MagicBox is a desktop search utility designed to provide a fast and efficient way to access files, applications, and web content from a single interface. Built with Flutter, MagicBox offers cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Key Features:
A floating transparent window that stays always-on-top for quick access.
An extensible plugin system enabling custom search capabilities.
Real-time search results as you type.
Customizable interface settings and plugin management.
Keyboard shortcuts for navigation and control.
Audience & Benefit:
Ideal for users seeking a distraction-free, efficient way to manage information across their systems. MagicBox helps save time by consolidating file, app, and web searches into one intuitive tool, enhancing productivity with its streamlined design and flexible customization options.
A powerful and versatile desktop search utility built with Flutter. Magic Box is a floating search tool that allows users to quickly search and retrieve information using various plugins, providing an efficient way to access files, applications, and web content from a single interface.
Features
Floating Window: Transparent, always-on-top search window that stays accessible while working
Plugin System: Extensible architecture supporting custom plugins for different search capabilities
Real-time Search: Instant search results as you type
Cross-platform: Built with Flutter for Windows, macOS, and Linux support
Customizable Interface: Settings panel and plugin management
Keyboard Controls: Supports keyboard shortcuts and navigation
Architecture
Magic Box is designed as a plugin-based search tool:
Main Application: The Flutter UI that provides the search interface
Plugin System: External executables that perform specific search tasks
Communication: Plugins communicate with the main app via JSON over standard input/output
Plugin Format: Plugins are distributed as ZIP packages containing executables and configurations
Usage
Launch Magic Box - it appears as a small floating search bar
Start typing in the search box to begin searching
Results from enabled plugins will appear below the search bar
Click on results to execute their associated actions
Access settings via the gear icon to manage plugins and preferences
Close Magic Box with the close (X) button or press Escape
Use Ctrl+~ to open Magic Box anywhere for quick search
Plugin Development
Magic Box supports a plugin system allowing developers to extend its functionality:
Plugins receive search queries as command line arguments with the -k flag
Plugins return results in JSON format through standard output
Multiple results can be separated with the next_result delimiter
JSON Result Format
{
"title": "Result Title",
"content": "Result Content/Description",
"cmd": "Command to execute when clicked",
"preview_path": "Path to preview image (optional)",
"encoding": "Text encoding (optional)",
"auto_close": false // Optional: Whether to automatically close the window after opening the result
}
Settings
Magic Box includes a settings interface to:
Manage installed plugins
Configure global hotkeys (coming soon)
Adjust appearance and behavior
Support
If you encounter any issues or have questions about Magic Box: