This app was mentioned in 7 comments, with an average of 2.71 upvotes
I don't like GUI for important things, so my default home / Launcher is https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vackosar.searchbasedlauncher
also available from f-droid at https://f-droid.org/app/com.vackosar.searchbasedlauncher
T-UI Shell Launcher is possibly more interesting, certainly more ambitious, and also open source and under active development with a very helpful developer. Still very young, I keep it available, but it has an issue or two that keep me from using it as my default.
Several years ago I created the least distractive-possible Android launcher for myself. Can be configured for white-on-black text only. No images, no colors. App are searched or scrolled. Single result search = execute. I still use it today.
There are other minimalistic launchers like Kiss that probably can be customized more.
Hope it helps.
I've tried it, but as it doesn't use the history of recently launched apps as buttons for relaunching them, I find I prefer Search Based Launcher
Search Based Launcher (Minimalistic home-screen) - https://f-droid.org/app/com.vackosar.searchbasedlauncher
or, for those who don't prefer f-droid,
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vackosar.searchbasedlauncher
I've been using Search Based Launcher
https://f-droid.org/app/com.vackosar.searchbasedlauncher
or https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vackosar.searchbasedlauncher
for years, and still love it.
I personally find Search Based Launcher https://f-droid.org/app/com.vackosar.searchbasedlauncher or https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vackosar.searchbasedlauncher the most efficient and fast (for me). The entire launcher homescreen is a list of apps, with the ones you've used most recently at the top. Tap an app to re-launch it; tap the blank line at the bottom to raise the keyboard and begin typing, the list will filter as you type to apps whose prefix you've typed, at any point tap an app. Once the prefix is unique the app launches.
My android homescreen is that list, in white text over null black wallpaper Null Black Wallpaper (Live wallpaper that does nothing) - https://f-droid.org/app/net.rocboronat.android.wallpaper.npe
Since there are a couple of widgets I want, I use Snap Swipe Drawer to hold them, though id=com.fb.iwidget doesn't find it on Google Play any more.
I'm weird, I like text, and keyboards. I really enjoy Search Based Launcher, it's free and open source, it's small, and does what it says. Relaunching recent apps is one tap, the rest need typing a unique prefix.
Search Based Launcher (Minimalistic home-screen) - https://f-droid.org/app/com.vackosar.searchbasedlauncher
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vackosar.searchbasedlauncher
There are a few apps I like that only work as widgets, for them I use Snap Swipe Drawer
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fb.iwidget