Configuration

Providers

Providers are plugins for Elephant that supply data to Walker. Each provider serves a specific purpose, from launching applications to managing clipboard history.

Available Providers

Desktop Applications

Provider: desktopapplications Prefix: None (default) or configure custom prefix Package: elephant-desktopapplications

Launches installed GUI applications from .desktop files.

Features:

  • Searches application names, descriptions, and keywords
  • Desktop actions support (e.g., "New Private Window" for Firefox)
  • History-aware ranking (frequently used apps appear higher)
  • Context-aware (prioritizes apps with open windows)
  • Pinning support (pin favorite apps to the top)
  • Auto-detects newly installed applications

Usage:

firefox
code
obs

Actions:

  • Start application
  • Start and keep Walker open
  • Pin/unpin application
  • Reorder pinned applications

Calculator

Provider: calc Prefix: = Package: elephant-calc

Performs mathematical calculations using libqalculate.

Features:

  • Basic arithmetic operations
  • Scientific functions
  • Unit conversions
  • Currency conversion (with exchange rates)
  • History of calculations
  • Save frequently used calculations

Usage:

=2 + 2
=(100 * 1.19) - 5
=50 km to miles
=100 USD to EUR
=sin(45)

Actions:

  • Copy result
  • Delete from history
  • Save calculation

Command Runner

Provider: runner Prefix: > Package: elephant-runner

Executes shell commands and scripts.

Features:

  • Parses shell config for aliases
  • Lists all binaries in PATH
  • Exclusive list mode or all binaries
  • Ignore list for unwanted commands
  • Smart matching: shu now → shutdown now
  • Command history

Usage:

>htop
>systemctl status
>git status
>docker ps

Actions:

  • Run command
  • Run in terminal

File Browser

Provider: files Prefix: / Package: elephant-files

Browse and open files and directories.

Features:

  • Fast fuzzy file search
  • Navigate directory tree
  • Open files with default applications
  • Drag & drop support
  • Copy file or file path

Usage:

/home/user/Documents
/etc/nginx/nginx.conf
/var/log

Actions:

  • Open file
  • Open parent directory
  • Copy file path
  • Copy file

Provider: websearch Prefix: @ Package: elephant-websearch

Search the web using configured search engines.

Features:

  • Multiple search engines (Google, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, Yandex)
  • Custom search engines
  • Direct website opening (detects URLs)

Usage:

@rust programming
@github walker
@https://example.com

Actions:

  • Open in default browser

Clipboard History

Provider: clipboard Prefix: : Package: elephant-clipboard

Access clipboard history with text and images.

Features:

  • Stores clipboard history
  • Image clipboard support
  • Timestamped entries
  • Search clipboard content
  • Edit clipboard entries
  • Toggle image display

Usage:

:

Then search your clipboard history.

Actions:

  • Copy to clipboard
  • Remove entry
  • Clear all history
  • Toggle image display
  • Edit entry

Symbol Picker

Provider: symbols Prefix: . Package: elephant-symbols

Insert special symbols and characters.

Features:

  • Large collection of symbols
  • Search by name or symbol
  • Categories: arrows, math, currency, etc.

Usage:

.arrow
.check
.copy
.lambda

Actions:

  • Insert symbol (copies to clipboard or types it)

Unicode

Provider: unicode Package: elephant-unicode

Search and insert Unicode characters.

Features:

  • Complete Unicode database
  • Search by character name
  • Search by code point

Usage:

greek alpha
emoji cat
mathematical bold

Actions:

  • Insert character

Provider List / Switcher

Provider: providerlist Prefix: ; Package: elephant-providerlist

Switch between available providers.

Features:

  • Lists all installed providers
  • Quick provider switching
  • Shows provider descriptions

Usage:

;

Then select a provider to switch to it exclusively.

Actions:

  • Activate provider

Todo List

Provider: todo Prefix: ! Package: elephant-todo

Simple todo list with time tracking.

Features:

  • Create and manage todos
  • Mark todos as active/inactive/done
  • Time tracking
  • Scheduling with notifications
  • Search todos

Usage:

!buy groceries
!call dentist tomorrow

Actions:

  • Save todo
  • Delete todo
  • Mark active/inactive
  • Mark as done
  • Clear completed todos

SSH

Provider: ssh Package: elephant-ssh

Connect to SSH hosts from your config.

Features:

  • Parses ~/.ssh/config
  • Parses ~/.ssh/known_hosts
  • Quick SSH connections

Usage:

myserver
user@host

Actions:

  • Connect via SSH (opens terminal)

Bookmarks

Provider: bookmarks Package: elephant-bookmarks

Access custom bookmarks.

