Flow.Launcher/README.md

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Flow Launcher. Dedicated to make your workflow flow more seamlessly. Aimed at being more than an app launcher, it searches, integrates and expands on functionalities. Flow will continue to evolve, designed to be open and built with the community at heart.

<sub>Remember to star it, flow will love you more :)</sub>

---

<h4 align="center">
  <a href="#Features">Features</a> •
  <a href="#Getting-Started">Getting Started</a> •
  <a href="#QuestionsSuggestions">Questions/Suggestions</a> •
  <a href="#Development">Development</a> •
  <a href="https://flow-launcher.github.io/docs">Documentation</a>
</h4>

---

## Features

![The Flow](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/26427004/82151677-fa9c7100-989f-11ea-9143-81de60aaf07d.gif)

- Search everything from applications, files, bookmarks, YouTube, Twitter and more. All from the comfort of your keyboard without ever touching the mouse.
- Search for file contents.
- Do mathematical calculations and copy the result to clipboard. 
- Support search using environment variable paths.
- Run batch and PowerShell commands as Administrator or a different user.
- Support languages from Chinese to Italian and more.
- Support wide range of plugins.
- Prioritise the order of each plugin's results.
- Save file or folder locations for quick access.
- Fully portable.

[<img width="12px" src="https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/26427004/104119722-9033c600-5385-11eb-9d57-4c376862fd36.png"> **SOFTPEDIA EDITOR'S PICK**](https://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Launchers-Shutdown-Tools/Flow-Launcher.shtml)

## Getting Started

### Installation

| [Windows 7 and up installer](https://github.com/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher/releases/latest/download/Flow-Launcher-Setup.exe) | [Portable](https://github.com/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher/releases/latest/download/Flow-Launcher-Portable.zip) | `WinGet install "Flow Launcher"` |
| --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |

Windows may complain about security due to code not being signed, this will be completed at a later stage. If you downloaded from this repo, you are good to continue the set up. 

### Usage
- Open flow's search window: <kbd>Alt</kbd>+<kbd>Space</kbd> is the default hotkey.
- Open context menu: on the selected result, press <kbd>Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>O</kbd>/<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>Enter</kbd>.
- Cancel/Return to previous screen: <kbd>Esc</kbd>.
- Install/Uninstall/Update plugins: in the search window, type `pm` `install`/`uninstall`/`update` + the plugin name.
- Saved user settings are located:
  - If using roaming: `%APPDATA%\FlowLauncher`
  - If using portable, by default: `%localappdata%\FlowLauncher\app-<VersionOfYourFlowLauncher>\UserData` 
- Logs are saved along with your user settings folder.

[More tips](https://flow-launcher.github.io/docs/#/usage-tips)

### Plugins

Flow searches files and contents via Windows Index Search, to use **Everything**: `pm install everything`.

If you are using Python plugins, flow will prompt to either select the location or allow Python (Embeddable) to be automatic downloaded for use.

Vist [here](https://flow-launcher.github.io/docs/#/plugins) for our plugin portfolio.

If you are keen to write your own plugin for flow, please take a look at our plugin development documentation for [C#](https://flow-launcher.github.io/docs/#/develop-csharp-plugins) or [Python](https://flow-launcher.github.io/docs/#/develop-py-plugins)

## Questions/Suggestions

Yes please, let us know in the [Q&A](https://github.com/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher/discussions/categories/q-a) section.

**Join our community on [Discord](https://discord.gg/AvgAQgh)!**

## Development

### Status

Flow is under heavy development, but the code base is stable, so contributions are very welcome. If you would like to help maintain it, please do not hesistate to get in touch.

### Contributing

We welcome all contributions. If you are unsure of a change you want to make, let us know in the [Discussions](https://github.com/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher/discussions/categories/ideas), otherwise feel free to put in a pull request.

You will find the main goals of flow placed under the [Projects board](https://github.com/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher/projects), so feel free to contribute on that. If you would like to make small incremental changes, feel free to do so as well.

Get in touch if you like to join the Flow-Launcher Team and help build this great tool.

### Developing/Debugging

Flow Launcher's target framework is .Net 5

Install Visual Studio 2019

Install .Net 5 SDK via Visual Studio installer or manually from [here](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/thank-you/sdk-5.0.103-windows-x64-installer)