Raycast Cheat Sheet

Overview

Raycast is a macOS productivity application that replaces Spotlight as the primary launcher. It provides a command palette interface for launching apps, searching files, managing windows, running scripts, controlling system settings, and integrating with developer tools. Raycast is extensible through a store of community-built extensions and supports custom scripts in multiple languages.

Raycast includes built-in features for clipboard history, snippet expansion, window management, floating notes, and AI-powered chat. Its extension API lets developers build custom commands using React and TypeScript. The free tier covers most functionality, while Raycast Pro adds AI features, cloud sync, and custom themes.

Installation

# Install via Homebrew
brew install --cask raycast

# Or download from https://raycast.com

First Launch

Open Raycast (default shortcut: Opt+Space)
Follow the setup wizard
Optionally disable Spotlight (System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Spotlight)
Set Raycast as your primary launcher

Core Features

Essential Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
`Opt+Space`	Open Raycast
`Enter`	Execute selected command
`Cmd+K`	Show actions for selected item
`Tab`	Autocomplete / navigate
`Esc`	Close or go back
`Cmd+,`	Open Raycast Preferences
`Cmd+Shift+C`	Copy selected item
`Ctrl+N` / `Ctrl+P`	Navigate up/down in list

Built-in Commands

Command	Description
Application search	Type app name to launch
File search	Search files and folders
Calculator	Type math expressions directly
Define word	Look up word definitions
System commands	Lock screen, sleep, restart, etc.
Clipboard history	Access copied items
Snippets	Text expansion shortcuts
Window management	Resize and position windows
Floating notes	Quick scratchpad
Calendar	View upcoming events
Reminders	Create and manage reminders

Clipboard History

# Open clipboard history
Type "Clipboard History" or set a global hotkey in Preferences

# Features:
- Stores text, images, links, colors, and files
- Pin frequently used items
- Search through history
- Paste specific item with Enter
- Preview with spacebar

Snippets

# Create a snippet in Preferences > Snippets
Name: Email Signature
Keyword: !sig
Content:
  Best regards,
  {name}
  {cursor}

# Dynamic variables in snippets:
{clipboard}     — current clipboard content
{cursor}        — cursor position after expansion
{date}          — current date
{time}          — current time
{name}          — your name from settings
{random:uuid}   — random UUID

Window Management

Shortcut	Action
`Ctrl+Opt+Enter`	Maximize window
`Ctrl+Opt+Left`	Left half
`Ctrl+Opt+Right`	Right half
`Ctrl+Opt+Up`	Top half
`Ctrl+Opt+Down`	Bottom half
`Ctrl+Opt+U`	Top-left quarter
`Ctrl+Opt+I`	Top-right quarter
`Ctrl+Opt+J`	Bottom-left quarter
`Ctrl+Opt+K`	Bottom-right quarter
`Ctrl+Opt+C`	Center window
`Ctrl+Opt+R`	Restore previous size

Extensions

Installing Extensions

# From Raycast:
1. Open Raycast
2. Type "Store" or browse at https://www.raycast.com/store
3. Search for extensions
4. Click Install

# Popular extensions:
- GitHub: manage PRs, issues, repos
- Jira: search and create issues
- Notion: search pages, create entries
- Slack: send messages, set status
- Docker: manage containers
- VS Code: open projects
- Spotify: control playback
- Brew: manage Homebrew packages
- npm: search and view packages
- Tailwind CSS: search documentation
- Kill Process: find and kill processes

Extension Categories

Category	Examples
Developer Tools	GitHub, GitLab, Docker, AWS, Vercel
Communication	Slack, Discord, Teams, Linear
Productivity	Notion, Todoist, Google Calendar
Design	Figma, Color Picker, Icon Search
System	Kill Process, Network Info, Bluetooth
Utilities	QR Code, Lorem Ipsum, UUID Generator
Media	Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music
Web	Google Search, MDN Docs, Can I Use

Configuration

Preferences

# Access: Cmd+, in Raycast

General:
  - Hotkey: Set global shortcut (default: Opt+Space)
  - Theme: Light, Dark, or System

Extensions:
  - Configure per-extension settings
  - Set custom shortcuts for any command
  - Enable/disable extensions

Advanced:
  - Show in Menu Bar
  - Auto-update extensions
  - Analytics opt-out

Custom Quicklinks

# Create quicklinks for URLs with query placeholders:
Name: Google Search
Link: https://google.com/search?q={Query}

Name: GitHub Search
Link: https://github.com/search?q={Query}

Name: npm Search
Link: https://www.npmjs.com/search?q={Query}

Name: Stack Overflow
Link: https://stackoverflow.com/search?q={Query}

# Quicklinks can also open local applications and files

Advanced Usage

Script Commands

#!/bin/bash
# ~/.config/raycast/scripts/ip-address.sh

# Required Raycast Script Command metadata:
# @raycast.title My IP Address
# @raycast.description Get your public IP address
# @raycast.mode inline
# @raycast.packageName Network
# @raycast.icon 🌐
# @raycast.schemaVersion 1

curl -s https://api.ipify.org

#!/usr/bin/env python3
# @raycast.title Generate UUID
# @raycast.description Generate a random UUID
# @raycast.mode inline
# @raycast.packageName Developer
# @raycast.icon 🔑
# @raycast.schemaVersion 1

import uuid
print(uuid.uuid4())

Building Extensions (TypeScript/React)

# Install the Raycast extension development tools
npm install -g @raycast/api

# Create a new extension
npx create-raycast-extension my-extension
cd my-extension

# Development
npm run dev      # Start development server
npm run build    # Build for publishing
npm run publish  # Publish to store

// src/index.tsx
import { List, Action, ActionPanel, Icon } from "@raycast/api"

export default function Command() {
  const items = [
    { title: "First Item", subtitle: "Description" },
    { title: "Second Item", subtitle: "Another one" },
  ]

  return (
    <List searchBarPlaceholder="Search items...">
      {items.map((item, index) => (
        <List.Item
          key={index}
          title={item.title}
          subtitle={item.subtitle}
          icon={Icon.Star}
          actions={
            <ActionPanel>
              <Action.CopyToClipboard content={item.title} />
              <Action.OpenInBrowser url={`https://example.com/${index}`} />
            </ActionPanel>
          }
        />
      ))}
    </List>
  )
}

AI Commands (Pro)

# Built-in AI capabilities:
- AI Chat: Natural language assistant
- Fix Spelling & Grammar: Select text, trigger command
- Make Shorter/Longer: Rewrite selected text
- Explain Code: Select code, get explanation
- Custom AI Commands: Create your own prompts

# Create custom AI command:
1. Preferences > Extensions > AI Commands
2. Add new command
3. Set prompt template with {selection} and {input} variables

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Raycast not opening	Check hotkey conflict in System Settings; reset to default `Opt+Space`
Extension not installing	Check internet connection; restart Raycast (`Cmd+Shift+R` to reload)
Clipboard history empty	Enable in Preferences > Clipboard History; check privacy permissions
Scripts not executing	Verify file is executable (`chmod +x script.sh`); check shebang line
Window management not working	Grant Accessibility permission in System Settings > Privacy
Slow search results	Rebuild search index; exclude large directories in Preferences
Hotkey conflicts	Change in Raycast Preferences; disable conflicting app shortcuts
Extensions crashing	Update to latest version; check extension logs in Developer menu
Spotlight still intercepting	Disable Spotlight shortcut in System Settings > Keyboard Shortcuts