"Chrome Apps will no longer be launchable on Windows, Mac, and Linux"

[rdmdk]

https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/174381169?visit_id=638094580633455921-3194347272&p=chrome_app_deprecation&rd=1

Well that's a shame

Applicationize has been really useful over the years

[eladnava]

Hi @rdmdk, Unfortunately, that appears to be the case. Chrome has always hinted at removing support for Packaged Apps and Hosted Apps.

We have yet to see whether loading Packaged Apps via .crx file will still work (or if this will only affect the Chrome Web Store apps). If not, then unfortunately, this project will become deprecated, and the alternative is already built-into Chrome.

Google Chrome comes with a built-in feature called Application Shortcuts. It basically makes it possible to convert any web page (or web app) into a desktop app by clicking the hamburger icon in the top right -> More Tools -> "Create Shortcut" and ticking "Open as window".

Give it a try, and let me know if it works for you.

[rdmdk]

@eladnava

Only raised this because yesterday I had started getting notifications whenever I opened the app that Chrome/Chromium no longer supported it. Though I am still able to access it but only after acknowledging it's no longer supported which can get annoying rather quickly.

Their support docs recommended converting it to a PWA so I added a service worker to one of my lightweight webapps but that adds a toolbar to the top of the app (not ideal), similar to what gets added when creating a shortcut via More Tools as you suggested.

Presently looking at alternative webapp to nativeapp solutions though they're not quite as convenient as Applicationize :)

[eladnava]

@rdmdk Have you tried the built-in "Create Shortcut" functionality in my reply above?

Why didn't that fit that bill?

You can also take a look at nativefier as an alternative.

[rdmdk]

@eladnava

I had tried the Create Shortcut method before I even came across Applicationize but the unslightly toolbar atop of the app window is what put me off - and converting a webapp to a PWA adds the same toolbar - and the minimum width of the shortcut/PWA is still a bit too wide for my liking :)

I've also tried Nativefier and it generally works quite well minus the large filesize (100+MB)

[Genxster1998]

Its indeed not good replacement at all , i just hate electron apps to add other instance of chromium engine and other chrome pwa apps cause to launch chrome first always , make me annoyed to minimise it .Any patch exist to resolve it ?

[maxhayim]

Yeah a clients web app stopped working, had to download the official one. I knew the message was appearing for months and today it just stopped working.