Enhance Start Menu: Add App Context Menu

Nov 6, 2025 by Admin 41 views

Hey guys! Today, we're diving into a super cool feature enhancement for the start menu. You know how sometimes you just want to quickly pin an app to the taskbar without actually opening it? Or maybe you want to unpin something just as fast? Well, this is all about making that process smoother and more intuitive. Let's get into the details of adding a context menu to apps in the start menu!

Current Pain Points

Currently, apps in the start menu are pretty basic. A left-click fires them up, which is cool, but a right-click? Nada! Zilch! It either does absolutely nothing or brings up the browser's default context menu, which isn't what we want at all. This means if you're trying to pin an app to the taskbar, you've got to launch it first and then fiddle with its taskbar icon. It's like taking the scenic route when there's a direct highway available. We aim to fix this!

Here’s how it goes down right now:

You hit that start button to bring up the start menu.
You right-click on any app icon.
And... either nothing happens, or you get a random browser context menu.
Trying to pin that app to the taskbar without launching it? Nope, can't do it directly from the start menu.

This whole process feels clunky, right? It's like we're missing a vital piece of the puzzle. Adding a context menu is going to make things so much more streamlined and user-friendly.

Expected Awesome-ness

Imagine this: You right-click (or long-press on your mobile device) an app in the start menu, and BAM! A context menu pops up with all the relevant actions right at your fingertips. We're talking about an "Open" option to launch the app, of course, but also a dynamic "Keep in taskbar" or "Remove from taskbar" option that changes based on whether the app is currently pinned. Think of the possibilities!

This context menu needs to be smart, too. It should know whether an app is already pinned or not. If it’s not pinned, the option should say, "Keep in taskbar." If it is, it should say, "Remove from taskbar." And when you pin or unpin, it should actually do it – creating new taskbar icons or removing them as needed, especially when no windows of that app are open. Plus, we don't want context menus hanging around forever, so opening a new one should close any existing ones, and clicking elsewhere or launching an app should make them disappear.

Here’s what we're aiming for:

Right-clicking an app in the start menu pulls up a context menu with "Open" and pin/unpin options.
The context menu smartly displays "Keep in taskbar" for unpinned apps and "Remove from taskbar" for the pinned ones.
Selecting "Open" launches the app and elegantly closes both the context menu and the start menu.
Pinning an app from the context menu adds it to the taskbar and makes sure it stays there even after you restart your computer.
Unpinning an app removes it from the taskbar (but only if no windows are open, of course) and remembers your choice.
Opening a context menu automatically closes any other context menus that might be open.
Clicking outside the context menu makes it go away.

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3...

Alright, so how do we make sure all this works perfectly? We need to put it through its paces! Here’s a step-by-step guide to testing this new context menu feature:

Open the start menu: Fire up that start menu and find an app that isn’t pinned to the taskbar.
Right-click: Give it a right-click and see what happens. You should see a context menu with "Open" and "Keep in taskbar" options.
Pin it!: Click on "Keep in taskbar" and then glance down at your taskbar. The app should be there, proudly pinned.
Right-click again: Right-click the same app in the start menu again.
Check the context menu: This time, the context menu should say "Remove from taskbar" instead of "Keep in taskbar."
Unpin it!: Click "Remove from taskbar" and watch it disappear from the taskbar (if you don't have any windows of that app open).
Close it up: Open a context menu and then click anywhere outside of it. The context menu should close.

Make sure you're thorough and repeat these steps with different apps to ensure everything is working as expected.

Acceptance Criteria

To make sure we're all on the same page, here are the acceptance criteria. These are the specific requirements that need to be met for this feature to be considered complete and ready for prime time:

Context Menu Display: Right-clicking an app in the start menu must display a context menu with, at a minimum, “Open” and pin/unpin options.
Dynamic Pin/Unpin Options: The context menu must dynamically show "Keep in taskbar" for apps that are not currently pinned, and "Remove from taskbar" for apps that are pinned.
"Open" Functionality: Selecting "Open" from the context menu should launch the application and close both the context menu and the start menu.
Pinning Functionality: Pinning an app from the context menu must add the app to the taskbar. This change must persist across sessions, meaning the app should remain pinned even after the user restarts their computer.
Unpinning Functionality: Unpinning an app from the context menu should remove the app from the taskbar, provided that no windows of that app are currently open. This change must also persist across sessions.
Context Menu Exclusivity: Only one context menu should be open at a time. Opening a new context menu should automatically close any previously opened context menus.
Click-Away Closing: Clicking outside of an open context menu should close the context menu.

Steps to Test

To ensure that the new context menu behaves as expected, follow these detailed testing steps:

Initial State: Open the start menu and identify an app that is not currently pinned to the taskbar.
Context Menu Display: Right-click on the selected app. Verify that a context menu appears, offering "Open" and "Keep in taskbar" options.
Pin to Taskbar: Click the "Keep in taskbar" option. Confirm that the app icon now appears on the taskbar.
Verify Pinned State: Right-click the same app within the start menu once more.
Context Menu Update: Check that the context menu now displays "Remove from taskbar" instead of "Keep in taskbar," reflecting the app's pinned status.
Remove from Taskbar: Click the "Remove from taskbar" option. Ensure that the app icon is removed from the taskbar, provided that no instances of the app are currently running.
Close by Clicking Elsewhere: Open the context menu for any app, then click anywhere outside the context menu area. Verify that the context menu closes as a result.

Show Your Work!

Record your screen using https://cap.so/ (use Studio mode) to demonstrate the functionality. Export your recording as an MP4, then drag and drop it into an issue comment below. This helps everyone see the feature in action and verify that it works as expected.

For those new to pull requests, check out this guide: https://hackmd.io/@timothy1ee/Hky8kV3hlx.

Let's make the start menu even better together! This little tweak is going to make a big difference in usability, and I can't wait to see it in action. Happy coding, folks!