# Godot Launcher

**Godot Launcher** is an open-source companion app for Godot Engine. It manages official releases and custom Godot builds, initializes Git, configures Visual Studio Code or VSCodium for each project, and keeps project settings isolated. Open projects from the system tray and receive notifications when a new launcher version is available.

Spend less time configuring your environment and more time creating amazing games.

✅ **Free, Open Source, and Community-Driven.**\
✅ **Cross-platform support, available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.**\
✅ **Designed for modern Godot workflows, focusing on v4.0 and later.**

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  <source media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)" srcset="docs/animations/create-project/create-project-anim_dark.gif">
  <source media="(prefers-color-scheme: light)" srcset="docs/animations/create-project/create-project-anim_light.gif">
  <img alt="Creating a Godot project with Git and a code editor" src="docs/animations/create-project/create-project-anim_light.gif">
</picture>

## How to Get Godot Launcher

The best way to get the latest installer is from [the Godot Launcher website](https://godotlauncher.org/download).

## Features

### **Quick Project Setup with Git and Code Editors**

- **Instant Git Initialization:** Start a new project with Git automatically initialized, complete with an initial commit.
- **Visual Studio Code and VSCodium:** Detect either editor, choose a default for new projects, and select an editor per project. Godot Launcher configures the project for the selected editor while preserving unrelated settings. See [Code Editor Settings](https://docs.godotlauncher.org/settings/code-editors/) for setup details.

### **Effortless Godot Version Management**

- **Install and Switch Versions:** Seamlessly download and manage multiple Godot Editor versions. Experiment with the latest pre-releases or fall back to stable editions in seconds.
- **Fast Prototyping:** Quickly spin up new ideas using different editor builds. Testing features and previews is a breeze.
- **Modern Godot Support:** The launcher focuses on the most commonly used versions of Godot. Since Godot 3.x adoption is steadily decreasing, custom configurations for it have not been included yet.

### **Custom Editor Support**

- **Register Custom Builds:** Add locally compiled Godot editors or team-distributed builds alongside official releases.
- **Create Manifests in the App:** Generate the custom editor manifest from Godot Launcher instead of writing `godotlauncher-editor-manifest.json` by hand.
- **Use Custom Editors Per Project:** Select registered custom editors for projects like any other installed editor.

### **Per-Project Editor Settings**

- **Isolated Configuration:** Each project maintains its own editor preferences, so you never have to worry about conflicting settings across multiple projects.
- **Easy Import/Export:** Share your editor configurations with teammates or import settings that make sense for different workflows.

### **Quick Edit from System Tray**

- **Seamless Workflow:** Minimize the launcher to your system tray to keep it out of your way while you work.
- **Instant Access:** Jump back into any project with a single click—no need to relaunch or sift through folders.

### **Automatic Updates**

- **Stay Current:** Receive notifications whenever a new version of the launcher is available.
- **One-Click Upgrade:** Simply restart the launcher to apply the update.

### **Cross-Platform Availability**

- **Windows, Mac, and Linux:** You can use the same streamlined workflow on any machine.


### **Free and Open Source**

- **Forever Free:** Godot Launcher is—and always will be—free for everyone.
- **Community-Driven:** Contribute code, suggest features, or report issues. Join a passionate community dedicated to making Godot development smoother for all.

## Community

Join our **[Godot Launcher Discord server](https://discord.gg/Ju9jkFJGvz)** to connect with other users and contributors. Ask questions, share feedback, and stay updated on new releases.

If you’re interested in contributing to Godot Launcher, see the [Contributing](#contributing) section below.

## Versioning

Godot Launcher follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/) for all releases. Versions are tagged in Git and listed in `package.json` using the `vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH` format.

- **MAJOR**: breaking changes or updates that require manual migration.
- **MINOR**: backward-compatible improvements and new features.
- **PATCH**: backward-compatible bug fixes and maintenance updates.

Pre-release builds include suffixes like `-beta.1` or `-rc.1`. Document noteworthy changes in `CHANGELOG.md` before cutting a release so downstream users can track what changed.

## Contributing

> [!IMPORTANT]\
> Before opening a new bug report or feature request, please check the [open issues](https://github.com/godotlauncher/launcher/issues) and [closed issues](https://github.com/godotlauncher/launcher/issues?q=is%3Aissue%20state%3Aclosed) first to see if it has already been reported.

We warmly welcome contributions from the community! For detailed guidelines on submitting pull requests, best practices, and more, please see our [contribution guide](CONTRIBUTING.md).

For responsible AI-assisted development and contribution standards, read our [AI-Assisted Contributions Policy](AI_POLICY.md).

### **Feature Proposals**

For major changes or new features, please open an issue and clearly mark the title as a proposal [here](https://github.com/godotlauncher/launcher/issues).

### **Local Development**

1. **Fork & Clone** this repository to your local machine.
2. Ensure you have **Node.js >=24** installed.
3. Install dependencies with `npm ci`.
4. Launch the app with `npm run dev`.

Use `npm ci` for normal development and CI-like installs. It installs from
`package-lock.json` without rewriting it, which avoids platform-only lockfile
churn from optional native dependencies on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Use
`npm install` only when intentionally adding, removing, or updating
dependencies. If `npm install` changes only `package-lock.json` and
`package.json` did not change, do not include that lockfile change in your PR.

Once you have everything running, feel free to open pull requests with your improvements, fixes, or new features.

**We appreciate all contributions!**

## Documentation

Visit the **[official Godot Launcher documentation](https://docs.godotlauncher.org)** for detailed guides, FAQs, and troubleshooting. This documentation is also open-source and maintained by the community in its own [GitHub repository](https://github.com/godotlauncher/launcher-docs).

## License

Godot Launcher is licensed under the [MIT License](./LICENSE.txt). A copy of the license is provided in the repository for your convenience. By contributing to or using this project, you agree to the terms stated therein.

This project also includes third-party assets and libraries, which are licensed under their respective terms. For details, please refer to [`COPYRIGHT.txt`](./COPYRIGHT.txt).

## Code Signing Policy

Windows releases signed by SignPath.

Free code signing provided by [SignPath.io](https://signpath.io/), certificate by [SignPath Foundation](https://signpath.org/).

macOS builds are signed with a Developer ID Application certificate issued to Mario DEBONO and notarized by Apple.