Use this script to create shortcuts to commonly used applications. Then drag the directories to the OS X Dock to enable the Downloads-like shortcut functionality.

Create app symlinks.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash

mkdir Tools
cd Tools

ln -s /Applications/Utilities/Activity\ Monitor.app Activity\ Monitor
ln -s /Applications/Android\ Studio.app Android\ Studio
ln -s /Applications/Atom.app Atom
ln -s /Applications/Automator.app Automator
ln -s /Applications/CocoaRestClient.app CocoaRestClient
ln -s /Applications/CodeKit.app CodeKit
ln -s /Applications/Cyberduck.app Cyberduck
ln -s /Applications/Dash.app Dash
ln -s /Applications/Disk\ Inventory.app Disk\ Inventory
ln -s /Applications/Docker/Docker\ Quickstart\ Terminal.app Docker\ terminal
ln -s /Applications/Utilities/Disk\ Utility.app Disk\ Utility
ln -s /Applications/Eclipse/Eclipse.app Eclipse
ln -s /Applications/Xcode.app Xcode/Contents/Applications/FileMerge.app FileMerge
ln -s /Applications/GitHub.app GitHub
ln -s /Applications/GitX.app GitX
ln -s /Applications/iTerm.app iTerm
ln -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Applications/Simulator.app iOS\ Simulator
ln -s /Applications/Docker/Kitematic\ \(Beta\).app Kitematic
ln -s /System/Library/CoreServices/Applications/Network\ Utility.app Network\ Utility
ln -s /Applications/Sequel\ Pro.app Sequel\ Pro
ln -s /Applications/Spectacle.app Spectacle
ln -s /Applications/Tunnelblick.app Tunnelblick
ln -s /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app Terminal
ln -s /Applications/The\ Unarchiver.app The\ Unarchiver
ln -s /Applications/Valentina\ Studio.app Valentina\ Studio
ln -s /Applications/VirtualBox.app VirtualBox

cd ..
mkdir Browsers
cd Browsers

ln -s /Applications/Firefox.app Firefox
ln -s /Applications/FirefoxDeveloperEdition.app Firefox\ Developer\ Edition
ln -s /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app Chrome
ln -s /Applications/Google\ Chrome\ Canary.app Chrome\ Canary
ln -s /Applications/Opera.app Opera
ln -s /Applications/Safari.app Safari

exit 0