33 Commits

Author SHA1 Message Date
Sebastian Palencsar
40fda06dbd Update packaging PKGBUILD template for alpha.8 2026-02-25 20:00:38 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
694711ea07 Clarify chromium browser wrapper caveat applies to multiple browsers 2026-02-25 19:59:30 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
2efebfdce8 Document chromium backend browser-bin troubleshooting 2026-02-25 19:58:52 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
02942f421a Validate chromium browser binary before installing desktop entry 2026-02-25 19:52:59 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
fd2186b14b Handle legacy profile_scope=default in app config 2026-02-25 19:43:06 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
2a4e13c58d Document AUR deskify-bin install and alpha warning 2026-02-23 13:31:02 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
33d8d1b64b Fix AUR host key verification in publish workflow 2026-02-23 13:19:36 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
5b849f9820 Allow manual AUR publish reruns via workflow_dispatch 2026-02-23 13:13:53 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
1c3d0a5320 Run makepkg as non-root in AUR publish workflow 2026-02-23 13:10:48 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
97b0e0bf1e Wait for GitHub release asset before generating AUR PKGBUILD 2026-02-23 13:08:54 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
29ab78799c Add AUR publish workflow and PKGBUILD generator 2026-02-23 12:34:13 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
3b745dfba1 Update deskify-bin PKGBUILD for v0.1.0-alpha.7 2026-02-23 12:28:43 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
ba846aa2db Finalize AUR deskify-bin PKGBUILD checksums 2026-02-23 12:23:59 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
19a402be4d Improve quick start PATH hint and clarify install tracks 2026-02-23 12:20:37 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
b10db23311 Remove reviewer reply/roadmap drafts from repo 2026-02-23 12:17:20 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
1bc4ac4bc9 Persist app config, add list --verbose, and improve quick start/install 2026-02-23 12:15:10 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
4c1b350583 Clarify backend choice and chromium update usage in README 2026-02-23 11:32:20 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
57ab313150 Fix changelog version for alpha.6 tag 2026-02-23 11:30:29 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
df89b049de Add changelog entry for alpha.5 chromium backend release 2026-02-23 11:26:37 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
0c8687eb00 Add chromium compatibility backend with per-app profiles 2026-02-23 11:25:28 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
7e0771c9e0 Document DRM/protected-media limitation 2026-02-23 10:42:36 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
ec229db303 Remove Netflix/DRM examples from README 2026-02-23 10:41:03 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
f2799d5deb Add doctor/update commands, dry-run/print-config, and improve icon fallback 2026-02-23 09:22:14 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
e3d377462d Clarify fullscreen vs no-decorations README examples 2026-02-23 09:12:45 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
a7f0795818 Add manual trigger for release workflow 2026-02-23 09:11:12 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
f25a93da67 Update changelog for icon fix, no-decorations, and screenshots 2026-02-23 09:05:58 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
6b9e73cc9d Fix icon RGBA conversion, add no-decorations option, and add KDE screenshots 2026-02-23 09:05:14 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
f5c8f71095 Fix favicon icons by converting to RGBA PNG and refine README 2026-02-23 08:45:57 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
ec77654450 Fix favicon icons by converting to RGBA PNG refine README 2026-02-23 08:43:40 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
8d0e46a846 Refine README positioning with comparison and focus sections 2026-02-23 08:23:40 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
7869b61836 Improve README framing and add issue/label maintainer tooling 2026-02-23 08:17:59 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
2aca752a51 Add changelog entry for v0.1.0-alpha.2 2026-02-23 07:59:44 +01:00
Sebastian Palencsar
2cb0e70d3d Fix clippy items-after-test-module warning 2026-02-23 07:50:37 +01:00
21 changed files with 2131 additions and 162 deletions

92
.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug-report.yml vendored Executable file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
name: Bug report
description: Report incorrect behavior, regressions, or build/install failures
title: "[bug] "
labels:
- bug
body:
- type: markdown
attributes:
value: |
Thanks for reporting an issue. Please provide enough detail to reproduce the problem.
- type: dropdown
id: issue_area
attributes:
label: Area
description: Which area best fits this issue?
options:
- distro-compat
- integration
- icons
- architecture/runtime
- ci
- docs
- other
validations:
required: true
- type: input
id: deskify_version
attributes:
label: Deskify version
description: For example `v0.1.0-alpha.2` or commit SHA
placeholder: v0.1.0-alpha.2
validations:
required: true
- type: input
id: distro
attributes:
label: Linux distribution
description: Include distro + version
placeholder: Fedora 41 / Arch Linux / Ubuntu 24.04
validations:
required: true
- type: input
id: desktop_environment
attributes:
label: Desktop environment / session
description: Include DE/WM and Wayland/X11 if relevant
placeholder: GNOME (Wayland), KDE Plasma (X11), Hyprland
- type: textarea
id: command
attributes:
label: Command used
description: Exact command that triggered the issue
placeholder: |
deskify build --url "https://example.com" --name "Example"
render: bash
validations:
required: true
- type: textarea
id: expected
attributes:
label: Expected behavior
validations:
required: true
- type: textarea
id: actual
attributes:
label: Actual behavior / error output
description: Paste the relevant error message or describe what happened
validations:
required: true
- type: textarea
id: repro_steps
attributes:
label: Steps to reproduce
placeholder: |
1. Install prerequisites...
2. Run `deskify ...`
3. Observe ...
validations:
required: true
- type: checkboxes
id: checks
attributes:
label: Before submitting
options:
- label: I checked the README/known limitations and prerequisites
required: true
- label: I included distro/environment details
required: true
- label: I included the exact command and error output
required: true

11
.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/config.yml vendored Executable file
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@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
blank_issues_enabled: false
contact_links:
- name: Deskify README
url: https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/blob/master/README.md
about: Check installation requirements, known limitations, usage examples, and release notes first.
