15 Must-Have Raycast Extensions for Developers in 2025

If you’re a developer looking for Raycast extensions that actually save time, you’re in the right place. I’ve spent the last 2 months testing over 50 extensions from the Raycast Store, and I’m sharing the 15 that legitimately transformed my daily workflow.

After integrating these extensions into my development routine, I’m saving 8-12 hours per week on repetitive tasks. No fluff, no generic listicles — just battle-tested recommendations organized by where they fit in your workflow: before you code, during active development, and deployment.

Whether you’re managing microservices, juggling multiple repos, or just tired of context-switching between apps, these Raycast extensions for developers will become your new productivity shortcuts.

What Makes Raycast Extensions Worth Using?

Before diving into the list, here’s why I switched from Spotlight and Alfred to Raycast: speed and extensibility. Unlike native macOS search or traditional launchers, Raycast extensions give you contextual actions right at your fingertips — no leaving the keyboard.

The real game-changer? These aren’t just “open this app” shortcuts. The best Raycast developer tools integrate directly with GitHub, Linear, Docker, and your cloud infrastructure, letting you execute complex actions in 2-3 keystrokes instead of 10+ clicks.

How I Evaluated These Extensions

I tested each extension against four developer-specific criteria:

• Speed of Access - Can I perform the action faster than the native UI?
• Workflow Integration - Does it eliminate context switching?
• Reliability - Does it work consistently with my tech stack?
• Active Maintenance - Is it updated regularly with new features?

I also cross-referenced download counts from the Raycast Store and GitHub issue activity to ensure these recommendations reflect actively maintained extensions.

Pre-Code: Project Setup & Planning

These extensions shine when you’re setting up your environment or planning your next sprint. They eliminate the friction of “getting started” each morning.

1. Git Repos - Quick Access to Local Repositories

Downloads: 20,426 | Best for: Developers managing 5+ local repos

This extension indexes all Git repositories on your machine and lets you open them in VS Code, Terminal, or Finder with 2 keystrokes. No more cd ~/Projects/client-name/repo-name every morning.

My workflow: Type gr → search repo name → ⌘ + Enter to open in VS Code. I’m in my project 3 seconds after thinking about it.

Time saved: 15-20 minutes per week (assuming 10 repo switches/day × 30 seconds each)

2. Linear - Issues & Cycles Management

Downloads: 202,994 (most popular extension) | Best for: Teams using Linear for project management

The Linear extension is the most downloaded Raycast extension for good reason. You can create issues, assign them, update status, and browse cycles without opening Linear’s web UI.

Key actions:

• Create issues with auto-filled project context
• Search issues by ID, title, or assignee
• Move issues across workflow states
• Browse active cycles and sprints

My use case: During standup, I update 4-5 issue statuses in under 30 seconds using ⌘ + K → type status → Enter. In Linear’s UI, this takes 2+ minutes.

Pricing note: Linear’s extension is free, but Linear itself requires a paid plan for teams ($8/user/month).

3. Jira - Official Integration

Downloads: Not disclosed | Best for: Enterprise teams on Jira

If your team uses Jira (Official), this extension brings the same workflow benefits as Linear — create tickets, search sprints, update custom fields — without the browser overhead.

Pro tip: Set up saved JQL (Jira Query Language) searches in Raycast for instant access to “My Open Bugs” or “This Sprint’s Stories.”

Active Development: Writing Code

This is where Raycast extensions deliver the highest ROI. These tools keep you in flow state by reducing the “micro-context switches” that kill productivity.

4. VS Code - Project Switching & Navigation

Downloads: ~15,000 | Best for: Developers working across multiple projects

This extension indexes your VS Code recent projects and workspaces. You can switch between projects, open specific folders, and even search within workspace files — all from Raycast.

Workflow integration: I keep VS Code minimized and use ⌘ + Space → vs → project name to switch contexts. No Alt+Tab, no Finder navigation.

Time saved: 5-8 hours/week (for developers switching projects 20+ times/day)

5. GitHub - Official Integration

Downloads: 13,042 | Best for: Developers doing code reviews daily

The GitHub (Official) extension is essential for PR-heavy workflows. You can:

• Browse open PRs across all repos
• Review and approve PRs without opening browser
• Check CI/CD workflow status
• Search issues and create new ones

My favorite feature: The “My Pull Requests” view shows all PRs I’ve authored or need to review, with status badges for CI/CD runs. I check this 5-6 times per day instead of keeping GitHub tabs open.

