# neutralinojs/neutralinojs

Portable and lightweight cross-platform desktop application development framework

Repository: https://github.com/neutralinojs/neutralinojs
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/neutralinojs
Homepage: https://neutralino.js.org
Language: C
License: NOASSERTION
License Family: other
Topics: neutralinojs, c-plus-plus, html, css, javascript, cross-platform, native-development, framework, json, http-server, hacktoberfest
Last push: 2026-08-26T00:21:18+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 93/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 82, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 2993, "days_push": 8, "days_rel": 40, "gap_med": 61, "n_releases_24m": 12}
- flags: no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 8615, forks 533 (observed 2026-08-28T04:10:23.827388+00:00)

## What it is
Neutralinojs is a lightweight, portable framework for building cross-platform desktop applications with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Unlike Electron, it does not bundle Chromium, instead using the OS's native webview and communicating with a C++ core over a secured WebSocket with an embedded static web server.

## Use cases
- build a lightweight cross-platform desktop app with html css and javascript
- electron alternative that doesn't bundle chromium
- make a web app that can access the operating system filesystem and run commands
- use react or vue frontend framework inside a native desktop app
- run a lightweight local server or message broker in cloud mode
- extend a desktop app backend with any programming language via IPC

## When to choose
- you want small binaries and low memory usage compared to Electron or NW.js
- you already know web technologies and want native OS access (files, commands, dialogs)
- you want fast builds with no compilation step for app code
- you need apps that also run in browser or Chrome modes

## When to avoid
- you need pixel-perfect identical rendering across platforms (no bundled Chromium)
- you need deep native integration like system trays, menus, or heavy native modules out of the box
- your app depends on Node.js ecosystem libraries directly in the main process

## Facets
- artifact type: framework
- maturity: active
- function: desktop-framework, web-framework, http-server, websocket, sdk, cli
- domain: desktop-applications, web-development, cross-platform, developer-tools
- platform: windows, cross-platform, browser
- tags: electron-alternative, lightweight, webview, no-chromium-bundling, native-api, ipc, frontend-frameworks, neu-cli, one-time-token-auth, linux, macos, nodejs, web-server

## Member repositories
- neutralinojs/neutralinojs (main) score 93

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:10:23.827388+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T17:25:53.291206+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/neutralinojs/neutralinojs (fetched 2026-08-28T04:10:23.827388+00:00, sha 8f9528501644)
  - homepage: https://neutralino.js.org (fetched 2026-08-29T08:26:25.961214+00:00, sha 99f2468303ed)
  - site_page: https://neutralino.js.org/docs/release-notes/framework (fetched 2026-08-29T08:26:25.972908+00:00, sha 9f47d265d67e)
  - site_page: https://neutralino.js.org/docs/contributing/security (fetched 2026-08-29T08:26:25.976724+00:00, sha aa33d15e709f)
  - site_page: https://neutralino.js.org/docs/getting-started/using-frontend-libraries (fetched 2026-08-29T08:26:25.978757+00:00, sha 95cb5f40a7a4)
  - site_page: https://neutralino.js.org/docs/how-to/extensions-overview (fetched 2026-08-29T08:26:25.980588+00:00, sha d269361e7a80)
  - site_page: https://neutralino.js.org/docs (fetched 2026-08-29T08:26:25.970707+00:00, sha 5a01682352e6)
  - site_page: https://neutralino.js.org/docs/api/overview (fetched 2026-08-29T08:26:25.982506+00:00, sha dc0f0b3af080)
  - site_page: https://neutralino.js.org/docs/cli/neu-cli (fetched 2026-08-29T08:26:25.984234+00:00, sha d455cff99148)
  - site_page: https://neutralino.js.org/docs/configuration/modes (fetched 2026-08-29T08:26:25.985977+00:00, sha 982cea7cc7d8)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.