Port Node.js/Express.js + MongoDB Application to Desktop

Question

I have recently started the development of an App that was intended for the web, using Express.js + MongoDB to define a RESTFull Interface, all this is coupled with an HTML5 frontend that uses AJAX to receive and write data.

The first couple of beta-testers reported that they'd not be ok with the app being a web-application and would much rather have everything on their own computer for security reasons (personal data is handled).

Now, I know that there are a couple of ways to make a Node.js application appear like a native app see Packaging a node.js webapp as a normal desktop app [closed] . I already tried NW.js but I can't seem to find an option to actually run the express.js part of the application within the limits of NW.js.

To my questions:

• Is there a way to run a restful api programmed with node & express within NW.js?
• Is it possible to run MongoDB inside that container?
• If both or either one are not true, is there a framework that supports running express & mongodb as a desktop application with my app?

Answer 1

I would focus the effort you would put into porting your app into making those same customers feel comfortable with your security measures for protection their data in the existing web-application format.

But if you really want them to run it locally then they probably need their own Mongo installed. Instead of a full blown mongo install I found NeDB. It implements the same Mongo api's so you should be able to port easily.

https://github.com/louischatriot/nedb

Embedded persistent or in memory database for Node.js, nw.js, Electron and browsers, 100% Javascript, no binary dependency.