Developing Windows apps with JavaScript

Question

I'm currently in the need of developing a Windows application. I want to keep things simple (in the spirit of uTorrent) and I would like the result program to be a single .exe file containing all that it needs.

The program is simple. It just needs some UI. It needs to run for a long period of time (lay there as a tray icon). It needs to do some routine tasks like simple I/O. It also needs to access the internet, specifically some web server.

Apart from these small requirements I would like to write all of it in JavaScript, as I feel more comfortable with it than any other language.

I know there's things like Windows Script Host that let you run JavaScript programs and interact with some Win32 API, but will I be able to do everything I need with Windows Script Host? Can I pack all of the Windows Script Host in a single .exe?

If not, what alternatives do I have for JavaScript?

Answer 1

Internet Explorer introduced the concept of Hypertext Applications in IE 5. It never made a big breakthrough, so resources and documentation are scarce.

Mozilla-backed competitor Prism seems to be alive and well, though, and is definitely worth a look.

Prism is an application that lets users split web applications out of their browser and run them directly on their desktop

Answer 2

It seems that nobody mentioned JSDB.

JSDB offers a command line environment which you can execute arbitrary javascript code. You can easily compile to a .exe file by using the command copy /b jsdb.exe+program.zip program.exe

It's important to know that you've got to call your main js file main.js within a standard zip file. Not sure if the name program.zip is required.

I haven't actually tried making GUI applications with this yet - although it seems to support various APIs like ActiveX.

It's possible that by using the copy /b command mentioned above, you could compile a script from the wscript.exe file - but I tried and couldn't get it working. Let me know if anybody tries and has success somehow.

Answer 3

Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) may give you some help. i have not clearly know how, but i realy found many Apps using this framework.

http://code.google.com/p/chromiumembedded/

Introduce for CEF are: The Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) is an open source project founded by Marshall Greenblatt in 2008 to develop a Web browser control based on the Google Chromium project. CEF currently supports a range of programming languages and operating systems and can be easily integrated into both new and existing applications. It was designed from the ground up with both performance and ease of use in mind. The base framework includes C and C++ programming interfaces exposed via native libraries that insulate the host application from Chromium and WebKit implementation details. It provides close integration between the browser control and the host application including support for custom plugins, protocols, JavaScript objects and JavaScript extensions. The host application can optionally control resource loading, navigation, context menus, printing and more, while taking advantage of the same performance and HTML5 technologies available in the Google Chrome Web browser.

Numerous individuals and organizations contribute time and resources to support CEF development, but more involvement from the community is always welcome. This includes support for both the core CEF project and external projects that integrate CEF with additional programming languages and frameworks (see the "External Projects" section below).

Answer 4

I found that there's actually a JavaScript compiler that comes with the .NET framework called jsc.exe.

For more information:

http://www.phpied.com/make-your-javascript-a-windows-exe/

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/7435xtz6(VS.80).aspx

I guess it's not really JavaScript since it introduces extra things like import and even some class syntax which is weird for me. But this works perfectly for me as I will just doing things as I am used to on the web.

Answer 5

If you want a single .EXE, what runtimes are you okay if they are required pre-requisites?

If you're okay with requiring .NET runtime to be preinstalled, then you do all your work in JScript.NET

Answer 6

Why not use Rhino -- JavaScript on the JVM? You can even compile your scripts to .class files and package them into a JAR along with Rhino for easy distribution...

Answer 7

Color me crazy, but its only a short step form Javascript to Java or C#. I'd suggest C# as, on a windows machine, the libraries are already there. You can just copypaste your .exe and let 'er rip.

Answer 8

I believe the best way to go is V8 JavaScript Engine provided by Google.

"V8 can run standalone, or can be embedded into any C++ application." - which I believe is perfect for your needs, because you can do most of the stuff in JavaScript and use provided interfaces to communicate with the system.

Answer 9

I think you're looking for Adobe AIR

The Adobe® AIR® 2 runtime enables developers to use HTML, JavaScript, Adobe Flash® software, and ActionScript® to build web applications that run as standalone client applications without the constraints of a browser. ~ The AIR website

Answer 10

Aside from Windows Script Host, there are

• Windows Desktop Gadgets (Vista and Windows 7 only)
• HTML Applications (HTAs)

Both are written with standard web technologies, HTML, JavaScript, Flash, etc. They can also be extended with COM objects/ActiveX controls such as FileSystemObject, WMI, WScript or even ones that you write yourself. Windows Desktop Gadgets have access to a separate API/namespace with various Win32-esque properties and methods.

Answer 11

I'm not 100% but I believe WSH uses JScript or WScript, not JavaScript.