Features:

  • Custom bookmark management
  • Quick access to URLs
  • Browser bookmark support (planned)

Actions:

  • Open bookmark

Emojis

Provider: emojis Package: elephant-emojis

Search and insert emojis.

Features:

  • Complete emoji database
  • Search by name or keyword
  • Categories and skin tones

Usage:

smile
heart
fire

Actions:

  • Insert emoji

Bluetooth

Provider: bluetooth Package: elephant-bluetooth

Manage Bluetooth devices.

Features:

  • List paired devices
  • Connect/disconnect devices
  • Pair new devices
  • Trust/untrust devices
  • Remove devices
  • Device scanning

Actions:

  • Connect/disconnect
  • Pair device
  • Trust/untrust
  • Remove device
  • Scan for devices

Arch Linux Packages

Provider: archlinuxpkgs Package: elephant-archlinuxpkgs

Search and manage Arch Linux packages (official + AUR).

Features:

  • Search official repos and AUR
  • Install packages
  • Remove packages
  • List exclusively installed packages

Actions:

  • Install package
  • Remove package

Hyprland Keybinds

Provider: hyprlandkeybinds Package: elephant-hyprlandkeybinds

Browse and execute Hyprland keybindings.

Features:

  • Parses Hyprland config
  • Shows all configured keybinds
  • Execute keybind via hyprctl

Actions:

  • Execute keybind

Windows

Provider: windows Package: elephant-windows

Window switcher for your desktop.

Features:

  • List open windows
  • Switch to window
  • Workspace-aware (if supported)

Actions:

  • Focus window

Translation

Provider: translation Package: elephant-translation

Translate text between languages.

Features:

  • Uses Google Translate (free API)
  • Auto-detect source language
  • Multiple target languages

Usage:

hello world | es
bonjour | en

Actions:

  • Copy translation

Commands (Walker Commands)

Provider: commands Package: Built-in

Internal Walker commands.

Features:

  • Clear application cache
  • Clear clipboard history
  • Reload configuration
  • Other utility commands

Usage:

clear applications cache
clear clipboard

Custom Commands

Provider: customcommands Package: elephant-customcommands

Define and run custom one-off commands.

Features:

  • Define commands in config
  • Quick access to rarely-used commands
  • No need for separate keybindings

Example config:

[customcommands]
"toggle window floating" = "hyprctl dispatch togglefloating"
"reload waybar" = "killall waybar && waybar &"

XDG Desktop Portal Hyprland Share Picker

Provider: xdphpicker Package: elephant-xdphpicker

Select windows/monitors/regions for screen sharing.

Features:

  • Select window to share
  • Select monitor to share
  • Select region to share
  • Integrates with xdg-desktop-portal-hyprland

Provider: menus Prefix: Custom (define in config)

Custom menus created with Elephant.

Features:

  • Create custom menus via Elephant
  • Display in Walker
  • Flexible menu structure
  • Custom actions per menu item

Usage: You create menus in Elephant, then access them via Walker.

Example prefix config:

[[providers.prefixes]]
prefix = "+"
provider = "menus:mymenu"

Installing Providers

Providers are separate packages that must be installed:

Arch Linux (AUR)

# Essential
yay -S elephant-providerlist elephant-desktopapplications

# Commonly used
yay -S elephant-files elephant-runner elephant-calc elephant-websearch

# Optional
yay -S elephant-clipboard elephant-symbols elephant-unicode
yay -S elephant-emojis elephant-bluetooth elephant-archlinuxpkgs

Other Distributions

Check the Elephant documentation for installation on other distributions.

Building from Source

Each provider can be built from source. See provider-specific repositories.

Configuring Providers

Default Providers

Set which providers are queried by default:

[providers]
default = [
  "desktopapplications",
  "calc",
  "runner",
  "menus",
  "websearch",
]

Empty Query Providers

Providers shown when search is empty:

[providers]
empty = ["desktopapplications"]

Provider Prefixes

Assign prefixes for quick access:

[[providers.prefixes]]
prefix = ";"
provider = "providerlist"

[[providers.prefixes]]
prefix = ">"
provider = "runner"

[[providers.prefixes]]
prefix = "/"
provider = "files"

Max Results

Limit results per provider:

[providers]
max_results = 50  # Global default

[providers.max_results_provider]
desktopapplications = 20
files = 30
runner = 50

Provider Sets

Create custom sets of providers for different workflows:

[providers.sets.dev]
default = ["runner", "files", "desktopapplications"]
empty = ["files"]

[providers.sets.web]
default = ["websearch", "bookmarks", "desktopapplications"]
empty = ["bookmarks"]

Launch a set:

walker -s dev
walker -s web

Elephant Configuration

Some providers have additional configuration in Elephant's config file (~/.config/elephant/config.toml). See Elephant documentation for provider-specific options.

Next Steps

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Provider Actions