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.

I did this back then: link

Ali Naci Erdem
– Ali Naci Erdem

2016-03-01 11:56:54 +00:00
Commented Mar 1, 2016 at 11:56 — Ali Naci Erdem
– Ali Naci Erdem, Commented Mar 1, 2016 at 11:56

Zach · Accepted Answer · 2008-09-20 21:17:40Z

26

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.

answered Sep 20, 2008 at 21:17

Zach

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2 Comments

Sam Hasler Over a year ago

Instead of Prism you could use Google Chrome and then you could use the built in Google Gears support for offline storage.

Madd0g Over a year ago

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?)

Justin Poliey · Accepted Answer · 2008-09-20 21:09:54Z

25

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

answered Sep 20, 2008 at 21:09

Justin Poliey

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hkk · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-03 22:43:11Z

25

Looks like there are 3 types of html5-desktop app

SDK

Browser runtime

Node.js based

edited Dec 3, 2013 at 22:43

hkk

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answered Oct 28, 2012 at 22:48

gustavodiazjaimes

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anirus Over a year ago

Add electronjs to Node.js based

Chris Pietschmann · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-18 14:11:53Z

14

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

edited Mar 18, 2013 at 14:11

answered Dec 13, 2011 at 17:52

Chris Pietschmann

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codeandcloud Over a year ago

+1: windows 8 is pretty cool!

Anderson Green Over a year ago

That reminds me of node-webkit (a similar framework for node.js): stackoverflow.com/questions/8794140/…

M J · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-11 05:35:28Z

9

"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..."

edited Sep 11, 2013 at 5:35

answered Aug 15, 2012 at 5:24

M J

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Anderson Green Over a year ago

Node-webkit looks really interesting: it allows you to access node.js libraries directly from a web browser, all in one .html file.

Muxa · Accepted Answer · 2009-10-18 05:56:06Z

8

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

answered Oct 18, 2009 at 5:56

Muxa

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M J Over a year ago

The Future of Titanium Desktop

dsm · Accepted Answer · 2008-09-21 12:10:14Z

7

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.

answered Sep 21, 2008 at 12:10

dsm

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4 Comments

Chris Pietschmann Over a year ago

I forgot about this, I'll have to try it out a little bit more. Thanks!

Chris Pietschmann Over a year ago

It would be nice if it could be compiled too.

dsm Over a year ago

true... maybe under .NET? I haven't tried it tho as I stopped using windows way back, but it may be worth looking up

dsm Over a year ago

can't find anything like it in MSDN. Then again, I probably didn't look hard enough

David G · Accepted Answer · 2008-09-20 21:35:19Z

6

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

answered Sep 20, 2008 at 21:35

David G

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Ken Herbert · Accepted Answer · 2014-08-05 10:17:22Z

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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

edited Aug 5, 2014 at 10:17

Ken Herbert

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answered Sep 8, 2012 at 17:33

Morteza Milani

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SatA Over a year ago

AppJS is Deprecated

Mike Hordecki · Accepted Answer · 2008-09-20 21:26:36Z

3

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

answered Sep 20, 2008 at 21:26

Mike Hordecki

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Anderson Green Over a year ago

It appears that Google Gears is no longer supported.

arpo · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-29 12:31:06Z

3

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

answered Sep 29, 2012 at 12:31

arpo

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6 Comments

Anderson Green Over a year ago

This looks very similar to node-webkit (which allows node.js libraries to be used in HTML documents, just like browser-side Javascript.)

arpo Over a year ago

Yes Node-Webkit looks very promising. Started looking in to it some days ago. Have a look: link

Anderson Green Over a year ago

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?)

arpo Over a year ago

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

arpo Over a year ago

Comments

jls · Accepted Answer · 2010-12-04 21:10:26Z

2

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.

answered Dec 4, 2010 at 21:10

jls

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Hatchet · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-21 23:42:45Z

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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.

answered Dec 21, 2016 at 23:42

Hatchet

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Kris · Accepted Answer · 2008-09-20 21:11:47Z

1

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

answered Sep 20, 2008 at 21:11

Kris

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mattlant · Accepted Answer · 2008-09-20 21:39:32Z

1

Script# has extensions for Vista Gadgets.

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

answered Sep 20, 2008 at 21:39

mattlant

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a_m0d · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-19 18:19:40Z

0

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 */

edited Sep 19, 2011 at 18:19

a_m0d

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answered May 8, 2010 at 7:14

JamesM-SiteGen

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Anderson Green Over a year ago

Can you explain what you mean by "sort-of still need a browser"?

M J · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-27 21:27:50Z

0

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.

answered Feb 27, 2015 at 21:27

M J

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