Can you do Desktop Development using JavaScript?

JavascriptWindowsDesktopPlatform

Javascript Problem Overview

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.

Javascript Solutions

Solution 1 - Javascript

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.

Solution 2 - Javascript

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

Solution 3 - Javascript

Looks like there are 3 types of html5-desktop app

SDK

Browser runtime

Node.js based

Solution 4 - Javascript

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

Solution 5 - Javascript

"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..."

Solution 6 - Javascript

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

Solution 7 - Javascript

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.

Solution 8 - Javascript

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

Solution 9 - Javascript

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

Solution 10 - Javascript

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

Solution 11 - Javascript

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

Solution 12 - Javascript

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.

Solution 13 - Javascript

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.

Solution 14 - Javascript

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.

Solution 15 - Javascript

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

Solution 16 - Javascript

Script# has extensions for Vista Gadgets.

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

Solution 17 - Javascript

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 */

Solution 18 - Javascript

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.

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