feat(quickshell): add application launcher + hover affordance

New Launcher bar widget (first in the left cluster) opening a LauncherPopout
over DesktopEntries — search field + keyboard-navigable app list, launches via
entry.execute(). Icon-click only for now; Mod+Space stays on walker (drun-only
scope, walker keeps dmenu/run/calc).

Placing a popout in the left cluster forced the shared host anchor to become
side-aware: left-cluster triggers left-align (body grows rightward), right
cluster keeps the original right-align — otherwise a left-anchored popout
renders off-screen. The anchor rect now carries the trigger's left edge + width
(PopoutState.openByName, Tray).

Clickable bar widgets gain a hover affordance via opacity (0.8), not color:
the icon color already encodes status (muted/off/active/critical), so a
color-based hover would clobber that signal. Launcher keeps an accent hover as
it carries no status color.

CLAUDE.md

@@ -70,13 +70,17 @@ quickshell is the **default bar and notification daemon**, spawned by niri as `q
   cd defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch && for f in *.qml; do [ "$f" = shell.qml ] && continue; n=${f%.qml}; grep -q 'pragma Singleton' "$f" && echo "singleton $n $f" || echo "$n $f"; done | sort > qmldir
   ```
 
-- **Own popouts:** a composed widget carries its own popout as a `Component` and renders it in the shared morphing host. Pattern (see any indicator, e.g. `AudioIndicator.qml`): an inline `Component { AudioPopout { popouts: root.popouts } }`; the widget declares a `popoutName` and registers on completion (`popouts.register(popoutName, popoutComponent, root, payloadFn)`), then its click handler calls `popouts.toggleByName(popoutName)`. The widget file needs `pragma ComponentBehavior: Bound` so the popout resolves `root` when the shared host instantiates it. The low-level `popouts.open(component, rect, payload)` still exists for non-registered popouts (Tray).
+- **Own popouts:** a composed widget carries its own popout as a `Component` and renders it in the shared morphing host. Pattern (see any indicator, e.g. `AudioIndicator.qml`): an inline `Component { AudioPopout { popouts: root.popouts } }`; the widget declares a `popoutName` and registers on completion (`popouts.register(popoutName, popoutComponent, root, payloadFn)`), then its click handler calls `popouts.toggleByName(popoutName)`. The widget file needs `pragma ComponentBehavior: Bound` so the popout resolves `root` when the shared host instantiates it. The low-level `popouts.open(component, rect, payload)` still exists for non-registered popouts (Tray). The host anchors the popout body to the trigger's on-screen box and picks the side from it: **left-aligned** when the trigger sits in the left half of the screen (so left-cluster popouts grow rightward and stay on-screen), **right-aligned** otherwise (`PopoutHost.qml` `frame.leftAnchored`). The anchor rect carries the trigger's left edge + width; both `openByName` and Tray's direct `open()` pass that box.
 
-- **Popouts by keybind:** registered popouts are addressable by name through the `PopoutRouter` singleton, which exposes an `IpcHandler { target: "popout" }` with `toggle`/`open`/`close`. A niri keybind fires `qs -c moonarch ipc call popout toggle <name>` (e.g. `Mod+A` → `audio`, in `defaults/xdg/niri/config.kdl`). The router routes to the focused monitor's `PopoutState` via `Niri.activeOutput` (workspace `is_focused` → `output`, matched against `screen.name`); an open popout grabs the keyboard (Escape closes). Names: `audio backlight network bluetooth nightlight cpugov battery notifications media`. Tray is not keybind-addressable.
+- **Popouts by keybind:** registered popouts are addressable by name through the `PopoutRouter` singleton, which exposes an `IpcHandler { target: "popout" }` with `toggle`/`open`/`close`. A niri keybind fires `qs -c moonarch ipc call popout toggle <name>` (e.g. `Mod+A` → `audio`, in `defaults/xdg/niri/config.kdl`). The router routes to the focused monitor's `PopoutState` via `Niri.activeOutput` (workspace `is_focused` → `output`, matched against `screen.name`); an open popout grabs the keyboard (Escape closes). Names: `audio backlight network bluetooth nightlight cpugov battery notifications media launcher`. Tray is not keybind-addressable.
