Cross-platform Desktop Application Development: Electron, Node, NW.js, and React

Cross-platform Desktop Application Development: Electron, Node, NW.js, and React

Author: Dmitry Sheiko

Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd

Published: 2017-07-27

Total Pages: 291

ISBN-13: 1788299299

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Build powerful cross-platform desktop applications with web technologies such as Node, NW.JS, Electron, and React About This Book Build different cross-platform HTML5 desktop applications right from planning, designing, and deployment to enhancement, testing, and delivery Forget the pain of cross-platform compatibility and build efficient apps that can be easily deployed on different platforms. Build simple to advanced HTML5 desktop apps, by integrating them with other popular frameworks and libraries such as Electron, Node.JS, Nw.js, React, Redux, and TypeScript Who This Book Is For This book has been written for developers interested in creating desktop applications with HTML5. The first part requires essential web-master skills (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript). The second demands minimal experience with React. And finally for the third it would be helpful to have a basic knowledge of React, Redux, and TypeScript. What You Will Learn Plan, design, and develop different cross-platform desktop apps Application architecture with React and local state Application architecture with React and Redux store Code design with TypeScript interfaces and specialized types CSS and component libraries such as Photonkit, Material UI, and React MDL HTML5 APIs such as desktop notifications, WebSockets, WebRTC, and others Desktop environment integration APIs of NW.js and Electron Package and distribute for NW.JS and Electron In Detail Building and maintaining cross-platform desktop applications with native languages isn't a trivial task. Since it's hard to simulate on a foreign platform, packaging and distribution can be quite platform-specific and testing cross-platform apps is pretty complicated.In such scenarios, web technologies such as HTML5 and JavaScript can be your lifesaver. HTML5 desktop applications can be distributed across different platforms (Window, MacOS, and Linux) without any modifications to the code. The book starts with a walk-through on building a simple file explorer from scratch powered by NW.JS. So you will practice the most exciting features of bleeding edge CSS and JavaScript. In addition you will learn to use the desktop environment integration API, source code protection, packaging, and auto-updating with NW.JS. As the second application you will build a chat-system example implemented with Electron and React. While developing the chat app, you will get Photonkit. Next, you will create a screen capturer with NW.JS, React, and Redux. Finally, you will examine an RSS-reader built with TypeScript, React, Redux, and Electron. Generic UI components will be reused from the React MDL library. By the end of the book, you will have built four desktop apps. You will have covered everything from planning, designing, and development to the enhancement, testing, and delivery of these apps. Style and approach Filled with real world examples, this book teaches you to build cross-platform desktop apps right from scratch using a step-by-step approach.


Electron: From Beginner to Pro

Electron: From Beginner to Pro

Author: Chris Griffith

Publisher: Apress

Published: 2017-11-22

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 148422826X

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Discover how to take your existing web development skills and learn how to create desktop applications for macOS, Windows, and Linux, using GitHub's Electron. Learn how to combine the power of Node.js and Chromium to provide a powerful development platform for creating web applications that break free from the browser. Electron: From Beginner to Pro guides you through the capabilities that you have available to create desktop applications. Learn to use features like file system access, create native menus, OS-specific dialogs and more. The authors will show you how to package your application for distribution for multiple platforms and enable auto-updating. What You Will Learn Leverage your knowledge of HTML, CSS and JavaScript Use current web applications for the desktop Create and use Electron’s main process and render process to create effective desktop applications Communicate between processes and between windows Build desktop applications that can be updated and distributed Who This Book Is For Web developers looking to leverage their HTML, CSS and JavaScript skills to create desktop widgets and applications. Developers wanting to leverage existing a Web application to extend functionality with a desktop application.


