Learn NWJS with Real Code Examples

Updated Nov 23, 2025

Introduction & Fundamentals Setup & Configuration Architecture & Deep Internals Performance & Security Development Workflow Learning & Career Growth Business & Strategy Examples

Explain

NW.js allows developers to create cross-platform desktop apps with web technologies.

It combines Chromium and Node.js to enable access to native OS features alongside browser APIs.

Apps built with NW.js can run on Windows, macOS, and Linux without additional runtime installation.

Core Features

Full access to Node.js modules in browser context

Custom window and menu management

HTML/CSS/JS-based UI

Support for native OS dialogs and notifications

Packaging and distribution as desktop executables

Basic Concepts Overview

package.json: defines app name, version, window settings

Main window: entry HTML file rendered in Chromium

Node.js modules: provide backend capabilities

Native integration: file system, notifications, menus

Packaging: create standalone executables for platforms

Project Structure

package.json - app configuration

index.html - main UI file

js/ - application logic

css/ - styles

assets/ - images, fonts, icons

Building Workflow

Initialize project and install NW.js

Create package.json for app metadata

Develop UI with HTML/CSS/JS

Use Node.js modules for desktop functionality

Test app in NW.js runtime and package for distribution

Difficulty Use Cases

Beginner: simple HTML/CSS/JS desktop apps

Intermediate: apps with Node.js backend modules

Advanced: multi-window apps with custom menus and dialogs

Expert: integrating native OS features

Community: packaging and cross-platform distribution

Comparisons

NW.js vs Electron: NW.js is lightweight, Electron has larger ecosystem

Web technologies vs native desktop code (C++, Swift, .NET)

Node.js integration vs pure browser apps

Chromium engine bundled vs using system browser

Simpler packaging vs more advanced Electron tooling

Versioning Timeline

2011 – Node-Webkit (NW.js) first released by Intel

2013 – Stable releases with Node.js integration

2015 – Improved packaging and API access

2018 – Modern Chromium updates and ES6 support

2025 – Latest versions with enhanced performance and Node.js support

Glossary

NW.js: Node-Webkit runtime

package.json: app configuration

Chromium: rendering engine

Node.js: backend APIs

Window: app UI container