Until app_shell is created, here is a workaround for building, installing, and running a standalone Chrome App for Windows.
- Use
chrome://extensions
to package your app. The approach we're outlining here doesn't work for unpacked apps. - You should have a
.crx
file that is your packaged app.
- Download the latest Chromium Portable.
- Install it into a local directory like
C:\tmp
. While the install will create a portable version of Chromium, there are several paths that are recorded in the settings which you may want to scrub before shipping. - In the same folder as
ChromiumPortable.exe
create a file calledChromiumPortable.ini
with the textDisableSplashScreen=true
. This will disable the Chromium Portable splash screen from showing when you launch your app.
- Run Chromium Portable.
- Drag the
.crx
file on to the window and install the app. - Open
chrome://extensions
and copy the ID of your app.
-
Close Chromium Portable.
-
Open a Command Prompt and run (replace "APPID" with your app id):
$ ChromiumPortable\ChromiumPortable.exe --app-id=APPID
-
Your app should launch in a window of its own.