Search & Command Palette
User GuideSearch & Command Palette

Search & Command Palette

Instant action launcher, fuzzy search algorithm, keyboard navigation, and scoped menus.

Launching Search Mode

The Command Palette turns OpenClip into an instant keyboard launcher across every built-in feature, installed extension, and AI prompt:

  • Click the Magnifying Glass icon on the right of the popup bar.
  • Press the global hotkey (⌥⌘C) when the popup is already visible.
  • Click any Group action or AI Tools button (opens scoped search).

4-Tier Search Ranking Algorithm

Search queries in ActionSearch.swift are evaluated against all actions and ranked into 4 priority tiers:

TierMatch StrategyScoring Details
Tier 3Title PrefixAction title starts with query (e.g., "sum" → "Summarize"). Highest priority.
Tier 2Title SubstringAction title contains query as a continuous substring.
Tier 1Fuzzy SubsequenceDynamic programming alignment with word boundary bonus (+8), delimiter bonus (+7), and consecutive match bonus (+4).
Tier 0Keyword ContainsMatches extension package identifier, author name, or parent group name.

MRU Recency Tie-Breaking

When multiple actions tie in score, OpenClip uses a Most Recently Used (MRU) invocation counter to place your favorite and frequently used actions at the top.

Keyboard Controls & Navigation

  • ↑ / ↓: Navigate through results with smooth automatic scrolling.
  • Return (Enter): Executes the highlighted action immediately.
  • Escape: Clears the query or returns back to the main Action Bar.

Scoped Search (Groups & AI)

Clicking a Group Action (e.g. Developer Tools) or AI Tools opens a scoped search palette filtered specifically to child actions within that category, including back-navigation to return to the root bar.