Packaging webApps for SailfishOS
Is SailfishOS missing out by not having a easy way to package webapps?
I use modern desktop GNU/Linux, with Gnome3. Via gnome's browser I can integrate any webapp seamlessly into the desktop environment. I do this for Gmail, WhatsApp web, Protonmail and some others. In this way webapp is easily accessible to user via system launcher and integrated to desktop via native notifications.
I believe SailfishOS is missing out by not supporting this, this would certainly ease the adoption and user experience. Having Protonmail installed in this manner would certanly make the platform more convenient for me.
You can achieve at least this by bookmarking the page and then adding the bookmark shortcut to the app launcher. Of course, this will simply launch the browser from there and doesn't give you any kind of system integration such as notifications etc.
ossi1967 ( 2018-09-14 17:10:46 +0200 )editI can't code, so i put my site in your phone so you think you run application, but its just a site so you don't need to start a browser to visit my site when you browse, instead you just open an app which is just a site fooling you.
coderus ( 2018-09-14 21:41:59 +0200 )edit@coderus pretty much, but there are some scenarios where it helps. Like with Protonmail, Gmail and so on.
kokolomoj ( 2018-09-15 11:05:03 +0200 )edit@coderus I think it's more like most of the websites you mention don't care about some OS used by five poeple on the planet (either that or just simply have no man power to provide it). I think the idea of making webapps exactly where Sailfish comes short at the time could be a life saver. And yes having a separate icon in the launcher and a seperate window dedicated to the "site" is way better then yet another tab you need to search for. It indeed works great on GNOME (writting this from Together Jolla webapp). For example few days ago I was testing UBPorts and I was very happy to see how easy I could create webapps and have access to the sites/services that will most certainly never have anative app developed. I think its a good step forward and a sort of a placeholder for when real native app could be develop.
muppeth ( 2018-11-07 15:36:30 +0200 )edit