Electron Projects

Electron Projects

Author: Denys Vuika

Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd

Published: 2019-11-29

Total Pages: 429

ISBN-13: 183855310X

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A project-based guide to help you create, package, and deploy desktop applications on multiple platforms using modern JavaScript frameworks Key FeaturesUse your web development skills with JavaScript and Node.js to build desktop applications for macOS and WindowsDevelop desktop versions of popular mobile applications that are similar to Slack, Spotify, and moreDesign desktop apps with automatic updates and real-time analytics capabilitiesBook Description The Electron framework allows you to use modern web technologies to build applications that share the same code across all operating systems and platforms. This also helps designers to easily transition from the web to the desktop. Electron Projects guides you through building cross-platform Electron apps with modern web technologies and JavaScript frameworks such as Angular, React.js, and Vue.js. You’ll explore the process of configuring modern JavaScript frameworks and UI libraries, real-time analytics and automatic updates, and interactions with the operating system. You’ll get hands-on with building a basic Electron app, before moving on to implement a Markdown Editor. In addition to this, you’ll be able to experiment with major JavaScript frameworks such as Angular and Vue.js, discovering ways to integrate them with Electron apps for building cross-platform desktop apps. Later, you’ll learn to build a screenshot snipping tool, a mini-game, and a music player, while also gaining insights into analytics, bug tracking, and licensing. You’ll then get to grips with building a chat app, an eBook generator and finally a simple digital wallet app. By the end of this book, you’ll have experience in building a variety of projects and project templates that will help you to apply your knowledge when creating your own cross-platform applications. What you will learnInitialize Node.js, Node Package Manager (NPM), and JavaScript to set up your appIntegrate Phaser with Electron to build a simple 2D gameImprove app quality by adding an error tracking system and crash reportsImplement group chat features and event handling capabilities using FirebaseIntegrate a WordPress-like rich-text editor into your appBuild Electron applications using a single codebaseWho this book is for This book is for JavaScript developers who want to explore the Electron framework for building desktop apps. Working knowledge of modern frontend JavaScript frameworks and Node.js is assumed. No prior knowledge of desktop development is required.


Cross-Platform Desktop Applications

Cross-Platform Desktop Applications

Author: Paul Jensen

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2017-05-03

Total Pages: 511

ISBN-13: 1638353921

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Summary Cross-Platform Desktop Applications guides you step-by-step through creating Node.js desktop applications with NW.js and Electron from GitHub. Foreword by Cheng Zhao, creator of Electron. Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications. About the Technology Desktop application development has traditionally required high-level programming languages and specialized frameworks. With Electron and NW.js, you can apply your existing web dev skills to create desktop applications using only HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. And those applications will work across Windows, Mac, and Linux, radically reducing development and training time. About the Book Cross-Platform Desktop Applications guides you step by step through the development of desktop applications using Electron and NW.js. This example-filled guide shows you how to create your own file explorer, and then steps through some of the APIs provided by the frameworks to work with the camera, access the clipboard, make a game with keyboard controls, and build a Twitter desktop notification tool. You'll then learn how to test your applications, and debug and package them as binaries for various OSs. What's Inside Create a selfie app with the desktop camera Learn how to test Electron apps with Devtron Learn how to use Node.js with your application About the Reader Written for developers familiar with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. About the Author Paul Jensen works at Starcount and lives in London, UK. Table of Contents PART 1 - WELCOME TO NODE.JS DESKTOP APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT Introducing Electron and NW.js Laying the foundation for your first desktop application Building your first desktop application Shipping your first desktop application PART 2 - DIVING DEEPER Using Node.js within NW.js and Electron Exploring NW.js and Electron's internals PART 3 - MASTERING NODE.JS DESKTOP APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT Controlling how your desktop app is displayed Creating tray applications Creating application and context menus Dragging and dropping files and crafting the UI Using a webcam in your application Storing app data Copying and pasting contents from the clipboard Binding on keyboard shortcuts Making desktop notifications PART 4 - GETTING READY TO RELEASE Testing desktop apps Improving app performance with debugging Packaging the application for the wider world


