Can you do Desktop Development using JavaScript? [closed]

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I know there's JScript.NET, but it isn't the same as the JavaScript we know from the web.

Does anyone know if there are any JavaScript based platforms/compilers for desktop development? Most specifically Windows desktop development.

Idonna answered 20/9, 2008 at 21:8 Comment(1)

I did this back then: link – Echinoid 1/3, 2016 at 11:56

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Windows 8 allows for Windows Store Apps to be written in HTML5/JavaScript.

Idonna answered 13/12, 2011 at 17:52 Comment(2)

+1: windows 8 is pretty cool! – Gaidano 22/1, 2012 at 7:18

That reminds me of node-webkit (a similar framework for node.js): #8794640 – Magnificat 15/11, 2012 at 6:39

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There is XULRunner, which let's you build GUI apps like Firefox using JavaScript and XUL. It has a lot of extension to JavaScript though, using XPCOM. They also offer Prism which let's you build web apps that work offline, sort of like AIR. Yahoo uses it for their Zimbra email desktop client.

Benison answered 20/9, 2008 at 21:17 Comment(2)

Instead of Prism you could use Google Chrome and then you could use the built in Google Gears support for offline storage. – Shari 20/9, 2008 at 22:32

I was so excited to find XULRunner a couple of years ago, but then found out that it doesn't support any of the abilities firefox has for DOM manipulation and other stuff I'd expected to get (I don't remember what else it didn't have, maybe AJAX?) – Paulus 13/12, 2011 at 18:9

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Yes, with Adobe AIR. Adobe AIR lets you make desktop applications with Javascript, Flex, or Flash.

Hizar answered 20/9, 2008 at 21:9 Comment(0)

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Looks like there are 3 types of html5-desktop app

SDK

Browser runtime

Node.js based

Mcdonald answered 28/10, 2012 at 22:48 Comment(1)

Add electronjs to Node.js based – Ciliolate 29/1, 2018 at 19:45

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Windows 8 allows for Windows Store Apps to be written in HTML5/JavaScript.

Idonna answered 13/12, 2011 at 17:52 Comment(2)

+1: windows 8 is pretty cool! – Gaidano 22/1, 2012 at 7:18

That reminds me of node-webkit (a similar framework for node.js): #8794640 – Magnificat 15/11, 2012 at 6:39

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"node-webkit is an app runtime based on Chromium and node.js. You can write native apps in HTML and Javascript with node-webkit. It also lets you call Node.js modules directly from the DOM..."

Persse answered 15/8, 2012 at 5:24 Comment(1)

Node-webkit looks really interesting: it allows you to access node.js libraries directly from a web browser, all in one .html file. – Magnificat 15/11, 2012 at 16:14

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There's Titanium Developer which is similar to Adobe AIR (html+css+javascript), but does not require a framework to be pre-installed.

Disaccord answered 18/10, 2009 at 5:56 Comment(1)

The Future of Titanium Desktop – Persse 15/8, 2012 at 3:18

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You can make a desktop application using XML and javascript (and/or VBS) using the Windows Script host.

The trick is to save your XML file with a .hta extension. See this reference.

Decant answered 21/9, 2008 at 12:10 Comment(4)

I forgot about this, I'll have to try it out a little bit more. Thanks! – Idonna 22/9, 2008 at 20:37

It would be nice if it could be compiled too. – Idonna 22/9, 2008 at 20:38

true... maybe under .NET? I haven't tried it tho as I stopped using windows way back, but it may be worth looking up – Decant 22/9, 2008 at 20:41

can't find anything like it in MSDN. Then again, I probably didn't look hard enough – Decant 22/9, 2008 at 20:48

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There's SpiderMonkey, a JavaScript engine written in C and Rhino, an implementation of JavaScript in Java.

Hydrometeor answered 20/9, 2008 at 21:35 Comment(0)

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Try AppJS, It is an SDK on top of NodeJS and Chromium Embedded Framework. You can build desktop apps easily with the web technologies.

Webpage: http://appjs.com
Github: https://github.com/appjs

Universalism answered 8/9, 2012 at 17:33 Comment(1)

AppJS is Deprecated – Pole 1/6, 2016 at 14:48

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Google Gears. There's also Mozilla's XUL, but it's too bit complicated, IMHO (albeit extremely powerful).

Canonicals answered 20/9, 2008 at 21:26 Comment(1)

It appears that Google Gears is no longer supported. – Magnificat 15/11, 2012 at 16:12

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Google has a new interesting technology going on. It's in a quite early stage but works good already. It's called Packaged Apps and is using Chrome as a runtime and works on both Pc and Mac. Have a look at http://developer.chrome.com/apps/about_apps.html

Jill answered 29/9, 2012 at 12:31 Comment(6)

This looks very similar to node-webkit (which allows node.js libraries to be used in HTML documents, just like browser-side Javascript.) – Magnificat 28/11, 2012 at 1:36

Yes Node-Webkit looks very promising. Started looking in to it some days ago. Have a look: link – Jill 28/11, 2012 at 7:43

I'm familiar with node-webkit already, but does "Packaged Apps" allow node.js functions to be used in the HTML DOM (like node-webkit?) – Magnificat 29/11, 2012 at 2:11

No it doesn't as far as I know. I found this project on Github but it's not much there yet. link. This might be something too, haven't checked yet. link – Jill 29/11, 2012 at 8:4

See also my answer here: link – Jill 29/11, 2012 at 10:48

It is not recommended to use Chrome packaged apps anymore -- see blog.chromium.org/2016/08/from-chrome-apps-to-web.html – Oreopithecus 2/9, 2016 at 7:20

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Another option I didn't see mentioned is for Cocoa (Mac OS X, iPhone OS) applications you can use a web view (embedded WebKit) as the application UI.

Aurum answered 8/5, 2010 at 7:30 Comment(0)

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You can try JavaLikeScript, it does not provide the same native/root objects that a web browser but it has network and user interface features.

Moratorium answered 4/12, 2010 at 21:10 Comment(0)

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Electron, originally Atom Shell, allows applications to be written in web technologies (HTML, JS, CSS) and run on any of the major operating systems, including Windows.

Roundelay answered 21/12, 2016 at 23:42 Comment(0)

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There's Yahoo's Konfabulator for the windows desktop.

Yeargain answered 20/9, 2008 at 21:11 Comment(0)

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Script# has extensions for Vista Gadgets.

http://projects.nikhilk.net/ScriptSharp/

Ambrosine answered 20/9, 2008 at 21:39 Comment(0)

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Here are some JSOS (Javascript Operating Systems), sort-of still need a browser.

http://fractalbrain.net/ /* The Best. */

http://cometdesktop.com/ /* Alright. */

http://skylightproject.com/ /* Worst */

Imperial answered 8/5, 2010 at 7:14 Comment(1)

Can you explain what you mean by "sort-of still need a browser"? – Magnificat 29/11, 2012 at 2:13

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I answered with node-webkit above, but I recently saw a presentation on Tint2. It seems to address security concerns with node-webkit and looks promising.

Persse answered 27/2, 2015 at 21:27 Comment(0)

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