xbar
A macOS menu bar app that shows the output of your scripts and programs.
- Stars
- 18.1k
- Forks
- 651
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- Go
- Last update
- 2.2 years ago
- Type
- App
No commits in over a year — check for forks or alternatives before adopting.
What it is
xbar is a free, open-source app for macOS that displays the output of any script or program in the menu bar at the top of your screen. It is a rewrite of the older BitBar app, built in Go using the Wails framework. People use it to keep small pieces of information, such as status checks or custom readouts, visible without opening a window.
- Show the current status of a service or server in the menu bar
- Display a custom readout from a script you already run
- Install and manage community plugins through Preferences > Plugins
- Write your own plugin following the linked contributing guide
Great for
- Mac users who want a script's output always visible in the menu bar
- People moving from BitBar who want a maintained successor
- Developers who want quick status readouts from their own scripts
- Users who want to install community plugins from the plugin directory
Not ideal for
- Windows or Linux users, since the README describes it only as a macOS app
- People on macOS older than Catalina (10.15), which the README lists as the minimum
- Users who want to submit code changes, because the README asks people not to send pull requests and to open an issue first
How to get it
- 1
Download the app
You'll need: macOS Catalina (10.15) or newer
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/matryer/xbar.git - 2
Run it
- Download the latest release from the GitHub releases page
- Open the xbar app on your Mac
- From an xbar menu, choose Preferences > Plugins to find plugins
- Or place plugin files in ~/Library/Application Support/xbar/plugins
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use the plugin directory on xbarapp.com to browse ready-made plugins
- Read the plugin writing guide in the xbar-plugins repository to build your own
- If you are coming from BitBar, move your existing plugins into the new plugin folder
Downloads
Strengths
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Plugins can be any script or program, so it is flexible
- Built-in plugin discovery and management from within the app
Trade-offs
- The README lists the latest release as a beta (v2.1.7-beta), so it may change
- The README does not explain how to write plugins in detail and points to another repository for that
- Pull requests are discouraged, so outside code contributions are limited
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| xbar (this) | 18.1k | App | beginner | 2.2 years ago | Mac users who want a script's output always visible in the menu bar |
| hammerspoon | 16.4k | App | intermediate | 4 months ago | Mac users comfortable writing small scripts who want custom keyboard shortcuts or window behavior |
| pear-desktop | 34k | App | beginner | 5 days ago | People who want YouTube Music in a standalone desktop window |
| macos | 21.7k | Dev tool | intermediate | 29 days ago | Developers who need to test software on macOS from a Linux machine |
| marktext | 63.5k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | People who write notes or articles in Markdown and want a clean, minimal editor |
| MonitorControl | 34.6k | App | beginner | 23 days ago | Mac users with an external monitor who want keyboard brightness keys to work on it |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.