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https://github.com/szwacz/nw-boilerplate

Boilerplate application for NW.js
https://github.com/szwacz/nw-boilerplate

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Boilerplate application for NW.js

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README 

        
nw-boilerplate

==============

Comprehensive boilerplate application for [NW.js](https://github.com/nwjs/nw.js).  



This project gives you mainly three things:



1. Cross-platform development environment (works the same way on OSX, Windows and Linux).

2. Basic structure for NW.js app.

3. Scripts to generate installers of your app for all three operating systems.



By the way, there is a twin project to this one: [electron-boilerplate](https://github.com/szwacz/electron-boilerplate), which is the same thing but for Electron.



# Quick start

The only development dependency of this project is [Node.js](https://nodejs.org). So just make sure you have it installed.

Then type few commands known to every Node developer...

```

git clone https://github.com/szwacz/nw-boilerplate.git

cd nw-boilerplate

npm install

npm start

```

... and boom! You have running desktop application on your screen.



# Structure of the project



There are **two** `package.json` files:  



#### 1. For development

Sits on path: `nw-boilerplate/package.json`. Here you declare dependencies for your development environment and build scripts. **This file is not distributed with real application!**



Also here you declare wersion of NW.js runtime you want to use:

```json

"devDependencies": {

  "nw": "^0.12.1"

}

```



#### 2. For your application

Sits on path: `nw-boilerplate/app/package.json`. This is **real** manifest of your application, as specified by [NW wiki](https://github.com/nwjs/nw.js/wiki/Manifest-format). Declare your app dependencies here.



There is one extra field in this file you won't find in NW docs: `productName`. Unlike the `name` field, which have to be file-path-freindly (no spaces and strange characters), `productName` could have any characters you like, and it's used as the app name displayed to the user.



### Project's folders



- `app` - code of your application goes here.

- `config` - place for you to declare environment specific stuff.

- `build` - in this folder lands built, runnable application.

- `releases` - ready for distribution installers will land here.

- `resources` - resources for particular operating system.

- `tasks` - build and development environment scripts.



# Development



#### Installation



```

npm install

```

It will also download NW runtime, and install dependencies for second `package.json` file inside `app` folder.



#### Starting the app



```

npm start

```



#### Module loader



How about splitting your JavaScript code into modules? This project supports it by new ES6 syntax (thanks to [babel](https://babeljs.io/)). ES6 modules are translated into AMD (RequireJS) modules. The main advantage of this setup is that you can use ES6/RequireJS for your own modules, and at the same time have normal access to node's `require()` to obtain stuff from npm.

```javascript

// Modules you write are required through new ES6 syntax

// (It will be translated into AMD definition).

import myOwnModule from './my_own_module';

// Node.js (npm) modules are required the same way as always

// (so you can still access all the goodness in npm).

var moment = require('moment');

```



#### Unit tests



nw-boilerplate has preconfigured [jasmine](http://jasmine.github.io/2.0/introduction.html) unit test runner. To run it go with standard:

```

npm test

```

You don't have to declare paths to spec files in any particular place. The runner will search through the project for all `*.spec.js` files and include them automatically.



# Making a release



**Note:** There are various icon and bitmap files in `resources` directory. Those are used in installers and are intended to be replaced by your own graphics.



To make ready for distribution installer use command:

```

npm run release

```

It will start the packaging process for operating system you are running this command on. Ready for distribution file will be outputted to `releases` directory.



You can create Windows installer only when running on Windows, the same is true for Linux and OSX. So to generate all three installers you need all three operating systems.



## Special precautions for Windows

As installer [NSIS](http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page) is used. You have to install it (version 3.0), and add NSIS folder to PATH in Environment Variables, so it is reachable to scripts in this project (path should look something like `C:/Program Files (x86)/NSIS`).



# License



The MIT License (MIT)



Copyright (c) 2014-2015 Jakub Szwacz



Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy

of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal

in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights

to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell

copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is

furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:



The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all

copies or substantial portions of the Software.



THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR

IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,

FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE

AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER

LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,

OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE

SOFTWARE.