Advanced workflow: Combine with the GitHub CLI (gh) for terminal actions — use Raycast to find the PR, then Raycast’s clipboard history to paste the PR number into gh pr checkout.

6. AI Git Assistant - Intelligent Commit Messages

Downloads: ~5,000 | Best for: Developers who hate writing commit messages

This extension uses AI (you provide your own OpenAI API key) to analyze your staged changes and generate semantic commit messages. It follows conventional commits format automatically.

Example output:

feat(auth): add JWT token refresh logic

- Implement token rotation on 401 responses
- Add refresh token storage to localStorage
- Update API client interceptors

Cost: Free extension, but requires OpenAI API access ($0.01-0.05 per commit with GPT-4)

Time saved: 2-3 hours/week if you write 20+ commits per week

7. Git Assistant - Command Launcher

Downloads: ~8,000 | Best for: Developers who prefer GUI over terminal for Git

This extension gives you point-and-click Git commands — commit, push, pull, branch, merge — without touching the terminal. Each command has smart defaults based on your current repo state.

Use case: I still use terminal for complex Git workflows, but for simple “commit and push” cycles, this saves 10-15 seconds per action.

8. Git Worktrees - Multiple Branch Management

Downloads: ~3,000 | Best for: Developers working on multiple features simultaneously

Git worktrees let you check out multiple branches in separate directories. This extension makes managing worktrees visual — create, switch, and delete worktrees without memorizing git worktree syntax.

Real-world scenario: Working on a feature branch but need to hotfix production? Create a worktree for main, fix the bug, then switch back to your feature branch — all without stashing or committing incomplete work.

9. Tailwind CSS - Documentation Search

Downloads: ~12,000 | Best for: Frontend developers using Tailwind

Instant access to Tailwind’s class reference. Type the utility class you’re looking for, see the documentation, and copy the class name to clipboard.

Speed comparison:

• Without extension: Open browser → Google “tailwind grid” → click docs → find class → copy → 25 seconds
• With extension: ⌘ + Space → tw grid → copy → 4 seconds

10. DevDocs - Multi-Language Documentation

Downloads: ~18,000 | Best for: Full-stack developers using 3+ languages

DevDocs aggregates documentation for 100+ languages and frameworks. Search React hooks, Python stdlib, PostgreSQL functions — all from one search bar.

Pro tip: Enable only the docs you actively use (Settings → Enable Documentation Sets) to reduce noise in search results.

11. npm Package Search - Package Info Lookup

Downloads: ~7,000 | Best for: JavaScript/TypeScript developers

Before installing a package, I use this extension to check:

• Weekly download count (popularity signal)
• Last publish date (maintenance signal)
• Bundle size (performance impact)
• GitHub stars and issues

Workflow: Type npm lodash → see 20M weekly downloads → check bundle size (71kB) → decide if it’s worth the dependency.

Deployment & Infrastructure

These extensions are lifesavers when you’re managing cloud infrastructure or debugging production issues.

12. Docker - Container Management Without Desktop

Downloads: ~11,000 | Best for: Developers running local containers

Manage Docker containers, images, and volumes without opening Docker Desktop. You can start/stop containers, view logs, and clean up unused images — all keyboard-driven.

My use case: After testing a feature locally, I use this to stop all running containers before closing my laptop. Takes 5 seconds vs 20+ seconds in Docker Desktop UI.

13. Vercel - Deploy & Manage Apps

Downloads: ~9,000 | Best for: Frontend developers using Vercel

The Vercel (Official) extension lets you trigger deployments, check build status, and manage environment variables without opening Vercel’s dashboard.

Time-saving workflow: After pushing code, I check deployment status with ⌘ + Space → vercel → “Recent Deployments” → see live URL when build completes. No browser tab watching required.

14. AWS Console - Cloud Resource Access

Downloads: ~6,000 | Best for: DevOps engineers managing AWS infrastructure

Bookmark AWS console pages (EC2, S3, CloudWatch) and jump directly to them with search. Supports multiple AWS profiles if you manage client accounts.

Advanced use: Combine with AWS CLI for hybrid workflows — use Raycast to navigate to the right service, then use AWS CLI for scripting actions.

