ghost
★ 23
vs
Plonk
★ 14
ghost vs Plonk
ghost: Ghost is a cross-platform desktop automation tool designed for agents and programs, offering verified control over Windows and Linux desktops. It enables background interaction with applications, even those without APIs, ensuring actions are confirmed without stealing user focus.; Plonk: Plonk is a powerful macOS window manager that allows users to define custom screen zones and workspaces for precise window placement. It offers flexible control through dragging, keyboard shortcuts, voice commands, and even agent-driven automation, moving beyond fixed grid layouts.
01
TL;DR
Choose ghost if…Driving legacy or API-less desktop applications like installers, line-of-business software, or vendor portals.
Choose Plonk if…Quickly arrange multiple application windows into predefined custom layouts for specific tasks or workflows (e.g., a 'review' workspace with browser, terminal, and notes).
02
Side-by-Side Comparison
03
Features
ghost01Enforced background execution without stealing focus or cursor.
02Every action is verified for successful completion by re-checking the screen or control's value.
03Automates applications lacking native APIs, including legacy Win32, WPF, and Electron apps.
04Uses native accessibility APIs (UI Automation on Windows, AT-SPI2 on Linux) for deep element discovery.
05Does not require a separate vision API key; the driving model performs visual interpretation.
Plonk01Custom-drawn zones and layouts, not a preset grid, with different sets per monitor and overlapping support.
02Workspaces that remember app arrangements, window frames, and monitor assignments, rebuilding on empty desktops.
03Multiple methods to move windows: intuitive drag-and-drop, customizable keyboard shortcuts, and on-device voice commands.
04MCP server for agent-driven automation, allowing programmatic control over layouts, workspaces, OCR, and other desktop tasks.
05Integrated utilities including on-device OCR for text extraction, a screen ruler, screen pinning, and process-aware 'keep awake' functionality.
04
Use Cases
ghost↳Driving legacy or API-less desktop applications like installers, line-of-business software, or vendor portals.
↳Managing windows and processes, including invisible launches, focusing, minimizing, restoring, and closing.
↳Providing terminal access for agent-driven command-line tasks, builds, git operations, or persistent PowerShell sessions.
↳Automating signed-in browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave) through their DevTools protocol for tabs, navigation, and DOM interaction.
Plonk↳Quickly arrange multiple application windows into predefined custom layouts for specific tasks or workflows (e.g., a 'review' workspace with browser, terminal, and notes).
↳Automate complex desktop setups with natural language using voice commands or agents, such as 'browser on the left 60%, terminal top right, save that as a workspace.'
↳Extract text from unselectable areas on the screen, like screenshots, paused videos, or non-interactive dialogs, using the built-in on-device OCR.
↳Manage system power to keep the Mac awake for the duration of a specific process (e.g., a build) or for a set time, preventing sleep interruptions.
↳Precisely measure screen elements (width, height, distances) in both points and pixels with an interactive on-screen ruler tool.
05
Best For
ghost—
PlonkHidden Gem
FAQ
FAQ
What is the difference between ghost and Plonk?
Both ghost and Plonk are in the Dev Tooling category. ghost has 23 stars, while Plonk has 14 stars.
Which is better, ghost or Plonk?
The best choice depends on your use case. Choose ghost if Driving legacy or API-less desktop applications like installers, line-of-business software, or vendor portals., and Plonk if Quickly arrange multiple application windows into predefined custom layouts for specific tasks or workflows (e.g., a 'review' workspace with browser, terminal, and notes)..
Is ghost free or open source?
Yes, ghost is open source on GitHub (MIT).
Is Plonk free or open source?
Yes, Plonk is open source on GitHub (MIT).
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