- name: Contributing Guide
url: https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md
about: Read local checks, smoke-test guidance, and contribution expectations before opening work-related issues/PRs.
- name: Maintainer Notes (Labels / Triage)
url: https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/blob/master/docs/maintainer-notes.md
about: Reference label categories and alpha-phase triage conventions.

72
.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature-request.yml vendored Executable file
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@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
name: Feature request
description: Suggest a user-facing improvement, integration idea, or architectural direction
title: "[feature] "
labels:
- enhancement
body:
- type: markdown
attributes:
value: |
Thanks for the suggestion. Feature requests are most helpful when they describe the problem first, then the proposed solution.
- type: dropdown
id: request_area
attributes:
label: Area
description: Which area best fits this request?
options:
- integration
- icons
- architecture/runtime
- distro-compat
- docs
- ci
- other
validations:
required: true
- type: checkboxes
id: design_signal
attributes:
label: Design impact
description: Tick this if the request changes long-term project direction
options:
- label: This likely affects architecture or long-term product direction (`design decision`)
required: false
- type: textarea
id: problem
attributes:
label: Problem statement
description: What problem are you trying to solve?
placeholder: |
I want to ...
The current limitation is ...
validations:
required: true
- type: textarea
id: proposed_solution
attributes:
label: Proposed solution
description: Describe the behavior/API/CLI change you would like to see
validations:
required: true
- type: textarea
id: alternatives
attributes:
label: Alternatives considered
description: What are you doing today, or what other options did you consider?
placeholder: PWAs, Flatpak web apps, manual `.desktop` entries, etc.
- type: textarea
id: scope
attributes:
label: Scope / rollout thoughts (optional)
description: If relevant, suggest MVP scope or phased rollout
placeholder: Could start as..., later evolve into...
- type: checkboxes
id: checks
attributes:
label: Before submitting
options:
- label: I described the problem, not only the implementation idea
required: true
- label: I checked existing issues/discussions for duplicates
required: true

91
.github/workflows/aur-publish.yml vendored Executable file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
name: Publish to AUR
on:
push:
tags:
- "v*"
workflow_dispatch:
inputs:
tag:
description: "Tag to publish to AUR (e.g. v0.1.0-alpha.8)"
required: true
type: string
permissions:
contents: read
jobs:
aur-publish:
name: Publish deskify-bin
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
container: archlinux:latest
steps:
- name: Install dependencies
run: |
pacman -Syu --noconfirm
pacman -S --noconfirm --needed base-devel git openssh curl
useradd -m -u 1000 builder || true
- name: Checkout
uses: actions/checkout@v4
with:
ref: ${{ inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}
- name: Generate PKGBUILD (deskify-bin)
run: bash packaging/generate-pkgbuild-bin.sh "${{ inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}"
- name: Generate .SRCINFO
run: |
rm -rf /home/builder/work
mkdir -p /home/builder/work
cp -R . /home/builder/work
chown -R builder:builder /home/builder/work
su - builder -c "cd /home/builder/work/packaging && makepkg --printsrcinfo > .SRCINFO"
cp /home/builder/work/packaging/.SRCINFO packaging/.SRCINFO
- name: Configure SSH for AUR
env:
AUR_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.AUR_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY }}
run: |
test -n "${AUR_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY}" || { echo "Missing secret: AUR_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY" >&2; exit 1; }
mkdir -p ~/.ssh
chmod 700 ~/.ssh
printf "%s\n" "${AUR_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY}" > ~/.ssh/aur
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/aur
touch ~/.ssh/known_hosts
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/known_hosts
# Ensure host key is present for non-interactive git/ssh.
ssh-keyscan -t rsa,ecdsa,ed25519 aur.archlinux.org >> ~/.ssh/known_hosts 2>/dev/null
cat >> ~/.ssh/config <<'EOF'
Host aur.archlinux.org
User aur
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/aur
IdentitiesOnly yes
EOF
- name: Publish to AUR (deskify-bin)
env:
AUR_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.AUR_USERNAME }}
AUR_EMAIL: ${{ secrets.AUR_EMAIL }}
run: |
export GIT_SSH_COMMAND="ssh -i ~/.ssh/aur -o IdentitiesOnly=yes -o UserKnownHostsFile=$HOME/.ssh/known_hosts -o StrictHostKeyChecking=yes"
git config --global user.name "${AUR_USERNAME:-deskify-bot}"
git config --global user.email "${AUR_EMAIL:-noreply@example.invalid}"
rm -rf /tmp/aur-repo
git clone ssh://aur@aur.archlinux.org/deskify-bin.git /tmp/aur-repo
cp packaging/PKGBUILD /tmp/aur-repo/PKGBUILD
cp packaging/.SRCINFO /tmp/aur-repo/.SRCINFO
cd /tmp/aur-repo
if git diff --quiet; then
echo "No changes to publish."
exit 0
fi
git add PKGBUILD .SRCINFO
git commit -m "Update deskify-bin to ${{ inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}"
git push

View File

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ on:
push:
tags:
- "v*"
workflow_dispatch:
permissions:
contents: write

View File

@@ -7,6 +7,47 @@ and this project follows early MVP/alpha versioning with tags like `v0.1.0-alpha
## [Unreleased]
## [v0.1.0-alpha.6] - 2026-02-23
### Added
- `chromium` compatibility backend via `--backend chromium` using an installed Chromium-based browser in app mode (no local Tauri build for generated apps)
- `build` / `update` flags for Chromium backend selection and runtime control:
- `--backend <tauri|chromium>`
- `--browser-bin <PATH>`
- `--profile-scope <isolated|shared>`
- Chromium app install flow with XDG `.desktop` launchers and per-app metadata (`X-Deskify-Backend=chromium`)
- Optional isolated Chromium profiles under `~/.local/share/deskify/profiles/<id>`
- `doctor` now reports whether a Chromium-based browser is available in `PATH`
### Changed
- `update <id>` now keeps the internal app ID stable even when the display name changes
- `list` now derives the internal ID from the `.desktop` filename (works for both Tauri and Chromium backends)
- `remove` now also cleans up Chromium profile directories (when present)
- `update` keeps Chromium isolated profiles by default to preserve sessions/cookies during reinstall
### Fixed
- Tauri wrapper generation now consistently uses the existing internal ID for generated app identifiers (prevents accidental ID drift during updates)
- `.desktop` command generation for Chromium backend now escapes arguments (URLs / user agents with spaces or special characters)
### Documentation
- README now documents backend modes (`tauri` vs `chromium`) and recommends `--backend chromium` for sites that fail in the system WebView backend
- Added Chromium backend usage examples (`--browser-bin`, `--profile-scope`) and updated compatibility notes
### Added
- `build --no-decorations` option to create frameless windows (`decorations: false`) for kiosk/dashboard-style setups
- README screenshots for KDE/Arch showing launcher integration, running app window, and `deskify list` workflow
### Fixed
- Icon handling now normalizes downloaded and custom icons to RGBA PNG before Tauri build (prevents `icon ... is not RGBA` build failures)
## [v0.1.0-alpha.2] - 2026-02-23
### Fixed
- Resolved a CI failure caused by Clippy (`items_after_test_module`) by moving the test module to the end of `src/main.rs`
### Changed
- No functional CLI behavior changes; this is a release/CI correctness follow-up to `v0.1.0-alpha.1`
## [v0.1.0-alpha.1] - 2026-02-23
### Added

View File

@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ cargo test
cargo check
```
## Maintainer Notes (Repo Meta / Triage)
Maintainers can use `docs/maintainer-notes.md` for the current label strategy and issue triage conventions during the alpha phase.
## Manual Smoke Test (Recommended for Behavior Changes)
If your change affects build/install/list/remove behavior, run a quick smoke test:

2
Cargo.lock generated
View File

@@ -351,6 +351,7 @@ dependencies = [
"directories",
"image",
"regex",
"serde",
"serde_json",
"tempfile",
"ureq",
@@ -1334,6 +1335,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
checksum = "9a8e94ea7f378bd32cbbd37198a4a91436180c5bb472411e48b5ec2e2124ae9e"
dependencies = [
"serde_core",
"serde_derive",
]
[[package]]

View File

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ clap = { version = "4.5.60", features = ["derive"] }
directories = "6.0.0"
image = "0.25.9"
regex = "1.12.3"
serde = { version = "1.0.218", features = ["derive"] }
serde_json = "1.0.149"
tempfile = "3.25.0"
ureq = "2.9"

5
Makefile Executable file
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@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
REPO ?= spalencsar/deskify
.PHONY: labels
labels:
./scripts/setup-github-labels.sh $(REPO)

315
README.md
View File

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
<h1 align="center">deskify</h1>
<p align="center">
<b>A blazing fast, lightweight Nativefier alternative written in Rust & Tauri.</b><br>
Instantly turn any website or web app into a native, standalone Linux desktop application.
<b>Turn websites into first-class Linux desktop applications with Rust, Tauri, and the system WebView.</b><br>
Build native-feeling, standalone web app wrappers with CLI-first Linux integration.
</p>
<p align="center">
@@ -10,34 +10,161 @@
<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Language-Rust-orange?style=flat-square" alt="Written in Rust" />
<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Powered_by-Tauri_v2-grey?style=flat-square" alt="Tauri v2" />
<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Status-Alpha-yellow?style=flat-square" alt="Alpha status" />
<img src="https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/spalencsar/deskify?label=Latest%20Release&style=flat-square" alt="Latest release" />
<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-green?style=flat-square" alt="MIT license" />
</p>
<p align="center">
<img src="docs/assets/chat-kde.png" alt="Deskify app window running chat.com on KDE Plasma" width="49%" />
<img src="docs/assets/chat-launcher-kde.png" alt="Deskify app visible in KDE launcher" width="49%" />
</p>
<p align="center">
<img src="docs/assets/deskify-list-terminal.png" alt="deskify list terminal output" width="80%" />
</p>
<p align="center"><sub>Screenshots: KDE Plasma on Arch Linux (alpha MVP workflow).</sub></p>
---
## ⚡ Why deskify?
## Quick Start
The original [Nativefier](https://github.com/nativefier/nativefier) project (Node.js/Electron) was an incredible tool, but it is now unmaintained and deprecated. Furthermore, packaging an entire Chromium V8 engine for *every single web app* you create consumes massive amounts of RAM and disk space.
Two tracks, depending on what you want:
**deskify** solves this by leveraging [Tauri](https://tauri.app/). Instead of bundling a heavy browser engine, it uses your native system webview (e.g., `webkit2gtk` on Linux).
### Option A: Chromium mode (fastest, best compatibility)
## 🚧 Project Status (Alpha / Early MVP)
Requirements: any Chromium-based browser installed (`chromium`, `google-chrome`, `brave`, etc.)
```bash
mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
curl -L -o ~/.local/bin/deskify \
https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/releases/latest/download/deskify-linux-x86_64
chmod +x ~/.local/bin/deskify
# If `deskify` is not found, ensure ~/.local/bin is in PATH (common on Ubuntu/Debian):
command -v deskify >/dev/null || { echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc && source ~/.bashrc; }
deskify build --url "https://chat.com" --name "Chat" --backend chromium
```
### Option B: Native Tauri mode (system WebView, no Chromium dependency)
Follow the full install section below (Tauri/WebKitGTK prerequisites), then:
```bash
deskify build --url "https://chat.com" --name "Chat"
```
## Why Deskify Exists
Web apps are now core tools, but Linux desktops still treat them like second-class citizens.
- Electron-based wrappers solve distribution, but often at high RAM/disk cost.
- PWAs help in some browsers, but desktop integration is inconsistent across environments.
- The original [Nativefier](https://github.com/nativefier/nativefier) proved the need, but it is now unmaintained.
`deskify` takes a Linux-first approach: it turns a website into a native-feeling desktop app using [Tauri](https://tauri.app/) and the system webview (for example `webkit2gtk`) instead of bundling a full browser engine per app.
## Problem Fit (Why Deskify vs. Other Approaches)
Deskify is optimized for Linux users who want native desktop integration and CLI-friendly automation for web apps, without shipping a bundled browser runtime per app.
The comparison below is intentionally rough and practical (not benchmark marketing). It describes tradeoffs, not winners in every category.
| Approach | Runtime model | Desktop integration | Automation / scripting | Isolation / sandbox | Setup complexity | Offline capability |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Electron / Nativefier | Bundled Chromium per app | Good | Low to medium | Per-app process, app-bundled runtime | Easy to medium | Depends on the site |
| PWA | Browser runtime | Limited / browser-dependent | Low | Shared browser context | Very easy | Depends on browser + site |
| Flatpak web app models | Sandbox-oriented runtime model | Good | Limited | Strong sandbox model | Medium | Depends on runtime + site |
| **Deskify** | System WebView | Native (`.desktop`, icons, WMClass) | **High (CLI-first)** | Medium (shared system WebView security model) | Medium (Tauri prerequisites) | Depends on the site |
### Deskify Focus (Today)
Deskify focuses on:
- system-native Linux desktop integration
- minimal runtime overhead by relying on the system WebView
- automation-friendly CLI workflows
- straightforward local install/remove lifecycle management
Deskify intentionally does not aim to:
- replace full browser sandbox products
- provide a cross-platform abstraction layer
- ship bundled browser runtimes per generated app
## How Deskify Works Today (Alpha / MVP)
`deskify` is ready for public use and testing as an **early MVP**, but it is **not production-hardened yet**.
- **Platform scope:** Linux only
- **Build model:** `deskify` compiles a local Tauri wrapper app on your machine
- **First build can take a while:** Rust crates + Tauri build steps may need to compile
- **Test coverage:** currently limited (core behavior is implemented, but automated coverage is still growing)
- **Current architecture:** one generated Tauri wrapper project per app
- **Build model:** `deskify` compiles the wrapper locally on your machine
- **Why this MVP design:** simpler debugging, isolated failures, low contributor complexity
- **Tradeoff:** build time and distro-specific setup issues become user-facing
- **Test coverage:** currently limited (core behavior is implemented, automated coverage is growing)
### MVP Architecture (Today)
```mermaid
flowchart TD
A[deskify CLI] --> B[Generate temporary Tauri wrapper project]
B --> C[Fetch or copy icon]
C --> D[Write tauri.conf.json + source files]
D --> E[Run cargo tauri build locally]
E --> F[Install binary to local executable dir]
F --> G[Install icon + .desktop entry]
G --> H[Launch from Linux app menu]
```
### Known Limitations
- Requires Tauri/Linux system dependencies to be installed locally before `deskify build`
- Generated app build success can vary by distro/system setup (WebKitGTK/Tauri prerequisites)
- Some modern sites fail or degrade in the system WebView backend (`tauri`) due to engine/runtime differences
- No official cross-platform support (Windows/macOS) yet
- GitHub Releases / binary automation for `deskify` itself may lag behind source updates during early MVP
- DRM/protected-media services may not work reliably in the system WebView backend even if they work in a full browser (depends on WebView/DRM support)
### 🌟 Features
- **Extremely Lightweight:** Generated binaries are tiny (~4-6 MB) and RAM consumption is minimal.
## Where Deskify Is Going
Deskify aims to make web applications **first-class Linux desktop applications**.
Planned evolution (direction, not promise):
- Shared runtime model for multiple apps
- Per-app config and icon installs without full rebuilds
- Stronger Linux desktop integration (deployment, automation, kiosk/admin workflows)
- Better distro compatibility guidance and troubleshooting
The current per-app build approach is intentional for the MVP. The goal is to keep it simple now while making the longer-term direction visible.
### Planned Evolution (Concept)
```mermaid
flowchart TD
A[deskify CLI] --> B[deskify runtime binary]
A --> C[App config files]
A --> D[Icons + .desktop entries]
C --> E[apps/chatgpt.json]
C --> F[apps/home-assistant.json]
B --> G[Load app config at launch]
G --> H[Open site in system webview]
D --> I[Linux app menu integration]
```
## Why Not Just Use Flatpak Web Apps / PWAs / Electron?
The table above covers the technical tradeoffs in more detail. In practice, `deskify` is most useful when you want:
- a CLI-first workflow for repeatable installs and automation
- Linux-native desktop integration (`.desktop`, icons, window class behavior)
- a system-WebView-based runtime model instead of shipping a bundled browser per app
### Key Features
- **System-WebView Runtime Model:** Generated wrappers stay small because Deskify relies on the system WebView instead of bundling a browser runtime per app.
- **Automatic Icon Fetching:** Scrapes high-quality 128x128 favicons automatically using the Google Favicon API.
- **Layered Icon Fallbacks:** Tries site-provided icons first (`<link rel="icon">`, `/favicon.ico`), then falls back to the Google Favicon API, then a dummy icon.
- **XDG-Compliant System Integration:** Safely creates `.desktop` entries in `~/.local/share/applications` and manages application icons in `~/.local/share/icons/hicolor/`.
- **Wayland/X11 Ready:** Perfectly binds `StartupWMClass` to ensure your DE groups the app exactly to its custom icon (no generic gear icons in GNOME/KDE taskbars).
- **Kiosk / Fullscreen Mode:** Pin applications perfectly as dashboards.
@@ -48,6 +175,35 @@ The original [Nativefier](https://github.com/nativefier/nativefier) project (Nod
## 🚀 Installation
### Option A: Install a prebuilt binary (recommended)
Deskify provides Linux release binaries. Download the latest release and install it into `~/.local/bin`:
```bash
mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
curl -L -o ~/.local/bin/deskify \
https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/releases/latest/download/deskify-linux-x86_64
chmod +x ~/.local/bin/deskify
deskify --help
```
Notes:
- The `tauri` backend still requires Tauri/WebKitGTK system dependencies to build wrappers locally.
- The `chromium` backend does not require Tauri prerequisites (but it requires an installed Chromium-based browser).
### Arch Linux (AUR)
An AUR package is available (prebuilt binary package):
```bash
yay -S deskify-bin
```
⚠️ The AUR package tracks **alpha** tags (`v0.1.0-alpha.N`). Expect occasional breaking changes during early development.
### Option B: Build from source (Tauri mode)
### 1. System Dependencies
Because `deskify` compiles Tauri applications natively on your machine, you need the standard Tauri prerequisites installed before using it.
@@ -115,11 +271,25 @@ Once the build finishes, `ChatGPT` will instantly appear in your system Applicat
`deskify` derives a safe internal ID from the app name (for example, `ChatGPT` becomes `chatgpt`).
### Backend Modes (`--backend`)
Deskify supports two backend modes:
- `tauri` (default): Uses the system WebView (`webkit2gtk` on Linux). Produces small wrappers and strong Linux desktop integration, but some sites may fail due to engine compatibility.
- `chromium`: Uses an already installed Chromium-based browser (`chromium`, `google-chrome`, `brave`, etc.) in app mode. Better site compatibility and no local Tauri build, but depends on a browser installed on the system.
If a site does not work in the default `tauri` backend, try `--backend chromium`.
Quick decision rule:
- Start with the default `tauri` backend for small wrappers and native Linux integration.
- If the site fails to load, behaves incorrectly, or needs a newer browser engine, rebuild/update with `--backend chromium`.
#### Advanced Build Options
```bash
deskify build \
--url "https://netflix.com" \
--name "Netflix" \
--url "https://example.com/dashboard" \
--name "Dashboard" \
--fullscreen \
--user-agent "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) Chrome/120.0.0.0 Safari/537.36" \
--dark-mode \
@@ -127,22 +297,97 @@ deskify build \
--height 720
```
Frameless example (without fullscreen):
```bash
deskify build \
--url "https://chat.com" \
--name "Chat" \
--no-decorations \
--width 1200 \
--height 800
```
Preview the generated Tauri config without building/installing:
```bash
deskify build --url "https://chat.com" --name "Chat" --print-config
```
Chromium compatibility mode (no local Tauri build):
```bash
deskify build --url "https://mail.proton.me" --name "Proton Mail" --backend chromium
```
Chromium with shared browser profile (uses existing browser profile/session model):
```bash
deskify build \
--url "https://app.slack.com" \
--name "Slack" \
--backend chromium \
--profile-scope shared
```
Chromium with explicit browser binary:
```bash
deskify build \
--url "https://github.com" \
--name "GitHub" \
--backend chromium \
--browser-bin /usr/bin/brave-browser
```
Preview planned actions only (dry run):
```bash
deskify build --url "https://chat.com" --name "Chat" --dry-run
```
* `--icon <PATH>`: Provide a custom PNG icon instead of auto-downloading one.
* `--fullscreen`: Starts the app in Kiosk mode.
* `--no-decorations`: Disables native window decorations (frameless window; useful for dashboards/kiosk setups).
* `--user-agent <UA>`: Useful to bypass webview restrictions on certain platforms.
* `--dark-mode`: Forces the Tauri webview into a dark theme.
* `--width <PX>` / `--height <PX>`: Sets the startup resolution.
* `--backend <tauri|chromium>`: Choose system WebView (`tauri`) or Chromium app mode (`chromium`).
* `--browser-bin <PATH>`: Use a specific Chromium-based browser binary (Chromium backend only).
* `--profile-scope <isolated|shared>`: Chromium backend profile behavior (`isolated` creates a per-app profile under `~/.local/share/deskify/profiles/`).
* `--print-config`: Prints the generated `tauri.conf.json` and exits.
* `--dry-run`: Shows planned actions without building/installing.
Note for Chromium backend:
- `--no-decorations` is best-effort and may be ignored by the browser/window manager.
- `--width` and `--height` are applied together (`--window-size`) only when both are provided.
- Deskify auto-detects a Chromium-based browser from `PATH`, but some distros ship Chromium-based browser commands (Chrome/Chromium/Brave, etc.) as wrapper scripts or use different binary names/paths (for example on BigLinux). If launches fail, set `--browser-bin` to a real browser binary.
Troubleshooting (find the real browser binary):
```bash
command -v chrome chromium google-chrome google-chrome-stable brave-browser 2>/dev/null
ls -la /usr/bin/chrome /usr/bin/chromium /usr/bin/google-chrome /usr/bin/google-chrome-stable 2>/dev/null
```
### Managing Apps (`list` & `remove`)
You can view all applications generated by `deskify`:
```bash
deskify list
```
Verbose list (includes URL/backend when metadata is available):
```bash
deskify list --verbose
```
*Output:*
```text
Installed Deskify Apps:
- ChatGPT (Internal ID: chatgpt)
- Netflix (Internal ID: netflix)
- ChatGPT (Internal ID: chatgpt, Backend: tauri)
- Proton Mail (Internal ID: proton-mail, Backend: chromium)
```
To entirely uninstall an app (including the binary, desktop entry, and icons):
@@ -152,6 +397,41 @@ deskify remove chatgpt
`remove` expects this **internal ID** (sanitized lowercase letters, numbers, `-`), not the display name.
### Updating Apps (`update`)
Rebuild and reinstall an existing app ID without manually running `remove` + `build`:
```bash
deskify update chat --url "https://chat.com" --name "Chat" --no-decorations
```
Deskify persists app metadata under `~/.local/share/deskify/apps/<id>.json`. With persisted metadata, `update` can be used without `--url`.
If an older app has no metadata yet, provide `--url` once (or rebuild once) to migrate it.
`update <id>` keeps the existing internal ID stable even if you change the display name.
You can also preview an update:
```bash
deskify update chat --url "https://chat.com" --dry-run
deskify update chat --url "https://chat.com" --print-config
```
Switch an existing app to Chromium compatibility mode while keeping the same internal ID:
```bash
deskify update chat --url "https://chat.com" --name "Chat" --backend chromium
```
### Diagnostics (`doctor`)
Check local prerequisites and common environment issues (Rust/Cargo, `cargo tauri`, `pkg-config`, directories):
```bash
deskify doctor
```
`doctor` also checks whether a Chromium-based browser is available in `PATH` for `--backend chromium`.
---
## 🧪 Manual Smoke Test Checklist (Before a Public Release)
@@ -176,10 +456,9 @@ Expected: clean validation error and no unintended file deletion.
## 🏷️ Versioning & GitHub Releases (MVP)
- Recommended tag format during MVP: `v0.1.0-alpha.N`
- Start with **source-first** releases (repository + tags)
- Add automated binary releases later via GitHub Actions
- GitHub Releases publish a Linux `deskify` CLI binary on tags (`v*`)
For the first public launch, tagging `v0.1.0-alpha.1` is a sensible default.
For the latest alpha, see GitHub Releases (and continue with `v0.1.0-alpha.N` for follow-up releases).
---

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@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
[
{
"name": "architecture/runtime",
"color": "5319E7",
"description": "Runtime model, shared runtime, config-based apps, install model evolution"
},
{
"name": "distro-compat",
"color": "D93F0B",
"description": "Distro-specific build/runtime issues and environment differences"
},
{
"name": "integration",
"color": "0E8A16",
"description": "Desktop integration topics (.desktop, icons, launchers, window class behavior)"
},
{
"name": "icons",
"color": "FBCA04",
"description": "Favicon fetching, icon parsing, icon quality, and fallback behavior"
},
{
"name": "good first issue",
"color": "7057FF",
"description": "Scoped tasks suitable for first-time contributors"
},
{
"name": "needs testing",
"color": "BFDADC",
"description": "Behavior change needs manual or wider validation across systems"
},
{
"name": "design decision",
"color": "1D76DB",
"description": "Affects long-term architecture or product direction"
},
{
"name": "docs",
"color": "0075CA",
"description": "README, CONTRIBUTING, examples, troubleshooting, and release notes"
},
{
"name": "bug",
"color": "D73A4A",
"description": "Incorrect behavior or regression"
},
{
"name": "enhancement",
"color": "A2EEEF",
"description": "Feature or improvement request"
},
{
"name": "ci",
"color": "C5DEF5",
"description": "GitHub Actions, release workflows, and build checks"
},
{
"name": "feature",
"color": "84B6EB",
"description": "User-facing functionality addition (release note category)"
},
{
"name": "fix",
"color": "E99695",
"description": "Behavior correction or bug fix (release note category)"
},
{
"name": "chore",
"color": "FEF2C0",
"description": "Maintenance tasks and non-user-facing housekeeping"
}
]

46
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@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
# Maintainer Notes
This document captures lightweight repo-management conventions for `deskify` during the alpha/MVP phase.
## Issue Labels (Recommended)
Use labels to make project direction visible and to reduce triage friction.
- `architecture/runtime` - runtime model, shared runtime, config-based apps, install model evolution
- `distro-compat` - distro-specific build/runtime issues (WebKitGTK, packaging prerequisites, environment differences)
- `integration` - desktop integration topics (`.desktop`, icons, launchers, window class behavior)
- `icons` - favicon fetching, icon parsing, icon quality/fallback behavior
- `good first issue` - scoped tasks suitable for first-time contributors
- `needs testing` - behavior change needs manual or wider validation across systems
- `design decision` - issue/PR affects long-term architecture or product direction
- `docs` - README, CONTRIBUTING, examples, troubleshooting, release notes
- `bug` - incorrect behavior or regression
- `enhancement` - feature or improvement request
- `ci` - GitHub Actions, release workflows, build checks
Label definitions for GitHub setup are stored in `docs/github-labels.json`.
If you use GitHub CLI, `scripts/setup-github-labels.sh <owner/repo>` will create/update them.
## Triage Heuristics (Alpha)
- Prefer labeling directionally first (`architecture/runtime`, `distro-compat`, `integration`) before priority.
- Use `design decision` early when a discussion can create long-term constraints.
- Add `needs testing` to changes that touch build/install/remove flows or desktop integration behavior.
- Distinguish user-environment issues from code bugs (`distro-compat` + details) to avoid misclassifying support reports.
## Release Notes Categories (Suggested Mapping)
- `feature`, `enhancement` -> user-facing functionality additions
- `fix`, `bug` -> behavior corrections and regressions
- `docs` -> documentation changes
- `chore`, `ci` -> maintenance and pipeline work
## Maintainer Framing (README / Issues)
During alpha, consistently frame Deskify as:
- a Linux-first web app integration tool
- an early MVP with intentional per-app build architecture
- a project with a visible evolution path toward runtime/config-based installs
This helps avoid "Nativefier clone" framing as the default community label.

23
packaging/PKGBUILD Normal file
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@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
pkgname=deskify-bin
pkgver=0.1.0.alpha.8
pkgrel=1
pkgdesc="Turn websites into Linux desktop apps (prebuilt binary package)"
arch=('x86_64')
url="https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify"
license=('MIT')
depends=('glibc')
optdepends=('chromium: for --backend chromium')
provides=('deskify')
conflicts=('deskify')
_tag="v0.1.0-alpha.8"
source=("deskify::https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/releases/download/${_tag}/deskify-linux-x86_64"
"LICENSE::https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spalencsar/deskify/${_tag}/LICENSE")
sha256sums=('7ab62ff193c2666983c72844c13f368a0ecc1fcd6da40fe95f544c9999e05f30'
'd4e53458cd2dd461f234186497b6d9b21566c477737a4d31fa6f018ef610486f')
package() {
install -Dm755 "${srcdir}/deskify" "${pkgdir}/usr/bin/deskify"
install -Dm644 "${srcdir}/LICENSE" "${pkgdir}/usr/share/licenses/${pkgname}/LICENSE"
}

69
packaging/README.md Normal file
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@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
## AUR package template (manual + CI)
This folder contains a minimal `PKGBUILD` template for a future AUR package:
- `deskify-bin` (prebuilt GitHub Releases binary)
Notes:
- Update `_tag` and `pkgver` when you publish a new release tag.
- Update `sha256sums` to match the release asset + LICENSE for that tag.
### Local build test
```bash
cd packaging
makepkg -sf
```
To compute sha256 sums for a tag:
```bash
TAG="v0.1.0-alpha.7"
curl -fL -o /tmp/deskify-linux-x86_64 "https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/releases/download/${TAG}/deskify-linux-x86_64"
curl -fL -o /tmp/LICENSE "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spalencsar/deskify/${TAG}/LICENSE"
sha256sum /tmp/deskify-linux-x86_64 /tmp/LICENSE
```
### Manual AUR publish (first time)
1. Create an AUR account and submit the `deskify-bin` package once via the AUR web UI.
2. Configure SSH for AUR and test connectivity.
3. Clone the AUR repo, copy `PKGBUILD` and `.SRCINFO`, then push.
Example:
```bash
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/aur -C "deskify-aur"
# Add ~/.ssh/aur.pub to: aur.archlinux.org -> My Account -> SSH Keys
cat >> ~/.ssh/config <<'EOF'
Host aur.archlinux.org
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/aur
User aur
EOF
ssh -T aur@aur.archlinux.org
git clone ssh://aur@aur.archlinux.org/deskify-bin.git
cd deskify-bin
cp /path/to/deskify/packaging/PKGBUILD .
makepkg --printsrcinfo > .SRCINFO
git add PKGBUILD .SRCINFO
git commit -m "Initial release: deskify-bin"
git push
```
### CI publish on tags
This repo includes a workflow that publishes `deskify-bin` on tag pushes (`v*`):
- `.github/workflows/aur-publish.yml`
Required GitHub secrets:
- `AUR_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY` (private key content for the AUR account)
- `AUR_USERNAME` (optional, used for git commits)
- `AUR_EMAIL` (optional, used for git commits)

View File

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail
TAG="${1:-}"
if [[ -z "${TAG}" ]]; then
TAG="$(git describe --tags --abbrev=0)"
fi
if [[ "${TAG}" != v* ]]; then
echo "Error: expected tag like v0.1.0-alpha.7, got: ${TAG}" >&2
exit 1
fi
VERSION="${TAG#v}"
# Arch PKGBUILD pkgver must not contain '-'. Use dots instead.
PKGVER="${VERSION//-/.}"
ASSET_URL="https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/releases/download/${TAG}/deskify-linux-x86_64"
LICENSE_URL="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spalencsar/deskify/${TAG}/LICENSE"
tmp_dir="$(mktemp -d)"
trap 'rm -rf "${tmp_dir}"' EXIT
asset_path="${tmp_dir}/deskify-linux-x86_64"
license_path="${tmp_dir}/LICENSE"
wait_seconds="${WAIT_FOR_ASSET_SECONDS:-300}"
interval_seconds="${WAIT_FOR_ASSET_INTERVAL_SECONDS:-5}"
deadline=$((SECONDS + wait_seconds))
while ! curl -fsI "${ASSET_URL}" >/dev/null 2>&1; do
if (( SECONDS >= deadline )); then
echo "Error: release asset not available yet: ${ASSET_URL}" >&2
echo "Tip: the GitHub Release workflow may still be building. Re-run the AUR workflow once the asset exists." >&2
exit 1
fi
sleep "${interval_seconds}"
done
curl -fL -o "${asset_path}" "${ASSET_URL}"
curl -fL -o "${license_path}" "${LICENSE_URL}"
ASSET_SHA256="$(sha256sum "${asset_path}" | awk '{print $1}')"
LICENSE_SHA256="$(sha256sum "${license_path}" | awk '{print $1}')"
cat > packaging/PKGBUILD <<EOF
pkgname=deskify-bin
pkgver=${PKGVER}
pkgrel=1
pkgdesc="Turn websites into Linux desktop apps (prebuilt binary package)"
arch=('x86_64')
url="https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify"
license=('MIT')
depends=('glibc')
optdepends=('chromium: for --backend chromium')
provides=('deskify')
conflicts=('deskify')
_tag="${TAG}"
source=("deskify::https://github.com/spalencsar/deskify/releases/download/\${_tag}/deskify-linux-x86_64"
"LICENSE::https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spalencsar/deskify/\${_tag}/LICENSE")
sha256sums=('${ASSET_SHA256}'
'${LICENSE_SHA256}')
package() {
install -Dm755 "\${srcdir}/deskify" "\${pkgdir}/usr/bin/deskify"
install -Dm644 "\${srcdir}/LICENSE" "\${pkgdir}/usr/share/licenses/\${pkgname}/LICENSE"
}
EOF
echo "Wrote packaging/PKGBUILD for ${TAG}"

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@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail
if ! command -v gh >/dev/null 2>&1; then
echo "Error: GitHub CLI ('gh') is not installed." >&2
exit 1
fi
repo="${1:-}"
labels_file="${2:-docs/github-labels.json}"
if [[ -z "${repo}" ]]; then
echo "Usage: $0 <owner/repo> [labels-json-path]" >&2
echo "Example: $0 spalencsar/deskify" >&2
exit 1
fi
if [[ ! -f "${labels_file}" ]]; then
echo "Error: labels file not found: ${labels_file}" >&2
exit 1
fi
if ! command -v jq >/dev/null 2>&1; then
echo "Error: 'jq' is required to read ${labels_file}." >&2
exit 1
fi
echo "Syncing labels to ${repo} using ${labels_file} ..."
jq -c '.[]' "${labels_file}" | while IFS= read -r label; do
name="$(jq -r '.name' <<<"${label}")"
color="$(jq -r '.color' <<<"${label}")"
description="$(jq -r '.description' <<<"${label}")"
if gh label edit "${name}" --repo "${repo}" --color "${color}" --description "${description}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
echo "Updated: ${name}"
else
gh label create "${name}" --repo "${repo}" --color "${color}" --description "${description}" >/dev/null
echo "Created: ${name}"
fi
done
echo "Done."

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