Learn Qt 5

Learn Qt 5

Author: Nicholas Sherriff

Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd

Published: 2018-02-09

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 178847368X

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Learn the fundamentals of QT 5 framework to develop interactive cross-platform applications Key Features A practical guide on the fundamentals of application development with QT 5 Learn to write scalable, robust and adaptable C++ code with QT Deploy your application on different platforms such as Windows, Mac OS, and Linux Book Description Qt is a mature and powerful framework for delivering sophisticated applications across a multitude of platforms. It has a rich history in the Linux world, is widely used in embedded devices, and has made great strides in the Mobile arena over the past few years. However, in the Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS X worlds, the dominance of C#/.NET and Objective-C/Cocoa means that Qt is often overlooked. This book demonstrates the power and flexibility of the Qt framework for desktop application development and shows how you can write your application once and deploy it to multiple operating systems. Build a complete real-world line of business (LOB) solution from scratch, with distinct C++ library, QML user interface, and QtTest-driven unit-test projects. This is a suite of essential techniques that cover the core requirements for most LOB applications and will empower you to progress from a blank page to shipped application. What you will learn · Install and configure the Qt Framework and Qt Creator IDE · Create a new multi-project solution from scratch and control every aspect of it with QMake · Implement a rich user interface with QML · Learn the fundamentals of QtTest and how to integrate unit testing · Build self-aware data entities that can serialize themselves to and from JSON · Manage data persistence with SQLite and CRUD operations · Reach out to the internet and consume an RSS feed · Produce application packages for distribution to other users Who this book is for This book is for application developers who want a powerful and flexible framework to create modern, responsive applications on Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS X, and Linux desktop platforms. You should be comfortable with C++ but no prior knowledge of Qt or QML is required.


Electron in Action

Electron in Action

Author: Steve Kinney

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2018-10-02

Total Pages: 531

ISBN-13: 1638356041

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Summary Electron in Action guides you, step-by-step, as you learn to build cross-platform desktop applications that run on Windows, OSX, and Linux. By the end of the book, you'll be ready to build simple, snappy applications using JavaScript, Node, and the Electron framework. Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications. About the Technology Wouldn't it be great to build desktop applications using just your web dev skills? Electron is a framework designed for exactly that! Fully cross-platform, Electron lets you use JavaScript and Node to create simple, snappy desktop apps. Spinning up tools, games, and utilities with Electron is fast, practical, and fun! About the Book Electron in Action teaches you to build cross-platform applications using JavaScript, Node, and the Electron framework. You'll learn how to think like a desktop developer as you build a text tool that reads and renders Markdown. You'll add OS-specific features like the file system, menus, and clipboards, and use Chromium's tools to distribute the finished product. You'll even round off your learning with data storage, performance optimization, and testing. What's inside Building for macOS, Windows, and Linux Native operating system APIs Using third-party frameworks like React Deploying to the Mac App Store About the Reader Requires intermediate JavaScript and Node skills. No experience building desktop apps required. About the Author Steven Kinney is a principal engineer at SendGrid, an instructor with Frontend Masters, and the organizer of the DinosaurJS conference in Denver, Colorado. Table of Contents PART 1 - GETTING STARTED WITH ELECTRON Introducing Electron Your first Electron application PART 2 - BUILDING CROSS-PLATFORM APPLICATIONS WITH ELECTRON Building a notes application Using native file dialog boxes and facilitating interprocess communication Working with multiple windows Working with files Building application and context menus Further operating system integration and dynamically enabling menu items Introducing the tray module Building applications with the menubar library Using transpilers and frameworks Persisting use data and using native Node.js modules Testing applications with Spectron PART 3 - DEPLOYING ELECTRON APPLICATIONS Building applications for deployment Releasing and updating applications Distributing your application through the Mac App Store


