https://github.com/cljfx/hn
Example app that implements simple Hacker News reader
https://github.com/cljfx/hn
Last synced: 9 months ago
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Example app that implements simple Hacker News reader
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/cljfx/hn
- Owner: cljfx
- License: mit
- Created: 2020-03-22T22:30:13.000Z (almost 6 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2020-12-14T23:35:13.000Z (about 5 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-03-25T03:42:02.466Z (10 months ago)
- Language: Clojure
- Size: 1.13 MB
- Stars: 104
- Watchers: 3
- Forks: 10
- Open Issues: 1
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# Cljfx-based Hacker News reader app
This is an example of a desktop application that can be built on top of cljfx/java stack.
It uses:
- [cljfx](https://github.com/cljfx/cljfx) for UI and behavior;
- [cljfx/css](https://github.com/cljfx/css) for styling;
- [jpackage](https://openjdk.java.net/jeps/343) for packaging.
You can download the latest release [here](https://github.com/cljfx/hn/releases).
## Context
Previously packaging java-based apps for distribution was
one of the pain points compared to web: one had to strip down the JDK and figure
out how to pack it with uberjar for every platform themselves. JDK 14 introduces a new
tool called `jpackage` (part of JDK distribution) that does all this work. Now the [year
of Clojure on the desktop](https://vlaaad.github.io/year-of-clojure-on-the-desktop) is
finally right around the corner, all you need is this small example to get started.
## What is intentionally left out
The purpose of this example application is to show packaging capabilities of cljfx and
jpackage, to keep it simple some build steps where left out:
- startup time can be improved significantly by AOT-compiling clojure code;
- application package size can be reduced: you can use `jlink` to minify the JDK, and if
your application does not need to use webkit (which is used in this example), you can
exclude cljfx's dependency on javafx-web.
## Walk-through
The code is pretty simple: [hn.core](src/hn/core.clj) is a main namespace that starts
an app in its `-main` function. Note that it uses `(Platform/setImplicitExit true)` so
closing the window will stop JavaFX application thread. This, together with custom daemon
executor for agents, will allow to gracefully exit the app just by closing the app
window.
The build process is 2-step:
1. Assemble an uberjar. Here it's done using Sean Corfield's
[depstar](https://github.com/seancorfield/depstar) library with `clj -A:uberjar` alias.
2. Use `jpackage` with common options described in [jpackage/common](jpackage/common) and
platform-specific options having their own files: [jpackage/linux](jpackage/linux),
[jpackage/mac](jpackage/mac) and [jpackage/windows](jpackage/windows). For example, if you
are on Linux, you just need to execute `jpackage @jpackage/common @jpackage/linux`.
Cross-compiling is not supported by jpackage, so you will need access to all 3 OSes to
assemble desktop packages. This repo has an example of github actions to create all
3 desktop packages: [.github/workflows/build-release-artifacts.yml](.github/workflows/build-release-artifacts.yml).
Also note that JavaFX has platform-specific native libraries for every platform, which
means uberjar needs to be assembled separately for every platform.