’Search Light’ is Like macOS Spotlight for GNOME Shell
Looking for a desktop-based app launcher for GNOME Shell?
Check out Search Light, whose developer describes it as “…a Gnome Shell extension that takes the apps search widget out of Overview. Like the macOS spotlight, or Alfred.” Linux users will be familiar with the concept thanks to open-source app launchers like ULauncher, Albert, Kupfer and, back in the day, GNOME Do.
With this extension enabled you get to harness the power of GNOME Shell’s search capabilities but without being punted to a different screen.
Search Light can show any/all results the regular GNOME Shell search can as it’s the same widget, just floating above all windows. To control what kind of results you see for queries toggle on/off options listed in the system Settings > Search panel.
The default keybinding is ctrl + super + space. This requires more finger-flexing than macOS’s cmd + space or GNOME Shell’s stock super. You can’t (currently) set your own keyboard shortcut from the extension’s settings panel.