Cross-Platform Development in C++

Cross-Platform Development in C++

Author: Syd Logan

Publisher: Pearson Education

Published: 2007-11-27

Total Pages: 653

ISBN-13: 0132702185

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Cross-Platform Development in C++ is the definitive guide to developing portable C/C++ application code that will run natively on Windows, Macintosh, and Linux/Unix platforms without compromising functionality, usability, or quality. Long-time Mozilla and Netscape developer Syd Logan systematically addresses all the technical and management challenges associated with software portability from planning and design through coding, testing, and deployment. Drawing on his extensive experience with cross-platform development, Logan thoroughly covers issues ranging from the use of native APIs to the latest strategies for portable GUI development. Along the way, he demonstrates how to achieve feature parity while avoiding the problems inherent to traditional cross-platform development approaches. This book will be an indispensable resource for every software professional and technical manager who is building new cross-platform software, porting existing C/C++ software, or planning software that may someday require cross-platform support. Build Cross-Platform Applications without Compromise Throughout the book, Logan illuminates his techniques with realistic scenarios and extensive, downloadable code examples, including a complete cross-platform GUI toolkit based on Mozilla’s XUL that you can download, modify, and learn from. Coverage includes Policies and procedures used by Netscape, enabling them to ship Web browsers to millions of users on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux Delivering functionality and interfaces that are consistent on all platforms Understanding key similarities and differences among leading platform-specific GUI APIs, including Win32/.NET, Cocoa, and Gtk+ Determining when and when not to use native IDEs and how to limit their impact on portability Leveraging standards-based APIs, including POSIX and STL Avoiding hidden portability pitfalls associated with floating point, char types, data serialization, and types in C++ Utilizing platform abstraction libraries such as the Netscape Portable Runtime (NSPR) Establishing an effective cross-platform bug reporting and tracking system Creating builds for multiple platforms and detecting build failures across platforms when they occur Understanding the native runtime environment and its impact on installation Utilizing wxWidgets to create multi-platform GUI applications from a single code base Thoroughly testing application portability Understanding cross-platform GUI toolkit design with Trixul


Building Cross-Platform GUI Applications with Fyne

Building Cross-Platform GUI Applications with Fyne

Author: Andrew Williams

Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd

Published: 2021-01-25

Total Pages: 318

ISBN-13: 1800566883

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Understand how to use the Fyne toolkit to build exciting apps for a range of devices and deploy them effectively Key FeaturesLearn how to use standard widgets, dialogs, and layouts as well as how to build your ownUnderstand how to develop an app and package and distribute it to different operating systems and app storesExplore the design principles and vision of the Fyne toolkit and how that may align with your projectBook Description The history of graphical application development is long and complicated, with various development challenges that persist to this day. The mix of technologies involved and the need to use different programming languages led to a very steep learning curve for developers looking to build applications across multiple platforms. In Building Cross-Platform GUI Applications with Fyne, you'll understand how the Go language, when paired with a modern graphical toolkit such as Fyne, can overcome these issues and make application development much easier. To provide an easy-to-use framework for cross-platform app development, the Fyne project offers many graphical concepts and design principles that are outlined throughout this book. By working through five example projects, you'll learn how to build apps effectively, focusing on each of the main areas, including the canvas, layouts, file handling, widgets, data binding, and themes. The book will also show you how the completed applications can then be run on your desktop computer, laptop, and smartphone. After completing these projects, you will discover how to prepare applications for release and distribute them to platform marketplaces and app stores. By the end of this book, you'll be able to create cross-platform graphical applications with visually appealing user interfaces and concise code. What you will learnBecome well-versed with the history of GUI development and how Fyne and the Golang programming language make it easierExplore how the Fyne toolkit is architected and the various modules are providedDiscover how Fyne apps can be tested and constructed using best practicesConstruct five complete applications and deploy them to your devicesCustomize the design of your apps by extending widgets and themesUnderstand the separation and presentation of data and how to test and build applications that present dynamic dataWho this book is for This Fyne-Golang GUI book is for developers from any background who are looking to build cross-platform applications with a modern toolkit. It will also be useful for Go developers who are looking to explore graphical apps and GUI developers looking for a new toolkit for cross-platform development. Basic knowledge of Graphical User Interface (GUI) development is assumed (although a brief history is also included in the book). The book also features a short introduction to the Go language as a quick refresher.


