better_launch
- Software
- Middleware
- Tool
A replacement for the ROS2 launch system, offering simpler Python launchfiles and a TOML-based launch format for starting and configuring robot software.
Made by DFKI GmbH, Robotics Innovation Center, Germany (checked on github.com/dfki-ric (opens in a new tab)).
Source on GitHub: github.com/dfki-ric/better_launch (opens in a new tab). Facts read at commit 26f5be8 (opens in a new tab).
Licenses
- Code
- MIT (opens in a new tab)
Read by Robotheca from LICENSE (opens in a new tab) (MIT) at commit 26f5be8 (opens in a new tab), on 16 Oct 2026.
- Commercial use
- Yes
What it does
- Lets launchfiles be written with a few imports and plain Python function arguments instead of verbose class-based ROS2 launch code.
- Can include regular ROS2 launch files and be included by them, so it works alongside existing launch setups.
- Runs actions in sequence and shuts nodes down in reverse order.
- Provides shell autocompletion for launch arguments.
- Offers an optional terminal user interface built on prompt_toolkit for listing topics and services, starting and stopping nodes, triggering lifecycle transitions, and changing log levels.
- Supports a TOML launchfile format with conditionals, substitutions and logging, but without loops, that compiles to calls on the BetterLaunch singleton.
Written by Robotheca from the project's README (opens in a new tab) at commit 26f5be8.
Getting started
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- How to start
- The project's website (opens in a new tab)
Maintenance
- Status
- Active: a commit in the last 90 days
- Newest commit
- 14 Sept 2026 on main
- Latest release
- Through Voids Unknown (1 Jun 2026)
Checked on GitHub on 16 Oct 2026.
Links
Robots that can run it
No robot on Robotheca is linked to it yet. Links come from a robot's robot.yaml, from its dependency files read as text, or from Robotheca's editors.
Robotheca lists software as a reference: nothing is hosted or run here, and every fact links to where it was read.