Home

Welcome to AppJS

AppJS is an SDK to develop desktop applications using Node.js melded with Chromium.

With AppJS you can develop desktop tools and applications using the same libraries and knowledge used to build websites and web applications. You get all the following in one package:

• JS, HTML5, CSS, SVG, WebGL — by Chromium
• mature HTTP/HTTPS servers and client APIs — by Node.js
• filesystem, DNS, cryptography, subprocesses, OS APIs — by Node.js
• sandboxed code execution environements, virtual machines — by Node.js
• tools for exposing native C++ bindings to JavaScript — by Node.js

IRC: #appjs on freenode. You are welcome !

Map view of the stars to the AppJS github repo

AppJS and Rich Internet Application frameworks already tested

• Qooxdoo
• ExtJS/Sencha
• Durandal

Getting Started

These are some of the first pages you should read, they're very short and will get you familiar with how simple it is to develop applications with AppJS!

• App Folder Structure: an overview of the anatomy of an AppJS application.
• app object: the app object creates windows and menus.
• CEF Events: a list of events that fire so you can set up listeners instead of making gordian knots from callback functions.
• Packaging Your App.: since AppJS applications are inherently portable, there isn't much to packaging them up.
• Community Apps.: a list of applications built on AppJS.

Then, check out the code samples listed below or just browse the wiki pages.

There is an in depth tutorial available elsewhere, it may help.

Code samples

Deploying nodejs in AppJS

• Use DOM events to coordinate execution and using Nodejs's "process" and "require" with the DOM
• Adding nodejs's "module", "require", and "process" to the browser global object
• Extending nodejs's module system into the browser context
• Node's console into Chrome's console

Using nodejs, node modules, and javascript in AppJS

• Install and use a third party nodejs module
• Injecting jQuery into a page and scraping links
• Using express to handle local http requests

Debugging

• Show Chrome Console with F12 keybind

Clipboard

• Copy text in the OS clipboard
• Paste text in the OS clipboard

HTML5

• Drag & Drop from desktop
• Read local files (Drag & Drop based)

Building AppJS

If you would like to build AppJS from source, there are directions at Building AppJS