15. Homebrew - Package Management UI

Downloads: ~14,000 | Best for: macOS developers managing CLI tools

Search Homebrew packages, install/uninstall formulas, and update outdated packages — all from Raycast. No need to remember brew search syntax.

Maintenance workflow: Once a week, I type brew outdated in Raycast → see what needs updating → batch update with one command.

Comparison: Extensions by Category

Unlock More Power with Raycast Pro

The extensions above work perfectly on Raycast’s free tier, but if you’re serious about productivity, Raycast Pro ($8/month) adds game-changing features for developers:

AI Command with Multi-Provider Support:

• Ask questions to Claude, GPT-4, or Gemini without leaving your keyboard
• Use different models for different tasks (Claude for code review, GPT-4 for docs)
• BYOK (Bring Your Own Key): Use your own API keys instead of Raycast’s credits
• Local LLMs: Connect Ollama for privacy-sensitive work

AI Chat in Every Extension:

• Highlight code in VS Code → ⌘ + Space → “Explain this function”
• Select error message → “How do I fix this?”

Raycast Pro ROI calculation: If it saves you 30 minutes per week, that’s 2 hours per month. At a $100/hour billing rate, you’re getting $200 value for $8 — a 25x ROI.

Installation & Getting Started

Step 1: Install Raycast

brew install --cask raycast

Step 2: Set as default launcher Open Raycast → Preferences → Replace Spotlight shortcut (⌘ + Space)

Step 3: Install extensions

• ⌘ + Space → type “Store”
• Search for extension name (e.g., “GitHub”)
• Click “Install”
• Authenticate if needed (OAuth for GitHub, API keys for AI extensions)

Step 4: Configure hotkeys (optional) For frequently used extensions, set custom hotkeys:

• Preferences → Extensions → [Extension Name] → Record Hotkey
• Example: ⌘ + Shift + G for GitHub PRs

Pro Tips for Extension Stacking

The real productivity boost comes from chaining extensions together:

Example workflow: “Hotfix in production”

1. Linear extension → Find bug ticket → Copy ticket ID
2. Git Repos → Open main repo
3. Git Worktrees → Create worktree from main branch
4. VS Code → Open worktree folder
5. AI Git Assistant → Stage fix → Generate commit message
6. GitHub → Create PR → Check CI status
7. Vercel → Trigger deployment → Copy live URL
8. Linear → Update ticket with PR link → Mark as “In Review”

Total time: 3-4 minutes. Without Raycast: 10-15 minutes with constant app switching.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

After onboarding 3 developer teammates to Raycast, here are the mistakes that slow adoption:

1. Installing too many extensions at once Start with 3-5 extensions that solve your biggest pain points. Master those before adding more.

2. Not customizing aliases Default extension keywords are generic (“search”). Customize them to match your mental model:

• GitHub → gh
• Linear → ln
• Git Repos → gr

3. Ignoring the clipboard history Raycast has built-in clipboard manager. Use it to copy commit SHAs, API keys, and error messages without switching to a dedicated clipboard app.

4. Not setting up quicklinks For frequently accessed URLs (GitHub repos, Linear projects, AWS consoles), create Quicklinks:

• Store → Install “Quicklinks”
• Add custom shortcuts like jira-sprint → Direct link to current sprint board

Final Verdict: Transform Your Developer Workflow

For raycast extensions for developers, The best Raycast extensions for developers aren’t about replacing your entire toolchain — they’re about eliminating the friction between tools. Every saved context switch, every avoided browser tab, every keyboard shortcut that replaces 5 clicks adds up to hours saved per week.

My essential stack for 2026:

• Version Control: Git Repos + GitHub (Official)
• Project Management: Linear
• Development: VS Code + DevDocs
• Infrastructure: Docker + Vercel

Getting started recommendation: Install Git Repos and GitHub extensions first. Use them for one week, then add 2-3 more based on your workflow gaps.

Ready to reclaim 8+ hours per week? Install Raycast, add these extensions, and watch your productivity compound. The 2-minute setup pays dividends every single day.

External Resources

For official Raycast documentation and updates:

• Raycast Blog — Extension announcements, AI feature updates, and developer productivity tips
• Raycast Developer Docs — Extension API reference and development guides

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