Hey everyone, I’m just looking for some advice on ...

# server

[Mark Iantorno]

Hey everyone, I’m just looking for some advice on how to set up this project I’m working on. I need to stand up a server with an exposed API other applications can hit, with a front end gui that users can interact with. In addition to being able to deploy this as a server on VM, I need to be able to package the whole thing as a standalone application users can run locally on windows, linux, and osx when they don’t have access to the internet. I was thinking of using ktor as the back end and kotlin js for the front end, but I want to make sure I’m setting the project up correctly. If I use the default Kotlin -> JS Client and JVM Server | Gradle new project setup in IntelliJ, will this provide the project structure necessary for these requirements? Or is there a better starter project to use? Also, has anyone had experience doing this kind of dual purpose project? One that needs to be deployed as a stand-alone server with a front end, and also needs to be packaged as an application that can be run locally without internet?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I think I have a good idea on where to start after reading though a bunch of the documentation, I just want to make sure I’m not missing anything.

[Guy Dupont]

I am working on something kinda similar, actually. Have you looked into KTOR?
https://ktor.io/

Really easy way to build a server in Kotlin, and you can bundle it as an executable jar. You can bundle a browser based front end with it.

[Mark Iantorno]

Yeah! I did look at it, and was messing around with the demos. If I do a Kotlin/JS front end, as part of the kotor project, will it still be as simple as packaging as a jar to distribute as an executable? I'm looking for the same kind of feel as an Electron app, ie I want users to feel like the standalone app is an actual application, not a tab in their web browser

[Guy Dupont]

yeah I was about to suggest electron as an alternative. I think the way I suggested would definitely lean towards users opening a browser. If you do go the .jar route, you could bundle a Java based front-end, which would definitely feel more like a native app

[Guy Dupont]

we've used https://tornadofx.io/ in the past

[Guy Dupont]

our devs love it

[Mark Iantorno]

Yeah, I only want to write the front end once, in JS and then have it look identical in the app and as a webpage when people access the server through their browser. I think electron might be the way to go. Do you know of any examples of people using Electron with a Ktor project?

[Mark Iantorno]

Is it even possible?

[Guy Dupont]

ktor servers cant run on JS yet, but you could use kotlin to wrap express.js for the server part

[Guy Dupont]

entirely possible, maybe a pain in the butt

[Mark Iantorno]

Okay, thanks. I'm probably going to start with a ktor project and see what it feels like booting the whole thing as a jar, and then go from there. Thanks for the guidance on this.

[Guy Dupont]

no worries, and actually - looks like you may be able to get the best of both worlds:

https://medium.com/@daniel.bischoff/integrating-chromium-as-a-web-renderer-in-a-java-application-with-jcef-72f67a677db6

[Mark Iantorno]

Oh, that's interesting

[Mark Iantorno]

thanks

[jaguililla]

You can also embed a browser with JavaFX using TornadoFX

[Guy Dupont]

oh nice!

[jaguililla]

You can find an example here:

[jaguililla]

https://github.com/hexagonkt/sidekick/tree/master/main

[jaguililla]

It embeds a CodeMirror or Ace editor component in a JavaFX application

[Mark Iantorno]

Hey Thanks! I'll take a look

[jaguililla]

If you have any problem running it, you can contact me. I’m developing it… Good luck!

[Jilles van Gurp]

Spring boot with Expedia's Kotlin graphql integration is a nice alternative to ktor. And it comes with a playground UI. I was playing with this a few days ago. You can even generate API clients from the graphql schema.

Otherwise, I would not mix UI and backend code in one project and keep them separated. Kotlin-js is very immature still so I would consider that a risk. It kind of works but you are kind of on your own figuring things out.