22 Free and Open-source Desktop Automation for Windows, Linux and macOS
Desktop automation involves the application of desktop tools and technologies to automate routine, repetitive, and easy jobs normally executed on a desktop computer. Some of these jobs include data entry, file management, launching applications, and many others. It stands with its primary goal set to promote efficiency, reduce human error, and free up time for other complex and creative tasks.
One can use scripts, macros, or dedicated automation software to implement workflows so that predetermined actions can be executed automatically, thus increasing productivity and maintaining consistent results in the daily activity.
Why Desktop Automation is Important:
The value of desktop automation is the streamlining of workflows and the improvement of productivity within a whole array of industries. Automation of repetitive tasks means freeing workers to engage in activities that require human intelligence and creativity and add value. This makes employees more satisfied with their work and, hence, leads to positive business results.
Automation minimizes any risks of human errors, making all the tasks finished precisely and without mistakes. Compliance in businesses where this is critical, coupled with accuracy as in healthcare, finance, and customer service, is what makes desktop automation an essential ingredient for raising operation standards.
Use Cases of Desktop Automation
Desktop automation can occur in many contexts and fields. In businesses, it helps in automatically producing reports, migrating data, and updating customer records.
In healthcare, automation tools can help in managing patient data, scheduling their appointments, and billing processes.
The finance sector gains from automation in invoice processing, compilation of financial reports, and fraud detection.
In addition, automation in desktop deployments is a responsibility of the IT department to maintain system monitoring and all other recurring tasks and software.
Another area is customer support; automation can help maintain and reply to queries, track tickets, and manage databases for customers.
Open-source Desktop Automation
Open-source desktop automation applications are very important in terms of providing cost-effective and flexible solutions for executing desktop tasks. This arises from the fact that tools are considerably driven by communities, which are always sure of leading to effective modifications regarding the needs of users.
These are all functionalities of strength, can be compatible with many operating systems, and sometimes even allow customization of scripts and workflows for a myriad of different specifications.
AutoHotkey, Sikuli, Pywinauto, Nut.js, and other open-source equivalents are not simply popular desktop automation tools but have been providing frameworks based on Python.
Using such open-source alternatives provides organizations the opportunity to explore and scale their automation initiatives without big upfront costs, making them accessible to even small business enterprises and individual users.
In general, desktop automation represents the powerful instrument of enhancing productivity and accuracy through automation of routine activity.
It will definitely be a very important tool in different domains for increasing efficiency and reducing mistakes. The presented open-source desktop automation tools bring an affordable, fully customizable means of benefit implementation, ensuring flexibility and savings both for the users and the companies.
In the following list, you will find a collection of the best open-source free desktop automation tools for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
1. AutoHotkey (Windows)
AutoHotkey is a free, open-source software utility designed for creating macros and automating repetitive tasks. It uses a custom scripting language that allows users to define keyboard shortcuts, known as hotkeys, for enhanced productivity.
With AutoHotkey, users can easily automate various tasks on their computer, simplifying workflows and saving time. Its flexibility and user-friendly interface make it a popular choice for those looking to streamline their daily activities.
AutoHotkey2. Autokey (Linux)
AutoKey is an open-source desktop automation utility for Linux and X11, it is written using Python, and runs seamlessly on all major Linux distros.
autokey3. Self-Driver Desktop
Desktop Automation Framework. Drive your keyboard and mouse with text files. It requires development experience and not an easy learning curve.
hofstadter-io4. SeeShell
SeeShell is an open-source automation tool developed by A9T9 designed to simplify repetitive tasks by leveraging visual automation. Unlike traditional script-based automation tools, SeeShell operates based on images and patterns, allowing users to automate tasks without needing to write code. This makes it particularly user-friendly and accessible for non-programmers.
It supports a variety of applications, including web automation, desktop automation, and software testing. With a focus on ease of use, SeeShell enables users to create automation workflows by capturing screenshots and defining actions, making it a versatile solution for increasing productivity and efficiency in various repetitive tasks.
A9T95. WASP
WASP is a PowerShell snapin for Windows Automation tasks like selecting windows and controls and sending mouse and keyboard events. WASP has automation cmdlets like Select-Window, Select-Control, Send-Keys, Send-Click, Get-WindowPosition, Set-WindowPosition, Set-WindowActive, Remove-Window … etc.
Its goal is to enable Windows GUI Automation scripting from inside PowerShell without resorting to specialized scripting tools.
