Walker

Free plan Linux

What Walker is

Walker is a free application launcher for Linux desktop environments, built with GTK4 and Rust. It can find and launch installed desktop applications, run shell commands, search the web through custom-defined engines, and perform mathematical calculations. Additional providers cover file browsing and clipboard history, along with symbol picking, custom menus, dmenu, todo items, bookmarks, Bluetooth, snippets and window focusing. Listed integrations include Elephant providers, Niri actions and sessions, Bitwarden, 1Password and Wireplumber. Walker can be configured with custom CSS themes and provider-specific layouts. The project documents building from source with Cargo and installation through Home Manager, NixOS modules or Nix packages. Elephant must already be running before Walker starts. The project lists GTK4 4.6+, gtk4-layer-shell, the Protocol Buffers compiler, cairo and poppler-glib among its dependencies. Walker is licensed under GNU GPL version 3.0.

Who it suits

Walker suits Linux desktop users who want an application launcher that can also run commands, search, calculate and use other providers. It may fit users who configure themes or install software through Nix tools.

What it does well

Launches installed apps and runs shell commands
Includes web search and mathematical calculation providers
Supports custom CSS themes and provider-specific layouts
Free under GNU GPL version 3.0

What to know first

Linux desktop application only
Elephant must be running first
Requires GTK4 4.6+ and listed dependencies

Limits

Elephant must be running before Walker starts, and the README lists several dependencies.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Free and open source	GPL-3.0 licensed · Linux desktop application	Free

As github.com lists them, read 3 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Use a Linux desktop environment.
Install Walker by building from source with Cargo, through Home Manager or a NixOS module, or as a Nix package.
Install the listed dependencies, including GTK4 4.6+, gtk4-layer-shell, the Protocol Buffers compiler, cairo, and poppler-glib.
Start Elephant before launching Walker.
Configure Walker and create themes with custom CSS or provider-specific layouts.

Verdict

Walker brings application launching together with a wide range of search, file and workflow providers. Its use depends on a Linux desktop setup with Elephant and the listed dependencies.

Questions

How much does Walker cost?

Walker is free. The listed Free and open source plan is free.

Is Walker open source?

Yes. The project states that Walker is licensed under GNU General Public License version 3.0.

Which platforms does Walker support?

The listed platform is Linux, including Linux desktop environments.

What can Walker launch or search?

Its providers can launch installed desktop applications, run shell commands, search the web through custom-defined engines, and perform mathematical calculations.

What other tools and integrations are listed?

Providers include file browsing, clipboard history, symbol picking, custom menus, dmenu, todo items, bookmarks, Bluetooth, snippets, and window focusing. Listed integrations include Elephant providers, Niri actions and sessions, Bitwarden, 1Password, and Wireplumber.

How can I install Walker?

The documented options are building from source with Cargo, installing through Home Manager or NixOS modules, and using Nix packages. Elephant must be running before Walker starts.

Facts from Walker's own pages

Applications and commands: Its providers can launch installed desktop applications and execute shell commands. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Customization: Users can configure Walker and create themes with custom CSS and provider-specific layouts. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Dependency: The README says Elephant must be running before Walker starts and lists GTK4 4.6+, gtk4-layer-shell, Protocol Buffers compiler, cairo, and poppler-glib as dependencies. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Files and clipboard: Providers include file browsing and clipboard history. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Free plan: Yes · github.com, 19 Sept 2026
Installation: The README documents building from source with Cargo and installation through Home Manager or NixOS modules and Nix packages. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Integrations: Listed integrations include Elephant providers, Niri actions and sessions, Bitwarden and 1Password, and Wireplumber. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
License: The project states that it is licensed under GNU General Public License v3.0. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Maker: The GitHub account identifies abenz1267 as Andrej Benz. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Other providers: The project lists symbol picking, custom menus, dmenu, todo items, bookmarks, Bluetooth, snippets, and window focusing among its providers. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Desktop platforms: linux · github.com, 19 Sept 2026
Purpose: Walker is a fast, customizable application launcher built with GTK4 and Rust for Linux desktop environments. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Release: The releases page lists v2.17.1, released September 24. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Search and calculation: Built-in providers support web searches through custom-defined engines and mathematical calculations. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Security: The latest release page states that its v2.17.1 commit was signed with the committer’s verified signature. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026