Turn website into desktop application (.exe)

Code Help
1

Question:
I have a classic JS / HTML / CSS Replit project. I’m wondering if there is a way to take that code and wrap it, or something, and convert it into a desktop application. Kind of like how you can download websites, such as Youtube, as apps. It would show the HTML output in a window. Does anyone have any idea how to do this?
Thanks

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2

Pretty sure you cant, you should make a post in suggestions for it.

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3

You could make it a bounty I guess.

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4

Welcome to the community BTW!

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HOW COULD I FORGET? welcome! :slight_smile:

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Crap, i forgot, welcome to replit ask, the place you go when your community banned.

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I think that this may help:
https://replit.com/@CoderGautamYT/Electron?v=1
(It’s also possible I’m mistaken)

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that is helpful, thanks. I see how i can use this to view the HTML content in an application window, but would you know how to turn this into a .exe? it’s okay if not, i understand it’s not your repl but the owner turned off comments so I can’t ask them

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Yeah I don’t know how that works. CoderGautamYT is a skilled coder and a Replit moderator. I guess you could go to one of his other Repls to ask him, or do an internet search for Electron coding.

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Someone already asked on SO: javascript - How To Compile An Electron Application To A .exe - Stack Overflow. hope this helps.
Note about electron, each time you open the app it will be like opening a chrome window, so you need a relatively beefy computer.

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11

If you want a .exe file, Electron is probably the best way to go, like the above answers describe

If a “desktop” application that opens in its own window is all you need, I would recommend making a Progressive Web Application (PWA). It’s a normal web application that you access with a browser, but with the added functionality of being installable w/ offline support. The advantage over Electron is that it uses the existing Chrome installation rather than bundling Chrome with the installation

web.dev has a great course on PWAs:

EDIT: I saw that you mentioned downloading YouTube as an app. If you’re referring to downloading it through the browser, I’m pretty sure that’s an example of a PWA

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