Option1

Open apps and projects with shortcuts, like ⌥-1 for Chrome

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Category
Utility
WM Type
—
License
free
Open Source
Yes
Keybindings
Yes
Scripting
No
Last Update
2026-10-25

Features

  • Shortcuts to Open or Focus Apps
  • Shortcuts for Projects and Files
  • Shortcuts for Websites
  • Assign Apps to macOS Desktops
  • Workspaces Switchable From Menu Bar
  • ⌥-Tab In-App Window Switcher
  • Double Option Window List
  • Multi-Display and Full-Screen Support

Install

$brew install --cask Medvedev91/Option1/Option1

About

Option1 binds apps, projects and websites to shortcuts: ⌥-1 for Chrome, ⌥-2 for Slack, ⌥-3 for a specific Xcode project. A shortcut opens its target if it's closed and focuses it otherwise. It also offers per-desktop app assignment, workspaces that change what a shortcut opens, and an expanded ⌥-Tab window switcher.

Who It's For

Option1 is for keyboard-driven developers who have a few apps and projects they return to all day, and who are tired of cycling through ⌘-Tab or hunting for the right Xcode window. Its author built it to add "features I miss in macOS", and the main example is a developer with several Xcode projects open who wants a single key for the one they're working on. It adds to macOS's own window management rather than replacing it.

How It Works

Option1 doesn't tile or resize windows. It works by binding targets to shortcuts. A target can be an app (⌥-1 for Chrome, ⌥-2 for Slack), a project or file opened in a particular app (⌥-3 for Option1.xcodeproj in Xcode, and this works with any app), or a website (⌥-0 opens Chrome *and* a new tab with google.com). The behaviour is simple: "If the app or project is closed - it opens, otherwise - gets focus." The README recommends keeping built-in ⌘-Tab for everything else.

Option1 works with built-in macOS desktops instead of replacing them. "Assign To This Desktop" ties an app to a desktop so that its shortcut always takes you there. On top of that, *workspaces* let one shortcut point to different things depending on context. The author uses ⌥-8 to open the current project in both an "Option1" and a "timeto.me" workspace, while ⌥-1 and ⌥-2 stay in a "Shared" set. You switch workspaces from the menu bar. Option1 also replaces ⌥-Tab with an in-app window switcher. Its options include pinned apps, a Double Option window list, ⌥- / ⌘- to jump only to windows with badges, sorting by app or history (⌥-J toggles History mode), auto-assigned ⌥-letter shortcuts, and favourites. The README says it supports multiple displays, macOS desktops and full-screen windows. All setup happens in the GUI; there is no config file or scripting API.

Compared to Alternatives

Compared to rcmd, which uses the right Command key plus an app's first letter, Option1 uses numbered ⌥ shortcuts. Option1 also goes beyond apps: it can bind shortcuts to specific projects, files and websites. Both open an app if it isn't running and focus it if it is. Option1 also adds desktop assignment, workspaces and a window switcher, while rcmd is distributed through the Mac App Store and Option1 is GPL-3.0 open source on GitHub. Compared to built-in ⌘-Tab, Option1 is meant to work alongside it, not replace it.

Requirements

  • macOS (minimum version not stated in the README or on the website)
  • Free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license
  • Actively maintained, with frequent date-versioned releases (latest v2026.10.26.57, October 2026)
  • ⌥-letter shortcuts may conflict with other apps' shortcuts, which the README warns about

Getting Started

Install with brew install --cask Medvedev91/Option1/Option1, or download the DMG from option1.io or GitHub Releases. Start by binding your two or three most-used apps to ⌥-1, ⌥-2 and so on, then add a project shortcut for the codebase you're working on. If you use macOS desktops, use "Assign To This Desktop" so that each app's shortcut always lands on the right one. Once you're juggling several projects, set up workspaces from the menu bar. The README walks through the author's full setup with screenshots.

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