16dock
A dock of your own for the Mac: apps in your own groups, what's running at a glance, and a to-do list at the end.
Z
· v2.6.6
Overview
16dock is a productivity app for macOS, made by Z. A dock of your own for the Mac: apps in your own groups, what's running at a glance, and a to-do list at the end. It’s made for Mac users who keep a lot of apps and want them grouped the way they work, with a quick to-do list in reach. The latest version is 2.6.6, released Oct 2, 2026. It was built with help from Claude Code.
16dock is a dock of my own for the Mac. It sits on the bottom, left, right or top edge of the screen, next to or instead of the system Dock, and lays my apps out the way I actually use them.
What it does
- Apps in your own groups. Name the sections (Daily, Work, Dev…) and drag icons along the dock or between sections. One app can be in several groups; it shows once, in the first.
- What's open, at a glance. Running apps are full size and in colour, the rest smaller and faded. Anything running that isn't in a group appears in an automatic Active section.
- Applications manager (⊞). Every installed app in a grid, your own tabs down the side, and search. Drag an app onto a tab to file it. A tab with Show on Dock off (say, "Rarely Used") stays in the manager only.
- A to-do list at the end of the dock. Type "交报告 周五", "明天 买菜" or "call Ann 10/3" and the day is read off for you. Each row shows its date ("2-Oct, Fri"), a red dot means something is due, and ticked items step out of the way.
- Windows from the dock. Right-click an app to list its open windows and bring one to the front (needs Accessibility permission, once).
- Steps aside for full-screen apps, PowerPoint slideshows and videos.
- Fits itself to the edge: icons and gaps shrink before anything scrolls. Small, Medium or Large icons.
- Open at Login, and an optional Hide the System Dock.
Install
No public download yet; email [email protected] for a build. Drag 16dock to Applications; it's ad-hoc signed, not notarized, so right-click → Open the first time. Requires macOS 14; universal build for Apple Silicon and Intel. It is built from the same project as 16explorer.
Why people use it
Made for: Mac users who keep a lot of apps and want them grouped the way they work, with a quick to-do list in reach.
Apps in your own groups
Named sections you arrange by dragging; one app can be in several.
What's open, at a glance
Running apps full size and in colour, the rest faded; running strays collect in Active.
Applications manager
Every installed app in a grid with your own tabs and search.
To-dos that read dates
明天, 周五, 下周一 or 10/3 become the due day; a red dot when something is due.
Windows from the dock
Right-click an app to jump to any of its open windows.
Gets out of the way
Steps aside for slideshows, videos and full-screen apps.
Version history
-
v2.6.6 Groups, an Applications manager and a to-do list
Why this version
The system Dock puts every app in one row in the order I happened to add them. I wanted my apps grouped the way I use them, to see what's running without squinting at dots, and to keep a short to-do list where my eyes already are.
- To-do list at the end of the dock: dates read from what you type (今天, 明天, 周五, 下周一, 10/3), a short date on each row, a red dot when something is due, finished items hidden with a count to bring them back
- Applications manager with your own tabs; Show on Dock off keeps a tab out of the dock
- Window list in each app's right-click menu
- Steps aside for PowerPoint slideshows and full-screen video
- Icons and gaps shrink to fit the edge before anything scrolls; Small / Medium / Large sizes
- Open at Login, and an option to hide the system Dock
Dev notes
How Z built 16dock: progress, problems, and working with AI.
No dev notes published yet.
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