Actions

Actions extend Summon with custom commands, quick links, and automated workflows. They appear in search results alongside apps and files, giving you instant access to frequently-used tasks.

Types of Actions

Quick Links

Open URLs with a single keystroke:

Favorite websites
Internal dashboards
Documentation pages
Project management tools

Shell Commands

Execute terminal commands without opening a terminal:

Build scripts
Deploy commands
System utilities
Custom scripts

Python Scripts

Run Python scripts with full access to:

System APIs
Network requests
File operations
Custom libraries

Creating Actions

From Settings

Open Settings → Actions
Click "Add Action" (+ button)
Choose action type
Configure the action
Save

Quick Link Example

| Field | Value | |-------|-------| | Name | GitHub Dashboard | | Keyword | gh | | URL | https://github.com/dashboard | | Icon | GitHub icon |

Now typing gh in Summon opens your GitHub dashboard.

Shell Command Example

| Field | Value | |-------|-------| | Name | Open Project in VS Code | | Keyword | code project | | Command | code ~/Projects/my-app | | Run in terminal | No |

Python Script Example

Python

# ~/.summon/actions/weather.py
import requests
import json

def run():
    response = requests.get("https://wttr.in/?format=j1")
    data = response.json()
    
    current = data["current_condition"][0]
    temp = current["temp_C"]
    desc = current["weatherDesc"][0]["value"]
    
    return f"{temp}°C - {desc}"

Action Properties

| Property | Description | Required | |----------|-------------|----------| | Name | Display name in results | Yes | | Keyword | Search trigger | Yes | | Type | quick-link, shell, python | Yes | | Icon | Custom icon or emoji | No | | Enabled | Toggle action on/off | Yes | | Category | Group for organization | No |

Keyboard Shortcuts

| Action | Shortcut | |--------|----------| | Run action | Enter | | Edit action | ⌘ + E | | Delete action | ⌘ + Delete | | Toggle enabled | ⌘ + T |

Built-in Actions

Summon includes several built-in actions:

| Action | Keyword | Description | |--------|---------|-------------| | Lock Screen | lock | Lock your Mac | | Sleep | sleep | Put Mac to sleep | | Restart | restart | Restart Mac | | Shut Down | shutdown | Shut down Mac | | Empty Trash | empty trash | Empty the Trash | | Eject All | eject | Eject all volumes |

Import & Export

Export Actions

Go to Settings → Actions
Click Export (↑) button
Choose format (JSON or YAML)
Save file

Import Actions

Go to Settings → Actions
Click Import (↓) button
Select your actions file
Review and confirm

Share actions with team members or back up your configuration.

Tips

Parameterized Actions

Use {query} placeholder for dynamic input:

Code

Name: Google Search
Keyword: g
URL: https://google.com/search?q={query}

Typing g weather today searches Google for "weather today".

Chained Actions

Create actions that trigger other actions:

Terminal

# Run multiple commands in sequence
cd ~/project && npm test && npm run build

Environment Variables

Shell commands have access to environment variables: