Nativefier
A command-line tool that wraps any website into a desktop app. Archived and unmaintained.
- Stars
- 35.2k
- Forks
- 2.2k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript
- Last update
- 3.1 years ago
- Type
- CLI
This repository is archived and no longer maintained.
What it is
Nativefier is a command-line tool that turns a web page into a standalone desktop application for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It wraps the page in Electron, which runs on Chromium, so the site opens in its own window instead of a browser tab. The README says it was built to avoid switching to browser tabs for chat apps like WhatsApp Web. The project is archived and the README says it is unmaintained.
- Run nativefier 'medium.com' to create a desktop app for a site
- Override the app name with --name, as shown in the README example
- Build a Windows app from macOS or Linux with Wine installed, per the README
- Inject custom JavaScript or CSS into the wrapped site, per the README feature list
Great for
- People who want a site like WhatsApp Web or Gmail in its own window
- Developers who want a quick desktop wrapper for a web app they already have
- Users comfortable running a Node.js command-line tool
- Anyone who wants the icon and name pulled automatically from a site
Not ideal for
- Anyone wanting a supported, maintained tool: the README says it is unmaintained and the repository is archived
- Users who want a ready-made download: the latest release has no binaries, so installation requires Node.js and npm
- People who need the app to stay current with future Electron or OS changes, since no updates are being published
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Node.js 16.9 or newer · npm 7.10 or newer
Install Nativefier globally with npm
npm install -g nativefier - 2
Run it
- Install Node.js 16.9+ and npm 7.10+
- Run npm install -g nativefier
- Run nativefier 'medium.com' (or another site URL)
- Open the generated app from the output folder
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Run nativefier --help or read API.md for the full list of flags
- Install ImageMagick or GraphicsMagick so icons can be converted
- Check CATALOG.md for site-specific workarounds from the community
- Use the Docker option if you prefer not to install Node.js locally
Downloads
Strengths
- Creates a desktop app from a single command, per the README
- Automatically retrieves the app icon and name
- Supports custom JavaScript and CSS injection and has a Docker option
Trade-offs
- Archived and unmaintained, so it may not work with newer sites or systems
- Latest release has no prebuilt binaries, so setup requires build tools and dependencies
- Some optional steps need extra tools such as ImageMagick or Wine
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| nativefier (this) | 35.2k | CLI | beginner | 3.1 years ago | People who want a site like WhatsApp Web or Gmail in its own window |
| electron | 124k | Framework | intermediate | 4 days ago | Web developers who want to ship a desktop app using skills they already have |
| atom | 60.7k | App | beginner | 3.8 years ago | Developers who want a desktop code editor they can customize with packages |
| wails | 36.9k | Framework | intermediate | 4 days ago | Go programmers who want a desktop app with a web-style interface |
| marktext | 63.5k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | People who write notes or articles in Markdown and want a clean, minimal editor |
| nylas-mail | 24.7k | App | advanced | 4 months ago | Developers curious about how an extensible Electron and React desktop app is structured |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.