Command Line

npm install -g @desktopengine/sdk
desktopengine --help

folder defaults to the current folder. Projects with src/index.ts (or src/index.js) are bundled first and can use import, TypeScript and npm packages; projects without src/ are used as they are, with index.js at the root as the entry. See Projects and Builds.

create

desktopengine create <type> <folder> [--renderer <renderer>] [--id <identifier>] [--name <name>]

Creates a project from a template.

Argument	Description
<type>	wallpaper, widget or pet
<folder>	The folder of the new project
--renderer	A template drawn another way, only for wallpapers for now: webgl, three, pixi. Run npm install after creating a three or pixi project, see Drawing with WebGL or a rendering library
--id	The manifest's id, com.example.<folder name> by default
--name	The manifest's name

dev

desktopengine dev [folder] [options]

Runs the project in DesktopEngine, rebuilds and reloads it when files change, and prints its console output and uncaught exceptions. Press Ctrl-C to stop.

Option	Description
--size small|medium|large	The widget size; the first of widget.sizes when it isn't one of them
--level desktop|floating	On the desktop, or above all windows; by default pets float above windows and the rest are on the desktop
--display <number>	The display to run on, starting at 1; the main display by default
--span	A wallpaper across all displays, when manifest.json declares wallpaper.span
--param <key=value>	The value of an option, can be repeated; the others take the manifest's default
--position <x,y>	The window position
--port <port>	The port to listen on, random by default
--perf	Shows the frame rate, frame time, CPU, wake-ups and memory, see Performance
--no-open	Prints the URL that connects DesktopEngine instead of opening it

These options stand in for what the user picks in the details pane: the launchOptions your content reads are the same as once installed.

build

desktopengine build [folder] [--minify]

Bundles src/index.(ts|js), the modules and npm packages it imports into one index.js, and puts it with the manifest and assets in dist/package/. --minify makes the bundle smaller.

validate

desktopengine validate [folder]

Checks manifest.json and the entry by the app's rules, building src/ first. Exits with status 1 when there are errors, so it fits in CI.

pack

desktopengine pack [folder] [--out <folder>] [--minify]

Builds, validates and zips the package into <id>-<version>.zip (in the project's dist/ by default), which File › Import… in DesktopEngine imports.