6. Python + Microsoft UIAutomation Python
Python-UIAutomation-for-Windows is an open-source library that provides a comprehensive framework for automating Windows GUI applications using Python. Developed by Yinkaisheng, this tool leverages Microsoft's UI Automation API to interact with and control user interface elements programmatically.
yinkaisheng7. pywinauto
pywinauto is an open-source Python library for automating graphical user interfaces (GUIs) on Windows. It allows developers to programmatically control and manipulate applications by simulating user interactions such as clicks, keystrokes, and menu selections.
pywinauto8. RobotGo
Golang Desktop Automation. Control the mouse, keyboard, read the screen, process, Window Handle, image and bitmap and global event listener.
RobotGo supports Mac, Windows, and Linux(X11); and robotgo supports arm64 and x86-amd64.
go-vgo9. nuts.js
nut.js is an open-source automation library designed for cross-platform GUI automation. Developed by the nut-tree community, nut.js allows developers to automate interactions with applications on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It provides a robust set of tools to simulate user actions such as mouse movements, keyboard inputs, and screen captures.
Hazem Abbas
10. Clean-Desktop
Automate decluttering your desktop with a user-friendly PowerShell script with GUI. Sick of cluttered desktops? With just one click, you can clean your cluttered desktop.
The CleanDesktop script works by moving files from the desktop into specific folders based on their file extension. For example, it will move image files into an "Images" folder, documents into a "Documents" folder, and so on. You can customize the script to match your preferences by specifying which file types should be moved and where they should be moved to.
CameliaD11. UiaDriver
The Windows WebDriver Automation Service is a powerful tool that enables WebDriver clients, such as Selenium, to automate interactions with Windows applications. By implementing the WebDriver protocol, this service provides a seamless interface for controlling and testing Windows applications using familiar WebDriver commands.
Hazem Abbas
g4-api12. Winium.Desktop
Winium.Desktop is an open source test automation tool for automated testing of Windows application based on WinForms and WPF platforms.
2gis13. PyAutoGUI
PyAutoGUI lets your Python scripts control the mouse and keyboard to automate interactions with other applications. The API is designed to be simple. PyAutoGUI works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and runs on Python 2 and 3.
14. BotCity Framework
BotCity Framework Core Python is an open-source library designed for automating desktop applications and web tasks using Python. It provides tools for creating robust automation scripts, focusing on simplicity and ease of use.
The framework supports various automation scenarios, enhancing productivity and efficiency by enabling developers to automate repetitive tasks across different platforms with minimal effort.
botcity-dev15. Sikuli
Sikuli is an innovative open-source automation tool that uses image recognition to identify and control graphical user interface (GUI) components. Developed on the Launchpad platform, Sikuli allows users to automate repetitive tasks by visually interacting with elements on the screen, such as buttons, text fields, and menus.
This approach eliminates the need for complex scripting, making automation accessible to non-programmers. Sikuli can be used for various applications, including software testing, workflow automation, and robotic process automation (RPA). Its intuitive design and powerful capabilities make it a versatile solution for enhancing productivity and efficiency.
16. Desktop Profiles macOS
Desktop Profiles is an open-source tool designed to manage and switch between multiple desktop configurations on Windows. Developed by mamiksik, this tool allows users to create and save different desktop setups, including icons, wallpapers, and layouts. Users can effortlessly switch between these profiles to accommodate different work scenarios or personal preferences.
mamiksik17. Dei (Linux)
deai is a tool to automate your Linux desktop. It tries to expose common events and interfaces of a Linux system to scripting languages, to enable users to automate tasks with event-driven scripts. Example could be changing screen brightness with time-of-day, or automatically mounting/unmounting removable storage.
Compared unlike using shell scripts, deai is a single tool, rather than a collection of different commands created by different people, so it's more consistent. And handling events with deai's interface is much nicer than reading and parsing text output from commands.
yshui18. Hammerspoon (macOS)
This is a tool for powerful automation of OS X. At its core, Hammerspoon is just a bridge between the operating system and a Lua scripting engine.
Hammerspoon19. MacScript: macOS desktop automation library
MacScript is a Haskell library for desktop automation in macOS. It aims to offer a core set of simple features, including querying and controlling system and UI elements like windows, displays, keyboard, and mouse, and listening to events from them.
MacScript is provided as a library, so that you can freely leverage the Haskell programming language and its entire ecosystem to build your own desktop automation tool, from a simple script to a full-fledged tiling window manager.
fsestini20. Robot.js (macOS, Windows, & Linux)
RobotJS supports macOS, Windows, and Linux.
octalmage21. XClicker
XClicker is an open-source, easy to use, feature-rich, blazing fast Autoclicker for linux desktops using x11.
Elliot (Robiot)22. macmatic (macOS)
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