Jumpstart

A simple cross-platform Electron wrapper lets you open any URL in a dedicated window with options for kiosk mode, full screen mode, and system startup, useful for setting up creative coding projects.

Features

• Settings Page: Configure how the browser will run

  • Enter any URL to open in the browser window
  • Toggle kiosk mode (fullscreen without window controls)
  • Toggle regular fullscreen mode (disabled when kiosk mode is on)
  • Choose whether the app starts automatically with the system
  • Set auto-refresh interval in minutes
  • Enable automatic refresh when network reconnects

• Browser Page: Display the specified URL

  • Automatic camera and microphone permissions
  • Exit button to return to settings
  • Keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Q or Cmd+Shift+Q to exit kiosk mode
  • Automatic page refresh on network reconnection
  • Timed auto-refresh based on user settings

• Cross-Platform Support: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux (including Raspberry Pi)

Installation

1. Go to the Releases page of this repository

2. Download the appropriate version for your operating system:

   • Windows: Download portable version (.exe)
   • macOS: Download the DMG file (.dmg)
   • Linux: Select the AppImage (.AppImage), Debian package (.deb), or RPM package (.rpm) - coming soon!

3. Install the application:

   • Windows: Extract the portable version and run the executable
   • macOS: Open the DMG file and drag the application to your Applications folder
   • Linux: Make the AppImage executable (chmod +x *.AppImage) or install the deb/rpm package using your package manager

Usage

1. Launch the Jumpstart application from your applications menu or desktop

2. On the settings page:

   • Enter the URL you want to open (e.g., https://example.com)
   • Select your desired options:
     • Kiosk Mode: Fullscreen without window controls (useful for kiosks or presentations)
     • Fullscreen: Regular fullscreen mode with window controls (disabled when kiosk mode is on)
     • Start with System: Application will start automatically when your computer boots

3. Click "Launch Browser" to open the specified URL

4. To exit kiosk mode and return to settings:

   • Click the "Exit" button in the top-right corner
   • Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Q(Windows), Cmd+Shift+Q(Mac OS)

Technical Details

• Built with Electron for cross-platform compatibility
• Uses plain JavaScript, HTML, and CSS (no additional frameworks)
• Implements secure practices with contextIsolation and preload scripts
• Uses Electron's IPC for communication between main and renderer processes
• Automatically grants camera and microphone permissions for the browser page
• Implements reliable network connectivity monitoring

Project Structure

├── src
│   ├── main.js          # Electron main process
│   ├── preload.js       # Preload script for IPC communication
│   ├── index.html       # Settings page
│   ├── browser.html     # Browser page
│   └── style.css        # Styling for both pages
├── package.json         # Dependencies and scripts
└── README.md            # This file

Cross-Platform Features

Auto-Start with System

The application supports starting automatically with the system on all major platforms:

• Windows: Uses the Windows Registry to configure auto-start
• macOS: Creates a Launch Agent in the user's Library folder
• Linux: Creates a .desktop file in the autostart directory

Building for Production

The application can be built for Windows, macOS, and Linux using electron-builder, which is included as a development dependency.

Build Commands

Build for all platforms (requires appropriate environment):

npm run build:all

Build for specific platforms:

npm run build:win   # Windows
npm run build:mac   # macOS
npm run build:linux # Linux

Or just build for the current platform:

npm run build

Build Outputs

The built applications will be available in the dist directory:

• Windows:

  • NSIS Installer (.exe)
  • Portable version (.exe)

• macOS:

  • DMG disk image (.dmg)
  • ZIP archive (.zip)

• Linux:

  • AppImage (.AppImage)
  • Debian package (.deb)
  • RPM package (.rpm)

Customizing Builds

You can customize the build configuration in the build section of package.json. See the electron-builder documentation for more options.

Development

If you want to contribute to Jumpstart or build it from source, follow these steps:

1. Make sure you have Node.js installed (version 14 or higher recommended)

2. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/alanvww/jumpstart-electron.git
   cd jumpstart-electron
   

3. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

4. Start the application in development mode:

   npm start
   

5. Make your changes and test them

6. Build the application using one of the build commands mentioned in the "Building for Production" section

License

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2025 Alan Ren