What do you get with Print?

Instant access to your digital eBook copy whilst your Print order is Shipped

Paperback book shipped to your preferred address

Download this book in EPUB and PDF formats

Access this title in our online reader with advanced features

DRM FREE - Read whenever, wherever and however you want

Creating a File Explorer with NW.js – Enhancement and Delivery

Well, we have a working version of File Explorer that can be used to navigate the filesystem and open files with the default associated program. Now we will extend it for additional file operations, such as deleting and copy pasting. These options will keep in a dynamically built context menu. We will also consider the capabilities of NW.js to transfer data between diverse applications using the system clipboard. We will make the application respond to command-line options. We will also provide support for multiple languages and locales. We will protect the sources by compiling them into native code. We will consider packaging and distribution. At the end, we will set up a simple release server and make the File Explorer auto-update.

Key benefits

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

Description

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.

Who is this book 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

What do you get with Print?