+
+- **Launcher:** `Launcher.qml` is the first widget in the left cluster (an apps glyph) and owns `LauncherPopout.qml` — an application launcher over `DesktopEntries.applications` (search field + keyboard-navigable icon+name list; ↑/↓ select, Enter/click launch via `entry.execute()`, Esc close; app icons via `Quickshell.iconPath`). It registers under `launcher` (so it is IPC-addressable) but is **icon-click only** for now — `Mod+Space` stays on `walker`, which remains the full dmenu/run/calc launcher. Binding a key later is one line in `config.kdl`. Scope is app-launch (drun) only; walker keeps the other modes.
+
+- **Hover affordance:** clickable bar widgets dim to `opacity: 0.8` on hover (110ms `animDurationShort` fade) so they read as interactive. Deliberately **opacity, not color** — the icon color already encodes status (muted/off → `subtext0`, active → `accent`, battery critical → red), so a color-based hover would clobber the state signal. The Launcher is the exception: no status color, so it uses an `accent` hover instead. Applied per widget (no shared parent to hoist it to); `Workspaces`/`Tray` keep their own per-element hover, non-clickable `PrivacyIndicator`/`WindowTitle` get none.
 
 - **Keyboard navigation:** an open popout grabs the keyboard, so it is fully operable without the mouse. Controls (`Toggle`, `ListRow`, `VolumeSlider`, `IconButton`) set `activeFocusOnTab` and show a focus ring; `PopoutPanel` focuses the first control on open and maps ↑/↓ onto Qt's native Tab chain (`nextItemInFocusChain` + an `activeFocusOnTab` filter). Keys: Tab/↑/↓ move focus, ←/→ nudge a slider ±5%, Space/Enter activate, Esc closes. Icon actions use the shared `IconButton` (destructive ones set `activeColor: Theme.red`); Rectangle-shaped buttons (clear-all, notification actions) are made focusable inline.
 
-Rationale + spike results: `DECISIONS.md` (2026-07-05 pilot + user-extension, 2026-07-06 composition + composable popouts, 2026-07-08 keybind registry + IPC router, keyboard-navigable controls).
+Rationale + spike results: `DECISIONS.md` (2026-07-05 pilot + user-extension, 2026-07-06 composition + composable popouts, 2026-07-08 keybind registry + IPC router, keyboard-navigable controls; launcher widget + side-aware popout anchoring).
 
 ## mpv + ModernZ OSC
 

DECISIONS.md

@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Decisions
 
+## 2026-07-08 – Quickshell launcher popout + side-aware popout anchoring
+- **Who**: Dominik, ClaudeCode
+- **Why**: Wanted an application launcher living in the quickshell bar rather than as a separate overlay. Explored the options together: a bar popout (like the existing audio/network popouts) vs. a keybind-only centered overlay. Chose a bar-popout launcher with a click icon as the **first** widget in the left cluster.
+- **Tradeoffs**: (1) Placement — keybind-only + centered was deferred as the "complicated" path (centering needs a host change because the body width isn't known until content loads); icon + bar popout reuses the existing register/host/keyboard machinery for free. (2) Keybind — `Mod+Space` stays on `walker`; the quickshell launcher is icon-click only for now. walker remains the full dmenu/run/calc launcher; the quickshell one is app-launch (drun) only. It still registers under `launcher` so wiring a key later is one line. (3) **Side-aware anchoring (forced correctness fix)** — every existing popout sits in the right cluster and the host anchored the body *right-aligned* to the trigger (`x = anchorRect.x - width + flareR`). A left-cluster trigger anchored that way grows leftward off-screen regardless of width. So the far-left placement required generalizing the host anchor: it now derives the side from the trigger's on-screen box (left-align when the trigger is in the left screen half, right-align otherwise). Right-cluster popouts are pixel-identical (recomputed); only the anchor-rect semantics changed (now left-edge + width instead of right-edge). Considered avoiding the host change — impossible, a right-aligned left-edge trigger is always off-screen.