Creating Cross-Platform C# Applications with Uno Platform

Creating Cross-Platform C# Applications with Uno Platform

Author: Matt Lacey

Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd

Published: 2021-08-27

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 1801070865

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Discover how to leverage the Uno Platform to write single-codebase, cross-platform mobile, desktop, and web applications using C# and XAML Key FeaturesEnhance your Windows apps by running them on all operating systems and browsersUse tools and APIs you already know to remain productive as you target new platformsCreate realistic apps for various lines of business (LOBs) and consumer scenariosBook Description Developers are increasingly being asked to build native applications that run on multiple operating systems and in the browser. In the past, this would have meant learning new technologies and making multiple copies of an application. But the Uno Platform allows you to use tools, languages, and APIs you already know from building Windows apps to develop apps that can also run on other platforms. This book will help you to create customer-facing as well as line-of-business apps that can be used on the device, browser, or operating system of your choice. This practical guide enables developers to put their C# and XAML knowledge to work by writing cross-platform apps using the Uno Platform. Packed with tips and practical examples, this book will help you to build applications for common scenarios. You'll begin by learning about the Uno Platform through step-by-step explanations of essential concepts, before moving on to creating cross-platform apps for different lines of business. Throughout this book, you'll work with examples that will teach you how to combine your existing knowledge to manage common development environments and implement frequently needed functionality. By the end of this Uno development book, you will have learned how to write your own cross-platform apps with the Uno Platform and use additional tools and libraries to speed up your app development process. What you will learnUnderstand how and why Uno could be the right fit for your needsSet up your development environment for cross-platform app development with the Uno Platform and create your first Uno Platform appFind out how to create apps for different business scenariosDiscover how to combine technologies and controls to accelerate developmentGo beyond the basics and create 'world-ready' applicationsGain the confidence and experience to use Uno in your own projectsWho this book is for This book is for developers who are familiar with app development for Windows and want to use their existing skills to build cross-platform apps. Basic knowledge of C# and XAML is required to get started with this book. Anyone with basic experience in app development using WPF, UWP, or WinUI will be able to learn how to create cross-platform applications with the Uno Platform.


Node.js in Action

Node.js in Action

Author: Tim Oxley

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2017-08-16

Total Pages: 597

ISBN-13: 1638355177

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Summary Node.js in Action, Second Edition is a thoroughly revised book based on the best-selling first edition. It starts at square one and guides you through all the features, techniques, and concepts you'll need to build production-quality Node applications. Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications. About the Technology You already know JavaScript. The trick to mastering Node.js is learning how to build applications that fully exploit its powerful asynchronous event handling and non-blocking I/O features. The Node server radically simplifies event-driven real-time apps like chat, games, and live data analytics, and with its incredibly rich ecosystem of modules, tools, and libraries, it's hard to beat! About the Book Based on the bestselling first edition, Node.js in Action, Second Edition is a completely new book. Packed with practical examples, it teaches you how to create high-performance web servers using JavaScript and Node. You'll master key design concepts such as asynchronous programming, state management, and event-driven programming. And you'll learn to put together MVC servers using Express and Connect, design web APIs, and set up the perfect production environment to build, lint, and test. What's Inside Mastering non-blocking I/O The Node event loop Testing and deploying Web application templating About the Reader Written for web developers with intermediate JavaScript skills. About the Authors The Second Edition author team includes Node masters Alex Young, Bradley Meck, Mike Cantelon, and Tim Oxley, along with original authors Marc Harter, T.J. Holowaychuk, and Nathan Rajlich. Table of contents PART 1 - WELCOME TO NODE Welcome to Node.js Node programming fundamentals What is a Node web application? PART 2 - WEB DEVELOPMENT WITH NODE Front-end build systems Server-side frameworks Connect and Express in depth Web application templating Storing application data Testing Node applications Deploying Node applications and maintaining uptime PART 3 - BEYOND WEB DEVELOPMENT Writing command-line applications Conquering the desktop with Electron