Problem
Reasonix is meant to be the always-on AI coding companion, but in a real
development session I typically have 5–10 apps open at once (editor, several
terminals, browser, Slack, Docker Desktop, etc.), and reaching Reasonix via
Alt+Tab / taskbar click / mouse is far too slow once it leaves the
foreground.
Today, Settings → Shortcuts only exposes in-app shortcuts (see
docs/GUIDE.md § "Desktop GUI Shortcuts": Ctrl+K, Ctrl+,, Ctrl+B,
Ctrl+1–Ctrl+9, Ctrl+Y, Ctrl+W, …). They only fire when the Reasonix
window already has focus, so the first hop from another application still
requires Alt+Tab or a taskbar click. There is currently no way to summon
Reasonix with one keystroke from any other app.
The closest existing report is #7552 (Bug: minimize → cannot reliably restore
on Linux/GNOME), which is essentially the same pain expressed as a bug. This
issue is the feature-side counterpart.
Proposed solution
Add a system-wide (OS-level) global hotkey that:
- When Reasonix is not focused: bring the existing window to the
foreground and un-minimize it, or launch the app if it isn't running.
- When Reasonix is focused: hide / minimize it (toggle semantics, like
Spotlight / Raycast / Alfred / uTools / Wox / Flow Launcher).
Behavior
- Press once while Reasonix is hidden / minimized / behind other windows
→ main window is raised and takes focus within ~100 ms.
- Press once while Reasonix already has focus → window is hidden /
minimized.
- Press once while Reasonix is not running at all → it launches and
focuses the main window.
- The binding is configurable from
Settings → Shortcuts, with sensible
per-platform defaults and a clear conflict warning if the OS refuses the
binding (e.g. Win+L, Cmd+Tab).
- The new hotkey does not interfere with the existing in-app shortcuts
(Ctrl+K, Ctrl+B, etc.), which continue to fire only when Reasonix
has focus.
Platform & implementation notes
- Windows: Win32
RegisterHotKey (or Electron's globalShortcut
module), with SetForegroundWindow / ShowWindow and the usual
foreground-rights dance on trigger. Default suggestion:
Ctrl+Shift+Space (avoids conflicts with Windows, VS Code, JetBrains,
common terminal apps, and Raycast-style tools). Allow override.
- macOS: Carbon
RegisterEventHotKey (Electron globalShortcut wraps
this). Default suggestion: Cmd+Shift+Space. Same override UX.
- Linux: DBus /
gnome-shell extension on GNOME; XGrabKey on X11; on
Wayland this is per-compositor — the UI should state the limitation
honestly, and an optional companion gnome-shell extension can be
considered.
Related
Environment
- Reasonix 1.19.7 (desktop, Windows 11 23H2). The request itself is
cross-platform; per-platform details are above.
Problem
Reasonix is meant to be the always-on AI coding companion, but in a real
development session I typically have 5–10 apps open at once (editor, several
terminals, browser, Slack, Docker Desktop, etc.), and reaching Reasonix via
Alt+Tab/ taskbar click / mouse is far too slow once it leaves theforeground.
Today, Settings → Shortcuts only exposes in-app shortcuts (see
docs/GUIDE.md§ "Desktop GUI Shortcuts":Ctrl+K,Ctrl+,,Ctrl+B,Ctrl+1–Ctrl+9,Ctrl+Y,Ctrl+W, …). They only fire when the Reasonixwindow already has focus, so the first hop from another application still
requires
Alt+Tabor a taskbar click. There is currently no way to summonReasonix with one keystroke from any other app.
The closest existing report is #7552 (Bug: minimize → cannot reliably restore
on Linux/GNOME), which is essentially the same pain expressed as a bug. This
issue is the feature-side counterpart.
Proposed solution
Add a system-wide (OS-level) global hotkey that:
foreground and un-minimize it, or launch the app if it isn't running.
Spotlight / Raycast / Alfred / uTools / Wox / Flow Launcher).
Behavior
→ main window is raised and takes focus within ~100 ms.
minimized.
focuses the main window.
Settings → Shortcuts, with sensibleper-platform defaults and a clear conflict warning if the OS refuses the
binding (e.g.
Win+L,Cmd+Tab).(
Ctrl+K,Ctrl+B, etc.), which continue to fire only when Reasonixhas focus.
Platform & implementation notes
RegisterHotKey(or Electron'sglobalShortcutmodule), with
SetForegroundWindow/ShowWindowand the usualforeground-rights dance on trigger. Default suggestion:
Ctrl+Shift+Space(avoids conflicts with Windows, VS Code, JetBrains,common terminal apps, and Raycast-style tools). Allow override.
RegisterEventHotKey(ElectronglobalShortcutwrapsthis). Default suggestion:
Cmd+Shift+Space. Same override UX.gnome-shellextension on GNOME;XGrabKeyon X11; onWayland this is per-compositor — the UI should state the limitation
honestly, and an optional companion
gnome-shellextension can beconsidered.
Related
docs/GUIDE.md§ "Desktop GUI Shortcuts" — existing in-app shortcutregistry that this proposal extends, not replaces.
Environment
cross-platform; per-platform details are above.