+- **How**: New `Launcher.qml` (apps glyph, owns `LauncherPopout` as a `Component`, registers `launcher`, click → `toggleByName`) added first in `shell.qml` `leftContent`. New `LauncherPopout.qml` — fixed-size (so the frame doesn't morph per keystroke) `Item` with `focusFirst()`; a `TextInput` search field over `DesktopEntries.applications.values` (filter on name/genericName/comment/keywords, drop `noDisplay`, sort by name), a `ListView` of icon+name rows (`Quickshell.iconPath` for icons); ↑/↓ move selection, Enter/click `entry.execute()` + close, Esc close. Side-aware anchor: `PopoutHost.qml` `frame.leftAnchored` (`anchorMid < root.width/2`) picks left/right x; `PopoutState.openByName` and `Tray.qml`'s direct `open()` now pass the trigger's left-edge+width box. `qmldir` regenerated. Verified via a repo test instance and a throwaway harness that instantiates `LauncherPopout` directly (`quickshell -p`): config + popout load clean, result list + delegates + icon lookup evaluate without QML errors (a few apps lack a themed icon → blank icon, cosmetic). Follow-on UX tweak in the same commit: clickable bar widgets now give a hover affordance via `opacity: 0.8` (not a color change — icon color is the status signal, so a color hover would clobber muted/active/critical state; the Launcher keeps an `accent` hover as it carries no status color). Applied per widget as there is no shared icon parent; `Workspaces`/`Tray` keep their existing per-element hover.
+
 ## 2026-07-08 – Quickshell popouts: keyboard-navigable controls
 - **Who**: Dominik, ClaudeCode
 - **Why**: Popouts open by keybind (Mod+A) and grab the keyboard, but nothing inside was operable without a mouse — the shared controls (`Toggle`/`ListRow`/`VolumeSlider`) and ad-hoc glyph buttons were pure `MouseArea`, took no focus, reacted to no key. Opening by key is pointless if you then need the mouse. Goal: full mouse-free operation.

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/AudioIndicator.qml

@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ import Quickshell.Services.Pipewire
 
 Item {
     id: root
+    // Hover affordance — dim slightly on hover so the clickable icon feels interactive (state color untouched).
+    opacity: hover.hovered ? 0.8 : 1.0
+    Behavior on opacity {
+        NumberAnimation {
+            duration: Theme.animDurationShort
+        }
+    }
     property var popouts: null
     property string popoutName: "audio"
 

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/BacklightIndicator.qml

@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@ import QtQuick
 
 Item {
     id: root
+    // Hover affordance — dim slightly on hover so the clickable icon feels interactive (state color untouched).
+    opacity: hover.hovered ? 0.8 : 1.0
+    Behavior on opacity {
+        NumberAnimation {
+            duration: Theme.animDurationShort
+        }
+    }
     property var popouts: null
     property string popoutName: "backlight"
 

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/Battery.qml

@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ import Quickshell.Services.UPower
 
 Row {
     id: root
+    // Hover affordance — dim slightly on hover so the clickable icon feels interactive (state color untouched).
+    opacity: hover.hovered ? 0.8 : 1.0
+    Behavior on opacity {
+        NumberAnimation {
+            duration: Theme.animDurationShort
+        }
+    }
     property var popouts: null
     property string popoutName: "battery"
 

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/BluetoothIndicator.qml

@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ import Quickshell.Bluetooth
 
 Item {
     id: root
+    // Hover affordance — dim slightly on hover so the clickable icon feels interactive (state color untouched).
+    opacity: hover.hovered ? 0.8 : 1.0
+    Behavior on opacity {
+        NumberAnimation {
+            duration: Theme.animDurationShort
+        }
+    }
     property var popouts: null
     property string popoutName: "bluetooth"
 

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/Clock.qml

@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@ import Quickshell
 
 Text {
     id: root
+    // Hover affordance — dim slightly on hover so the clickable icon feels interactive (state color untouched).
+    opacity: hover.hovered ? 0.8 : 1.0
+    Behavior on opacity {
+        NumberAnimation {
+            duration: Theme.animDurationShort
+        }
+    }
     property bool showYear: false
 
     SystemClock {

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/CpuGovIndicator.qml

@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@ import QtQuick
 
 Item {
     id: root
+    // Hover affordance — dim slightly on hover so the clickable icon feels interactive (state color untouched).
+    opacity: hover.hovered ? 0.8 : 1.0
+    Behavior on opacity {
+        NumberAnimation {
+            duration: Theme.animDurationShort
+        }
+    }
     property var popouts: null
     property string popoutName: "cpugov"
 

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/IdleInhibitorIndicator.qml

@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@ import QtQuick
 
 Item {
     id: root
+    // Hover affordance — dim slightly on hover so the clickable icon feels interactive (state color untouched).
+    opacity: hover.hovered ? 0.8 : 1.0
+    Behavior on opacity {
+        NumberAnimation {
+            duration: Theme.animDurationShort
+        }
+    }
 
     implicitWidth: iconText.implicitWidth
     implicitHeight: Theme.barHeight

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/Launcher.qml

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+// ABOUTME: Launcher bar widget — an apps glyph that opens the application-launcher popout on click.
