Is it possible to build console application with nw.js?

Question

Is there any way to have console-only, GUIless, windowless application with nw.js?

We have some internal utility originally made with App.js and recently converted to nw.js (formerly node-webkit). This tool consists of GUI app and console-only (integrated to build process) counterpart. App.js was able to execute any *.js like nodejs, in console, but in nw.js it seems mandatory for application to have some main *.html and window. Even when with node-main in manifest it requires main field to be present as well.

Answer 1

Yes, just add "show": false in package.json

{
  "name": "My CLI App",
  "main": "index.html",
  "window": {
    "show": false
  }
}

Docs for package.json options

If you want you can make app.nw package which will be open with node-webkit, so you don't need to ship big package.

---

You also can make a wrapper to run simple .js files from terminal:

#!/bin/bash
# file nw-runner
BASEDIR=$(dirname $0)
/Applications/node-webkit.app/Contents/MacOS/node-webkit $BASEDIR/path/wrapper_app "$@"

So path/wrapper_app will contain our application (package.json, index.html) and we will require specified file:

var args = require('gui').App.argv;
var path = require('path'), fs = require('fs');
var runable = path.relative(process.env.PWD, args[0]);

if (fs.existsSync(runable)) {
  require(runable);
} else {
  process.stdout.write("Can not not find file " + args[0]);
  process.exit(1);
}

Then can run *.js file like this:

nw-runner ./my_app.js