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what is slink fr?

mlhiter/slink — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-17 · repo last pushed 2024-10-11

1SwiftAudience · generalComplexity · 1/5StaleSetup · easy

tl;dr

A small macOS app that hides chosen application icons from the Dock while those apps keep running in the background, for a cleaner desktop.

vibe map

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Hides Dock icons
      Keeps apps running
      Launch at startup
    Tech stack
      Swift
      macOS
    Use cases
      Cleaner Dock
      Hide background apps
      Startup automation
    Audience
      Mac power users
      Desktop tinkerers
    Limitations
      No override of app own hide setting
      Only tested on macOS 14.0.1

Code map

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what do people make with this?

VIBE 1

Hide specific background apps from your Mac's Dock for a cleaner desktop.

VIBE 2

Automatically keep chosen apps hidden every time your Mac starts up.

VIBE 3

Tidy up a cluttered Dock without quitting apps you still need running.

what's the stack?

SwiftmacOS

how it stacks up fr

mlhiter/slinkaltuzar/sonicflowcalda/checkers
Stars111
LanguageSwiftSwiftSwift
Last pushed2024-10-112015-01-17
MaintenanceStaleDormant
Setup difficultyeasyeasyeasy
Complexity1/52/52/5
Audiencegeneralgeneraldeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

how do i run it?

Difficulty · easy time til it works · 5min

Only tested on macOS 14.0.1, may not work on older macOS versions.

in plain english

Slink is a small macOS app that lets you hide application icons from your Dock while keeping those apps running in the background. If you're someone who likes a clean Dock and doesn't want every open app cluttering the bar at the bottom of your screen, this tool does exactly that, you choose which running apps should stay hidden from view. The way it works is straightforward: the app gives you a simple way to toggle Dock icons on and off for applications you've selected. You can also set it to launch automatically when your Mac starts up, so your preferred apps stay hidden without you having to do anything each time you restart. It's the kind of tool that appeals to people who are particular about their desktop aesthetics or who prefer keeping certain apps tucked away, like tools you always have running but don't need staring at you from the Dock. The creator built this because they found the existing alternatives (like Ghosttile) were buggy and unreliable, and they wanted something simpler. Interestingly, they mention they don't actually know the Swift programming language, they wrote the entire project using an AI coding assistant, making this an experiment in what's possible without writing code yourself. There are a couple of limitations worth knowing: if an app already has its own built-in setting to hide from the Dock, that takes priority and Slink won't be able to override it. Also, the developer has only tested it on macOS 14.0.1, so there may be compatibility issues with older versions of macOS. The project is quite young and minimal, but it scratches a specific itch for people who want cleaner Dock management.

prompts (copy fr)

prompt 1
Help me build a simple macOS app like mlhiter/slink that hides selected app icons from the Dock.
prompt 2
Show me how to add a launch-at-startup toggle to a macOS menu bar app in Swift.
prompt 3
Explain how this repo hides Dock icons for running macOS apps so I can replicate the approach.
prompt 4
Walk me through packaging a small Swift utility app like this one for personal macOS use.

Frequently asked questions

what is slink fr?

A small macOS app that hides chosen application icons from the Dock while those apps keep running in the background, for a cleaner desktop.

What language is slink written in?

Mainly Swift. The stack also includes Swift, macOS.

Is slink actively maintained?

Stale — no commits in 1-2 years (last push 2024-10-11).

How hard is slink to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is slink for?

Mainly general.

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