+// ABOUTME: Registers under "launcher" so it is also addressable by keybind via the niri IPC router.
+pragma ComponentBehavior: Bound
+import QtQuick
+
+Item {
+    id: root
+    property var popouts: null
+    property string popoutName: "launcher"
+
+    // Register with the shared popout state so this popout is addressable by keybind (niri IPC).
+    Component.onCompleted: if (root.popouts)
+        root.popouts.register(popoutName, popoutComponent, root, null)
+
+    // This widget's popout — handed to the shared animated host on click.
+    Component {
+        id: popoutComponent
+        LauncherPopout {
+            popouts: root.popouts
+        }
+    }
+
+    implicitWidth: Theme.barHeight
+    implicitHeight: Theme.barHeight
+
+    readonly property bool open: root.popouts && root.popouts.currentName === root.popoutName
+
+    Text {
+        anchors.centerIn: parent
+        font.family: Theme.fontFamily
+        font.pixelSize: Theme.fontSize + 5
+        color: (hover.hovered || root.open) ? Theme.accent : Theme.text
+        text: String.fromCodePoint(0xf14de) // md-rocket-launch
+    }
+
+    HoverHandler {
+        id: hover
+    }
+    MouseArea {
+        anchors.fill: parent
+        onClicked: if (root.popouts)
+            root.popouts.toggleByName(root.popoutName)
+    }
+    Tooltip {
+        anchorItem: root
+        shown: hover.hovered
+        text: qsTr("Applications")
+    }
+}

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/LauncherPopout.qml

@@ -0,0 +1,189 @@
+// ABOUTME: Application launcher popout — a search field over DesktopEntries with a keyboard-navigable
+// ABOUTME: result list (icon + name); Enter/click launches the selected app and closes the popout.
+pragma ComponentBehavior: Bound
+import QtQuick
+import Quickshell
+
+Item {
+    id: root
+    property var popouts: null
+
+    // Fixed size so the frame does not morph on every keystroke (the host sizes from implicit size).
+    readonly property int panelWidth: 460
+    readonly property int rowHeight: 40
+    readonly property int visibleRows: 8
+
+    implicitWidth: col.width
+    implicitHeight: col.height
+
+    property string query: ""
+
+    // Case-insensitive substring match over name/genericName/comment/keywords.
+    function matches(app, q) {
+        if (!q)
+            return true;
+        const hay = [app.name, app.genericName, app.comment, (app.keywords || []).join(" ")].filter(Boolean).join(" ").toLowerCase();
+        return hay.includes(q);
+    }
+
+    readonly property var results: {
+        const all = DesktopEntries.applications ? DesktopEntries.applications.values : [];
+        const q = root.query.trim().toLowerCase();
+        const out = all.filter(a => a && !a.noDisplay && root.matches(a, q));
+        out.sort((a, b) => (a.name || "").localeCompare(b.name || ""));
+        return out;
+    }
+
+    function launch(app) {
+        if (!app)
+            return;
+        app.execute();
+        if (root.popouts)
+            root.popouts.close();
+    }
+
+    // The host focuses this on open (PopoutHost's focusFirst path) — hand focus to the search field.
+    function focusFirst() {
+        input.forceActiveFocus();
+    }
+
+    // Reset the selection to the top whenever the filtered set changes.
+    onQueryChanged: list.currentIndex = 0
+
+    Column {
+        id: col
+        width: root.panelWidth
+        leftPadding: 12
+        rightPadding: 12
+        topPadding: 12
+        bottomPadding: 12
+        spacing: 8
+        readonly property int innerWidth: width - leftPadding - rightPadding
+
+        // --- Search field ---
+        Rectangle {
+            width: col.innerWidth
+            height: 34
+            radius: Theme.radius
+            color: Theme.surface0
+            border.width: input.activeFocus ? 1 : 0
+            border.color: Theme.accent
+
+            Row {
+                anchors.fill: parent
+                anchors.leftMargin: 10
+                anchors.rightMargin: 10
+                spacing: 8
+
+                Text {
+                    anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
+                    text: String.fromCodePoint(0xf0349) // md-magnify
+                    color: Theme.subtext0
+                    font.family: Theme.fontFamily
+                    font.pixelSize: Theme.fontSize + 2
+                }
+
+                TextInput {
+                    id: input
+                    anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
+                    width: parent.width - parent.spacing - 20
+                    color: Theme.text
+                    font.family: Theme.fontFamily
+                    font.pixelSize: Theme.fontSize
+                    clip: true
+                    selectByMouse: true
+                    activeFocusOnTab: true
+                    onTextChanged: root.query = text
+
+                    // Placeholder — shown only while empty.
