Quicksilver Mac app launcher sees release after 10 years in beta

After almost ten years in beta, Quicksilver for OS X has hit version 1.0, bringing users a powerful application launcher and task manager that functions with keyboard shortcuts and mouse gestures known as "triggers."

The application, including the latest bug fixes and enhancements, was detailed in a post to Quicksilver's official blog.

Quicksilver's main draw is its ability to locate files and folders with abbreviated search terms, and launch the assets in the appropriate OS X applications. The app has a highly customizable feature set, including trigger actions that dictate how a file is handled or what application is used to open it, abbreviations called synonyms for fast library searching, and plug-ins, which offer compatibility with many OS X programs.

According to the post, additional features are on the way, as the new version 1.0 "means more than just a change in the version numbering system - it signifies a maturity of Quicksilver and a sign of what’s to come."

In an interview with lead developers Patrick Robertson and Rob McBroom, the pair said Quicksilver can be even more powerful with backing from the dev community, which can take advantage of AppleScript extensions to build new plugins.

"Quicksilver 1.0 doesn’t just mean stability, it means the whole package: localisations for all our users; easy to use APIs for plugin and AppleScript extension developers; and a reliable, responsive support system," Robertson said.

Quicksilver version 1.0 supports OS X 10.6, 10.7, and 10.8, and can be downloaded for free from the application's website. Donations are also accepted.