Desktop Application Toolkit

  • Zero to app shell in 5 minutes.
  • Web frontend, desktop backend.
  • Tiny 3MB app footprint.
    (for both Mac & Windows combined!)

Intrigued?

Try it yourself!

Windows XP, 7 & 8

Mac OSX 10.7 & 10.8

Deliver on both platforms to reach more of your audience.
  • Cross-platform apps tend to be time consuming, expensive and difficult to build.
  • Targeting platforms individually segments either your codebase or your audience.
  • Web-based apps rely on sharing a web browser with 8 other tabs open, compounded by security limitations and complicated offline mode requirements.

Bellite enables you to deliver a hybrid desktop application using an HTML5 web technology stack powered by your preferred backend language. Dedicated app. Zero knowledge of C required.

In addition, your application can access compute resources such as the filesystem, camera, microphone and other hardware IO that would be very difficult from a standard web app.

Choose your own backend.
Python, Node.js, Ruby, PHP, or Java.
Or deliver a custom backed as a collection of standalone folders tailored to your needs. Bellite takes advantage of web-based separation by using application architecture that leverages subprocess and a message-passing API. Go ahead, use the agile language stack you want!

@CSS(3);

<HTML5/>

{JavaScript}

Craft the frontend UI & UX with modern web technology.
The modern web is a beautiful medium — from the elegance of text & typography, to the richness of images & videos, capped with the interactivity of JavaScript. Why reinvent all of this, fighting your GUI toolkit for every pixel? Especially with so many talented web designers & developers who wield these technologies as an artform?

Questions & Answers

What do I need?

Developing applications with Bellite involves web technologies like HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, combined with experience using whichever backend language stack you choose.

Beyond that foundation, you will need a good code editor, documentation, and a way to test your application for your target platforms. If you are targeting both platforms, we recommend using a Mac in concert with Parallels or VMWare Fusion to help make testing and bug verification easier.

What platforms are supported?

Bellite is supported on Mac OSX 10.7 & 10.8 and Microsoft Windows XP, 7 & 8 with the latest service packs or point releases.

Support for Linux is planned, subject to having enough demand to warrant the cost of development. Additionally, extending support back to Mac OSX 10.6 is being considered if there is enough need. In either case, send off an email to info@bellite.io to let us know so we can start to gauge the need for these versions!

Can I use a different language runtime?

Yes! The runtime stack is launched as a subprocess and therefore must be executable. Communication back to the GUI process uses JSON-RPC2 to access the Bellite API

Can I use <XYZ> web toolkit?

Yes, as long as the toolkit supports Safari and Google Chrome! Bellite uses the shared WebKit engine for each platform to provide the HTML5 web technology stack.

Isn't this like Chromium Embedded, App.js or Node-WebKit?

It is similar, yes, but Bellite offers two distinct advantages.

First is an application architecture that leverages subprocesses, separating the GUI event loop and your backend logic. More responsive user interfaces, simpler integration with other languages, and zero C/C++ knowledge required.

Second is Bellite's tiny footprint — the library adds less than 1MB for both platforms, combined! Compare to toolkits like Chromium Embedded at 103MB, Awesomium at 102MB, Appcelerator Titanium at 39MB, QT4 or wxWebKit at 87MB. Instead of repackaging an isolated build of WebKit, we reuse shared installations like Google Chrome Frame and WebKit.framework.

And did we mention you can get started in 5 minutes?

What technologies are used?

Bellite uses native C APIs for both platforms. On Mac, the built-in WebKit.framework, Cocoa, and Objective-C APIs are used. For Windows, low level Win32, WTL and ATL libraries are used in C++ to use Google Chrome Frame as an ActiveX control. LibUV provides subprocess, socket communication, and timing functionality.

The bottom line? Cross-platform hybrid applications with zero C, C++ or Objective-C knowledge!

Are MSDN or Mac Developer subscriptions required?

No, a subscription is not required to publish an application from your own website. However, if you wish to publish from the App Store or code sign your application, you will need a developer subscription. Additionally, obtaining a subscription from MSDN or Mac Developer can grant access to expanded testing platforms and other software to assist your efforts.

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