+                    Text {
+                        anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
+                        visible: input.text.length === 0
+                        text: qsTr("Search applications…")
+                        color: Theme.subtext0
+                        font: input.font
+                    }
+
+                    Keys.onDownPressed: list.incrementCurrentIndex()
+                    Keys.onUpPressed: list.decrementCurrentIndex()
+                    Keys.onReturnPressed: root.launch(root.results[list.currentIndex])
+                    Keys.onEnterPressed: root.launch(root.results[list.currentIndex])
+                    Keys.onEscapePressed: if (root.popouts)
+                        root.popouts.close()
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // --- Results ---
+        Item {
+            width: col.innerWidth
+            height: root.rowHeight * root.visibleRows
+
+            ListView {
+                id: list
+                anchors.fill: parent
+                clip: true
+                model: root.results
+                currentIndex: 0
+                boundsBehavior: Flickable.StopAtBounds
+
+                delegate: Rectangle {
+                    id: appRow
+                    required property var modelData
+                    required property int index
+                    width: ListView.view.width
+                    height: root.rowHeight
+                    radius: Theme.radius
+                    color: (appRow.ListView.isCurrentItem || rowHover.hovered) ? Theme.surface0 : "transparent"
+
+                    Row {
+                        anchors.fill: parent
+                        anchors.leftMargin: 8
+                        anchors.rightMargin: 8
+                        spacing: 10
+
+                        Image {
+                            anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
+                            width: 24
+                            height: 24
+                            sourceSize.width: 24
+                            sourceSize.height: 24
+                            fillMode: Image.PreserveAspectFit
+                            source: Quickshell.iconPath(appRow.modelData.icon || "", "application-x-executable")
+                        }
+                        Text {
+                            anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
+                            width: parent.width - 24 - parent.spacing
+                            text: appRow.modelData.name || appRow.modelData.id
+                            elide: Text.ElideRight
+                            color: Theme.text
+                            font.family: Theme.fontFamily
+                            font.pixelSize: Theme.fontSize
+                        }
+                    }
+
+                    HoverHandler {
+                        id: rowHover
+                    }
+                    MouseArea {
+                        anchors.fill: parent
+                        onClicked: {
+                            list.currentIndex = appRow.index;
+                            root.launch(appRow.modelData);
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Empty state — overlays the (empty) list area.
+            Text {
+                anchors.centerIn: parent
+                visible: root.results.length === 0
+                text: qsTr("No matches")
+                color: Theme.subtext0
+                font.family: Theme.fontFamily
+                font.pixelSize: Theme.fontSize
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/MprisWidget.qml

@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ import Quickshell.Services.Mpris
 
 Item {
     id: root
+    // Hover affordance — dim slightly on hover so the clickable icon feels interactive (state color untouched).
+    opacity: hover.hovered ? 0.8 : 1.0
+    Behavior on opacity {
+        NumberAnimation {
+            duration: Theme.animDurationShort
+        }
+    }
     property var popouts: null
     property int maxWidth: 220
     property string popoutName: "media"

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/NetworkIndicator.qml

@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ import Quickshell.Networking
 
 Item {
     id: root
+    // Hover affordance — dim slightly on hover so the clickable icon feels interactive (state color untouched).
+    opacity: hover.hovered ? 0.8 : 1.0
+    Behavior on opacity {
+        NumberAnimation {
+            duration: Theme.animDurationShort
+        }
+    }
     property var popouts: null
     property string popoutName: "network"
 

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/NightlightIndicator.qml

@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@ import QtQuick
 
 Item {
     id: root
+    // Hover affordance — dim slightly on hover so the clickable icon feels interactive (state color untouched).
+    opacity: hover.hovered ? 0.8 : 1.0
+    Behavior on opacity {
+        NumberAnimation {
+            duration: Theme.animDurationShort
+        }
+    }
     property var popouts: null
     property string popoutName: "nightlight"
 

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/NotificationIndicator.qml

@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@ import QtQuick
 
 Item {
     id: root
+    // Hover affordance — dim slightly on hover so the clickable icon feels interactive (state color untouched).
