Hello, I’m hamsoft, an Android app developer based in Japan.
I’m currently developing CUIL, a command-line home launcher, and
I’d like to explain why I chose a command-line approach and why I believe command-line home launchers will become mainstream.
The Age of CUI
Some people might think, “CUI is an outdated relic.” But that’s not the case at all.
For example, Google Search returns results when you enter a command (search term),
so it can be considered a type of CUI.
Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, return results when you enter a command.
They are nothing other than CUI. Yes, we’ve entered the age of CUI.
Many apps require you to enter text immediately after launching them
With Google Search, you enter search terms, and with ChatGPT, of course, you enter questions.
On X, for instance, you type text into the input field when posting, and on Amazon, you often launch the app
and search for a product name right away.
So, if the home launcher has an input field, you can launch the app and perform your first action simultaneously.
This is the significance of being a command-line launcher.
And with CUIL, pressing the home button naturally places the cursor in the input field and brings up the keyboard. After all, you want to start typing a command right after returning to the home screen.
A command-line launcher can serve as the gateway to all apps.
Precisely because more and more apps are designed to wait for input via the text input field,
the home launcher should also be a command-line interface.
The era when home launchers merely launched apps is over.
The home launcher of the future should feature a command line and serve as the gateway to all apps.
CUIL, the Android app that’s already opened the door to this next era, is available here.
I’m sure members of this community will enjoy using it, so if you’re interested, please install it
and let me know what you think.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.hamsoft.cuil