mlhiter/slink

Slink is a small macOS app that lets you hide application icons from your Dock while keeping those apps running in the background. If you're someone who likes a clean Dock and doesn't want every open app cluttering the bar at the bottom of your screen, this tool does exactly that, you choose which running apps should stay hidden from view. The way it works is straightforward: the app gives you a simple way to toggle Dock icons on and off for applications you've selected. You can also set it to launch automatically when your Mac starts up, so your preferred apps stay hidden without you having to do anything each time you restart. It's the kind of tool that appeals to people who are particular about their desktop aesthetics or who prefer keeping certain apps tucked away, like tools you always have running but don't need staring at you from the Dock. The creator built this because they found the existing alternatives (like Ghosttile) were buggy and unreliable, and they wanted something simpler. Interestingly, they mention they don't actually know the Swift programming language, they wrote the entire project using an AI coding assistant, making this an experiment in what's possible without writing code yourself. There are a couple of limitations worth knowing: if an app already has its own built-in setting to hide from the Dock, that takes priority and Slink won't be able to override it. Also, the developer has only tested it on macOS 14.0.1, so there may be compatibility issues with older versions of macOS. The project is quite young and minimal, but it scratches a specific itch for people who want cleaner Dock management.