+    opacity: hover.hovered ? 0.8 : 1.0
+    Behavior on opacity {
+        NumberAnimation {
+            duration: Theme.animDurationShort
+        }
+    }
     property var popouts: null
     property string popoutName: "notifications"
 

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/PopoutHost.qml

@@ -75,9 +75,15 @@ PanelWindow {
         readonly property real bodyH: content.implicitHeight + pad * 2
         property real offset: root.wantOpen ? 0 : 1
 
+        // Anchor side: left-align when the trigger sits in the left half of the screen (left-cluster
+        // popouts grow rightward and stay on-screen), right-align otherwise (the original behavior for
+        // right-cluster widgets). anchorRect is the trigger's on-screen box in this surface's coords.
+        readonly property real anchorMid: root.popouts.anchorRect.x + root.popouts.anchorRect.width / 2
+        readonly property bool leftAnchored: anchorMid < root.width / 2
+
         clip: true
-        // Body right edge aligns to the trigger icon; the panel is wider by the flare radius each side.
-        x: root.popouts.anchorRect.x - width + flareR
+        // The panel is wider than the body by the flare radius each side; align the body edge to the trigger.
+        x: frame.leftAnchored ? root.popouts.anchorRect.x - flareR : root.popouts.anchorRect.x + root.popouts.anchorRect.width - width + flareR
         y: 0
         implicitWidth: bodyW + flareR * 2
         implicitHeight: bodyH * (1 - offset)

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/PopoutState.qml

@@ -58,8 +58,10 @@ QtObject {
         if (!e || !e.anchorItem)
             return;
         const it = e.anchorItem;
-        const pr = it.mapToItem(null, it.width, it.height + 4);
-        root.open(e.component, Qt.rect(pr.x, pr.y, 0, 0), e.payloadFn ? e.payloadFn() : null);
+        // Anchor rect = the widget's on-screen box (top-left below it + its width). The host picks the
+        // alignment side from this, so a left-cluster widget's popout grows rightward and stays on-screen.
+        const tl = it.mapToItem(null, 0, it.height + 4);
+        root.open(e.component, Qt.rect(tl.x, tl.y, it.width, 0), e.payloadFn ? e.payloadFn() : null);
         root.currentName = name;
     }
 

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/Tray.qml

@@ -45,9 +45,10 @@ Row {
                     else if (mouse.button === Qt.MiddleButton)
                         iconItem.modelData.secondaryActivate();
                     else if (mouse.button === Qt.RightButton && iconItem.modelData.hasMenu && root.popouts) {
-                        // Icon bottom-right in screen coords (the bar window origin equals the screen origin).
-                        const p = iconItem.mapToItem(null, iconItem.width, iconItem.height + 4);
-                        root.popouts.open(popoutComponent, Qt.rect(p.x, p.y, 0, 0), iconItem.modelData.menu);
+                        // Icon bottom-left + width in screen coords (the bar window origin equals the screen
+                        // origin); the host derives the anchor side from this box.
+                        const p = iconItem.mapToItem(null, 0, iconItem.height + 4);
+                        root.popouts.open(popoutComponent, Qt.rect(p.x, p.y, iconItem.width, 0), iconItem.modelData.menu);
                     }
                 }
             }

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/UpdatesIndicator.qml

@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@ import Quickshell.Io
 
 Item {
     id: root
+    // Hover affordance — dim slightly on hover so the clickable icon feels interactive (state color untouched).
+    opacity: hover.hovered ? 0.8 : 1.0
+    Behavior on opacity {
+        NumberAnimation {
+            duration: Theme.animDurationShort
+        }
+    }
 
     property int count: 0
     property string tip: ""

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/qmldir

@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ CpuGovPopout CpuGovPopout.qml
 Divider Divider.qml
 IconButton IconButton.qml
 IdleInhibitorIndicator IdleInhibitorIndicator.qml
+Launcher Launcher.qml
+LauncherPopout LauncherPopout.qml
 ListRow ListRow.qml
 ModuleBox ModuleBox.qml
 MprisPopout MprisPopout.qml

defaults/xdg/quickshell/moonarch/shell.qml

@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ ShellRoot {
 
             // Left cluster.
             leftContent: [
+                Launcher {
+                    Layout.alignment: Qt.AlignVCenter
+                    popouts: bar.popouts
+                },
                 ModuleBox {
                     Layout.alignment: Qt.AlignVCenter
                     Clock {}