Launcher lists recently opened apps, desk fills the gap

[vasu2001]

What

The launcher (⌥Space) with an empty query used to list the sidebar's Projects desk, newest-added first. It now lists the recently opened apps, newest open first; desk apps not yet listed fill the remaining rows (up to 9), so a fresh machine with no opens still shows something.

The global <modifier>+1–9 shortcuts follow the same list: pressed anywhere, they open the Nth row the panel would show before typing. One list by design.

How

• routers/apps.py: the merge-and-sort of the three "opened" stores (workspace app_recents.json, linked apps' openedAt, opened .fused files, all stamped by GET /render per D301) moves out of api_home_apps into recent_apps(limit). Home calls it; the launcher calls it. One clock for "recently opened".
• launcher.py: recent_rows() shapes those into launcher rows with a new recent flag (pinned still means "on the desk"). The registry is now recents → desk → workspace/linked → exported; search("") returns recent or pinned. Ties in a typed search keep registry order, so a recent app outranks a never-opened one with the same match. nth_pinned resolves the global digit through the same search("") at press time.
• launcher.html: empty-state copy "Nothing opened yet".
• Preferences.tsx: shortcut copy describes the one list.
• Tests updated to the new empty-query semantics; the registry test still holds (nothing is opened in it, so the desk lands first).

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

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Note

Medium Risk
Changes global hotkey targets and launcher ordering at press time; behavior is covered by updated tests but affects a macOS user-facing shortcut path.

Overview
The macOS launcher’s empty-query list no longer mirrors only the sidebar Projects desk (newest-added first). It now leads with recently opened apps (newest open first), then fills remaining slots with desk apps that aren’t already listed—so global ⌥1–9 and the panel show the same ordering before you type.

recent_apps(limit) in routers/apps.py centralizes the merge of workspace recents, linked apps’ openedAt, and opened .fused files; Home’s strip and the launcher both call it so “recent” has one clock.

launcher.py adds recent_rows(), a recent row flag, registry ordering recents → desk → workspace/linked → exported, empty search as recent or pinned, and nth_pinned resolved through that empty-query list at press time. Copy updates in Preferences and launcher.html (“Nothing opened yet”).

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