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rofi vs Search Light: catalog facts
rofi	Search Light
Best for: Tiling window manager users who need a fast keyboard launcher and menu	Best for: GNOME users who want a Spotlight-style search box
Free Free and open source.	Free Free and open source.
Linux	Linux
Launcher, window switcher and dmenu replacement in one tool Scriptable menu for your own shell scripts All 3 strengths for rofi Launcher, window switcher and dmenu replacement in one tool Scriptable menu for your own shell scripts Theming support and text-file configuration	Spotlight-style popup without leaving the current workspace Uses GNOME's built-in search All 3 strengths for Search Light Spotlight-style popup without leaving the current workspace Uses GNOME's built-in search Configurable through a preferences dialog
Configuration and theming take some effort Linux and Unix-like desktops only	Only works on GNOME Shell GNOME extensions can break with new GNOME releases
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MIT	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for rofi github.com/davatorium/rofi Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Search Light github.com/icedman/search-light Catalog checked September 24, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.