Finicky is a highly customizable, open-source macOS application that allows you to configure rule-sets determining exactly which browser or desktop application should handle every link you click. By designating Finicky as your default system browser, you can automatically send work URLs to Chrome, personal social streams to Safari, and development endpoints straight to Firefox or a localized terminal container.

Key Features & Technical Execution

• Contextual URL Routing: Map distinct web platforms or protocols to preferred browser instances dynamically based on custom configurations.
• Programmatic URL Rewriting: Modify outgoing URL strings on the fly—force secure HTTPS, strip out diagnostic tracking parameters, or automatically redirect legacy subdomains before they hit a browser tab.
• Scriptable JavaScript Core: Write your matching criteria cleanly using native JavaScript or TypeScript syntax, enabling powerful regex integration and deep conditional logic.
• Browser Extensions Ecosystem: Integrates directly with official extensions for Chrome and Firefox, introducing intuitive "Open with Finicky" context buttons and alt-click behaviors.

Installation and Setup

Homebrew Installation

To deploy the application cleanly onto your machine utilizing Homebrew, execute the following command inside your Terminal container:

brew install --cask finicky

Configuration Initialization

Once installed, Finicky relies on a plain text configuration file placed in your system home directory. Create a file named ~/.finicky.js and use an exported configuration object to set defaults, handling objects, and array parameters:

export default {
  defaultBrowser: "Safari",
  rewrite: [
    {
      match: "x.com/*",
      url: (url) => {
        url.host = "xcancel.com";
        return url;
      },
    },
  ],
  handlers: [
    {
      match: "bsky.app/*",
      browser: "Firefox",
    },
  ],
};

Launch the Finicky UI binary inside your /Applications directory and authorize it to register as the primary handler browser for your macOS system profile.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does Finicky provide a graphical interface for selecting browsers on the fly?

No. Finicky is deliberately built to operate invisibly in the background, matching link parameters programmatically against your configuration file to guarantee zero-click automatic execution.

Can Finicky handle native app routing instead of just standard web browsers?

Yes. Because the routing engine interfaces directly with deep system hooks, you can pass parameters to target specialized applications that register protocol schemas—such as sending zoom.us links directly to the Zoom desktop application or Spotify links directly into the native media player.

Is Finicky secure to run as my primary default system browser?

Yes. Finicky is entirely open-source, lightweight, and operates entirely locally on your device under the relaxed MIT license constraints. It does not phone home, log web requests, or expose tracking telemetry—it acts purely as a local control traffic router for your URL patterns.