Gnome also works like that
Yes but it has to replace your desktop with a checkerboard of launchers, which might be a thing whose effect ranges from unnecessary but harmless to annoying and confusing, especially when it lags.
In this case you can install https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/6/applications-menu/ to get something similar in gnome (but I have to admit that I've never used unity)
Re:Lobotomizing Gnome
by andrewaylett on Wednesday May 30, 2018 @10:40AM
(#17187990)
It works in Gnome too!
Exactly, so I'm puzzled why the OP said it missed that behaviour (and I suppose others miss that too as someone downvoted you ^__^;).
I'm not familiar with recent Windos but pressing the "Super" key on Gnome opens the "overview" screen (or what's called) with a big "Type to search..." text box that can be used to search files to open or programs to launch.
P.S. I prefer to use shortcuts to launch the common programs, using an extension that mimics Ubuntu Unity style Super + number_key, according to the order in the "Favorites".
That's how Unity (Ubuntu's default DE) worked, until they transitioned to GNOME.