runex is a cross-shell abbreviation engine that expands short tokens into full commands in real-time.
- Cross-shell support (bash / zsh / pwsh / cmd / nushell)
- Real-time expansion (customizable trigger key)
- Single config file shared across shells
- Conditional rules (when_command_exists) — recognizes shell cmdlets, aliases, and user-defined functions, not just PATH binaries
- Fast and lightweight (Rust core)
Publisher’s description
What is runex?
runex is an open-source terminals & cli tool program for Windows from ShortArrow. It is written in Rust.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit as Portable. It runs without installation (portable). It needs Windows 10 or newer.
Updates and version history
The current version is 0.1.21, released on October 20, 2026. 10 versions are listed since April 18, 2026, each with links to its own installer files. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (ShortArrow/runex) has 3 stars. Similar programs include PowerShell, Oh My Posh and fzf.
Project description on GitHub: “cross-shell abbreviation engine”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Updated in the last two months
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: runex is an open-source terminals & cli tool tool for 64-bit PCs.
Is runex safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
56C9378A680CA8CB3CCE0CB72C242F063C5162CA3FF7313C1C274A54912021DF· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 10 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1.21Latest | October 20, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.1.20 | July 8, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.1.19 | June 1, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.1.18 | May 31, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.1.17 | May 31, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.1.16 | May 24, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.1.14 | May 6, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.1.13 | May 3, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id ShortArrow.runex -eRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- ShortArrow
- Category
- Terminals & CLI tools
- Licence
- MIT OR Apache-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/ShortArrow/runex
- Written in
- Rust
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10 (Windows 10+)
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 0.1.21
- Released
- October 20, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- April 22, 2026
- Versions listed
- 10
- GitHub stars
- 3
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- ShortArrow.runex
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is runex free?
Yes. runex is open-source software under the MIT OR Apache-2.0 licence.
Is runex safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install runex with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Which Windows versions does runex support?
The installer requires Windows 10 or newer and is available for 64-bit.
Does runex run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of runex?
The versions page lists all 10 versions with links to their official installer files, back to April 18, 2026.
Can I use runex without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to runex?
PowerShell, Oh My Posh, fzf, QPDF and Alacritty. The alternatives page compares them.
