Shell Apps

Turn any shell command into an app-like shortcut for Windows, right from Raycast. Give your most-used commands (npm run build, git status, wsl, custom scripts...) a name, launch them in a dedicated terminal window, and pin them to the root search like real apps.

Features

• Named shortcuts — create a shortcut for any shell command, for example npm run build.
• Your choice of terminal — launch in PowerShell, PowerShell 7, Command Prompt, or Windows Terminal.
• Launch options — optional working directory, keep the window open after the command exits, or run elevated (UAC prompt).
• App-like Quicklinks — turn any shortcut into a pinned entry in the root search, with optional hotkey.
• Private by design — all data is stored locally in Raycast's local storage. Nothing is sent to the network.
• Works in any environment — commands run with your full user PATH, so tools like wsl and anything in your profile resolve correctly even when launched from Raycast's sandboxed extension host.

Install

Install Shell Apps from the Raycast Store.

Quick start

1. Open the Shell Apps command.
2. Press ⌘ N to create your first shortcut:
   • Name — the display name, for example My App.
   • Command — the shell command to run, for example npm run build.
   • Terminal — the terminal used to launch the command in a new window.
   • Working Directory — optional. The directory the command runs in.
   • Keep the terminal window open — keep the window open after the command exits.
   • Run as administrator — launch the terminal elevated (triggers a UAC prompt).
3. Select the shortcut and press ↵ to launch it in a terminal window.

Make it feel like a real app

On any shortcut, use Create Quicklink. A named entry (for example My App) appears in the root search and launches the command directly — no need to open the extension first. From the Quicklinks preferences you can also assign it a hotkey, so ⌥ Space → My App or a keyboard shortcut starts it.

Screenshots

Commands

Command	Description
Shell Apps	List, search, launch, edit, duplicate, and delete your shortcuts. When launched with the app argument (via a Quicklink) it launches the shortcut directly.
Create Shell App	Add a new shortcut with name, command, terminal, and launch options.

Preferences

Preference	Type	Default	Description
Default Terminal	Dropdown	PowerShell	Terminal used by default when creating a new shortcut.
Keep Window Open	Checkbox	Enabled	Keep the terminal window open after the command exits, by default.

Security

Shortcuts are arbitrary shell commands that run locally as your user, exactly as if you typed them in a terminal. Only create shortcuts for commands you trust.

Troubleshooting

• The command is not found — commands are resolved with your user PATH. Make sure the tool is installed and added to PATH, then launch again.
• Windows Terminal unavailable — the extension automatically falls back to PowerShell when wt.exe is not installed.
• Run as administrator does nothing — UAC is disabled for the command or the account; re-enable UAC or use a standard user account.
• Quicklinks created during development — quicklinks made while the extension is in development point to the development path. Re-create them after installing the extension from the Store.

License

MIT