views:

32

answers:

2

Can HTML and javascript run offline like an application? I'm looking to running the webpage offline like silverlight OOB applications. But if the browser closes, I want some way to run the webpage again without going online. Is this possible?

+1  A: 

The HTML 5 draft introduces mechanisms for a webpage to be used as an offline application although, obviously, as a recent draft spec this isn't supported by all browsers.

You can also File > Save As and just save an HTML file and its associated JS locally.

David Dorward
A: 

Google Gears provides the kind of functionality that you're looking for. Google themselves are planning on phasing it out in favour of HTML5's draft (see David's response) but I think you will find Gears more mature [for the time being, at least], and (perhaps importantly, if you're considering redistribution) more consistent across different browsers.

[Further edit:] The Adobe AIR runtime allows you to run HTML and JavaScript applications on the desktop.

icio
does the client have to install gears?
Shawn Mclean
Yes. Gears is a browser plugin, not a magic piece of JavaScript that gives all sorts of access to the user's system.
David Dorward