit of open
Project links
Commands and aliases
- launch
history
Project history and usage
launch is a macOS command-line launcher written by Nicholas Riley in the spirit of Apple's open(1), adding options that Apple's built-in tool did not expose. It belongs to the small tradition of Mac developer utilities that wrap Launch Services behavior in scriptable Unix-style commands.
Project history
The README states the motivation plainly: macOS already has open, but launch offers additional options. Its version history shows continuing maintenance across OS X and macOS transitions, including 64-bit Intel binaries for OS X 10.8 and later in 1.2.4, a 2018 1.2.5 fix, and unreleased Universal 2 signing work for macOS/OS X 10.9 and later.
The public GitHub repository is a distribution and maintenance point with no GitHub Releases published, so the README's embedded version history is the main authoritative chronology.
Adoption history
launch is packaged by Homebrew and MacPorts, which fits its audience: macOS users who live in the shell but need Launch Services features more detailed than open's default interface.
How it is used
Users invoke launch from scripts or terminals to open files, URLs, applications, or Launch Services targets with more control than open(1). Its usefulness is mostly macOS-specific and tied to desktop integration rather than portable Unix behavior.
Why package nerds care
For package nerds, launch is a compact example of why macOS package collections are not just Unix ports: they also preserve small native utilities that bridge shell workflows to Cocoa-era system APIs.
Timeline
- 2017: Version 1.2.4 dated 2017-10-01 adjusted installation paths and macOS 10.13 SDK compatibility.
- 2018: Version 1.2.5 dated 2018-04-02 fixed option restrictions involving -l.
- 2020s: Version 1.2.6d1 README marks unreleased signed Universal 2 binary work for macOS/OS X 10.9 and later.
Related projects
- Related tools include Apple's open(1), macOS Launch Services, Homebrew's launch formula, and the MacPorts launch port.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
launch | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-03
manager version1.2.5
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:launch |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.2.5 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://sabi.net/nriley/software/#launch |
| Repository | https://github.com/nriley/launch |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
MacPorts95%
launch
sudo port install launch- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Launch
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation