How do i convert MERN web app to desktop app? - node.js

I have created a simple billing web application using Node, Express, React and MongoDB
However i want to convert it into a Desktop application for local machines.
I know it is possible using electron, but i don't know how to do it.
Can anyone help me or provide with necessary resource?

you can use this boilerplate to get start a new project with react and electron.
Your build HTML file will act as the view file for your electron app.Which should be build by react-scripts.Use express server in separate file and use the server.
Handle requests just like you do in a MERN app.you only need to set the view to the bundled HTML file.

Related

Is it possible to turn express server serving react frontend into desktop app using electron?

I have made a web app using express and react, and I want to bundle it into a desktop application, is this possible using electron?
I recommend the tutorial at: https://www.electronforge.io/guides/framework-integration/react
This isn't too hard actually, you can find all instructions you need in https://www.electronforge.io/
To accomplish this, either your app keeps hosting it with express locally and electrons connects to localhost, or even better, do it by not hosting any servers and just keeping your JSX and html files in your project.
If you're using TypeScript and ES6, also consider taking a look here for some examples: https://www.electronforge.io/templates/typescript-+-webpack-template

Reactjs + Electron + Nodejs

I've been researching for long time but haven't found what I need. Maybe here someone can help me out.
What I want:
I'm trying to create an application that will run inside electron. Both frontend and backend should be encapsulated within a single executable, so I was thinking React js and Nodejs would be a good option.
But it's not as simple as I thought. Found a good boilerplace for reactjs https://github.com/electron-react-boilerplate/electron-react-boilerplate but I have no idea how I could encapsulate nodejs as a backend to it.
It'd also somehow would need to be integrated with the release package and so on...
Additionally I'd need to have a webserver that will run on localhost:[port] when you launch the application.
Technical Summary:
So basically:
Electron with React js - as the application 'face'
Nodejs - as the backend of the application
Webserver running locally - (using react js).
In the application, I would put link to the pages that is served by that locally running reactjs web app.
Hope I was clear. And I really hope someone can help me out.
Thanks!!!
as you know the serverside part is separate from front end.you can lunch react electron together like this article https://flaviocopes.com/react-electron/ .but serverside must start to stand alone . you could use pm2 for launching them.http://pm2.keymetrics.io/
lets talk about electron. what is electron?
according to electronjs.org :
Electron is an open source library developed by GitHub for building
cross-platform desktop applications with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Electron accomplishes this by combining Chromium and Node.js into a
single runtime and apps can be packaged for Mac, Windows, and Linux.
so the electron is a tool for creating desktop applications.it uses chromium engine for accessing resources of the operating system level. but the intention of that is creating apps not a serverside job.
if you have some needs and logics that must handle in a server you should be considering that. otherwise, read about serverless applications.

Should I build server-side of application inside nuxt.js server directory?

I want to build full-stack application with Nuxt.js. I am wondering where I should create my server-side inside Nuxt.js or maybe I should create separated project only for server stuff.
I am trying to set up my project but I do not know how I should do it. The application which I am building will have own front-end, back-end and also database (I will use MongoDB) but actually I do not know how I should start. I was reading a lot about SSR and Nuxt.js seems really good if am planing to use Vue.js on fronted. While creating nuxt app I can choose to use Express and then I can see server directory inside my directory structure does it mean that i should build all back-end inside this directory or maybe it is only for small stuff?
I have also another question what if I want to use Nest.js on back-end can i just use npm i -g #nestjs/cli and then nest new project-name inside my server directory ? I was looking also for this answer but almost all results in google for this type are about (comparison between Nuxt.js, Next.js and Nest.js).
It will be my first bigger full-stack project and I want to do it right but I am a really beginner in this so I am looking for answer from more experienced programmers.
You can run express or any node.js server you want inside Nuxt.js. When installing Nuxt.js with scaffolding tool create-nuxt-app, you can choose integrated server-side frameworks : Express, Koa, Hapi, Feathers, Micro, Fastify, Adonis (WIP). There isn't offical Nest.js integration, but you can easily find a starter kit on github.
With create-nuxt-app, if you choose to use any node.js server inside your nuxt app, you will see a server directory inside your directory structure, with the corresponding server-side pre-configured index.js file.
Here is my own feeling about it:
I think the inside solution make sense for a small SPA or Headless project (Ex: parse and serve files, a simple JWT Authentification, a small websocket server...), or for a front-end logic application that cannot fit in client browser and who are nothing to do with the database (like image or file computation).
But generally, this server run the database layer for your Nuxt application: a REST or GraphQL API. It can also run your business logic of your app, serve authentification, and more and more when project growth...
If you think about separation of concerns and microservices
architecture, do not use server inside Nuxt.js. Splitting both frontend and server will result more flexibility. You can host frontend and API in different servers.
So now, do nuxt.js really need a node.js server ?
Yes if you plan to use it in SSR mode, No if you plan to use it like a SPA or Static generated way. Docs here... .
In SSR mode, nuxt.js ask data to your API at the first rendering, and provide a complete SEO compatible page to the client browser or bots. It also provide all javascript that the browser need to navigate and fetch your API. For that, nuxt.js in SSR mode should run with node.js.
I assume you said "back-end" for your API and your business logic application, in this case, you should separate nuxt.js and your server. Two node.js instances to run both.

Connecting React and React Native with Express

So I just started learning ReactJS and React Native.
I have some knowledge of MEN (Mongo, Express, Node). Up to this point, I learned how to res.render() files and pass objects in there.
Now what I need to do, is make MERN app. This app also needs to have Android and iOS version of it.
So far I learned that R stands for ReactJS, not react-native. Is there a way so it includes both? And where do I put react files when I have folder structure like from express-generator? Or is there a way they can be in completely different directories, and one calls the other via import?
It comes down to architecture I believe. The way I like to create the stack goes as follows.
You can create an API using Mongo/Express/Node that serves endpoints for your client app (created using reactjs, react-native and whatever other tech you want to include) to call using HTML requests. This would work for both mobile apps (using react-native) and desktop apps (using reactjs).
There's a couple different ways to deploy this. You can create 2 separate apps, a server app and a client app, which are both hosted individually by 2 separate hosts. This is useful because you decouple your front end code from your back end code. Also, you can have 2 separate directories for your code.
Another method of deployment would be to have your server serve your client files. This ones a little bit tricker, but you will be able to deploy your entire app inside 1 host so this option is also cheaper. I would suggest reading this article to figure out how to implement this and the file structure https://originmaster.com/running-create-react-app-and-express-crae-on-heroku-c39a39fe7851

Converting an node js app to android app

I have developed a web app in node js using express which also involves mongodb. How to convert it to an android app ?
My main app file is directly inside the main application folder.
Your subject in this thread looks confuse. I think that you want to convert web application (can be express.js app, php app, or jsp, etc) into mobile application (ios or android).
If it is so, you can use cordova to do it.
Please read this document.
http://cordova.apache.org/docs/en/3.5.0/guide/cli/index.html

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