---

name: app-launcher description: Create macOS desktop app launchers for dev projects. Click an icon on Desktop → auto-runs local dev server in Terminal. Use when user wants to make an app "persistent", create a desktop shortcut, launch dev server with one click, or says "make this app clickable" / "create launcher" / "desktop icon for this project".

App Launcher

Create clickable macOS .app bundles that launch dev servers.

Quick Start

python ~/.claude/skills/app-launcher/scripts/create_launcher.py /path/to/project

This creates ProjectName.app on Desktop. Double-click → Terminal opens → dev server runs.

Usage

Basic (Auto-detect)

python ~/.claude/skills/app-launcher/scripts/create_launcher.py ~/projects/my-app

With Custom Options

python ~/.claude/skills/app-launcher/scripts/create_launcher.py ~/projects/my-app \
  --name "My App" \
  --cmd "npm run dev" \
  --icon ~/icons/my-app.png \
  --output ~/Desktop

Options

Option	Description
--name	App display name (default: folder name)
--cmd	Start command (default: auto-detect)
--icon	Icon file path (.icns or .png)
--output	Output directory (default: ~/Desktop)

Auto-Detection

The script auto-detects project type:

Project	Detection	Default Command
Node.js	package.json	npm run dev / npm start
Python	app.py / main.py	python app.py
Django	manage.py	python manage.py runserver
Docker	docker-compose.yml	docker-compose up
Make	Makefile	make dev

Also auto-detects venv/ or .venv/ and activates it.

Custom Icon

Provide a .png or .icns file:

--icon ~/Desktop/my-logo.png

The script converts PNG to proper macOS icns format.

Workflow

1. User says "create launcher for this project" or "make desktop icon"
2. Identify project path and any custom requirements (name, icon, command)
3. Run the script with appropriate options
4. Confirm the .app was created on Desktop
5. User can now double-click to launch

Examples

Create launcher for current project

python ~/.claude/skills/app-launcher/scripts/create_launcher.py .

Create launcher with custom icon from project

python ~/.claude/skills/app-launcher/scripts/create_launcher.py ~/projects/canmarket \
  --name "CanMarket Dev" \
  --icon ~/projects/canmarket/public/logo.png

Create launcher with specific command

python ~/.claude/skills/app-launcher/scripts/create_launcher.py ~/projects/api \
  --cmd "uvicorn main:app --reload"