Feature Request: Appify any url

Why?

Because using electron to package a web app seems really ridiculous compared to users being able to just “appify” any page themselves. Further, any webpage you typically have many tabs open of would be easier to keep tidy if those tabs were in a separate browser with a visually different taskbar icon.

Description

This is a new feature I longed to see for many years now. It goes:

1. Click Tab > Appify Tab Domain

2. Follow Prompts

Automatic updates? [enabled | ask | disabled]
Icon? [use favicon | custom image]
Urls? [open tabs domain | custom url list]
Where would you like to save this app? [choose location]

1. An “app” is created. When ran, the app opens up in the task bar as a separate “browser” with the specified icon. Like Electron but even easier.

Details of Use

• Any links which don’t share a domain with the “appified” site (external links) would be opened in an external browser (similar to clicking a link in any other application).
• Optionally disable URL bar or tab bar. Would make full screen web apps look like actual applications.
• If one appified browser crashes, others do not.
• Updates from the site are treated as “app updates.” The changes are made apparent.

Sites I personally would appify

• GitHub <-- so many tabs
• Gmail
• Internet Radio (tired of it crashing when things go wrong with other pages)

Inevitability

In any case, it’s only a matter of time before one browser creates this feature, then every other one will do so. Then every site will be begging you to appify it, yada yada. But the point is, you guys can (and should) be first. You’re doing a great job of pushing the internet forwards, Electro apps are obviously taking over the world, and you’re in a position to do one better than that.

[SephReed]

I personally don’t see this receiving priority over any existing development tasks

Thank you for being honest.

I personally would like to use PWAs instead of apps as well, but am not a fan of the complete lack of user control on how they’re generated… I’ll open a different more specific feature request for that.

[cclambie]

Just wanted to say thanks for this PWA is exactly what I have been looking for a solution for. I was asking for a way to change the app icon in the taskbar to the favicon on a tab (if a single tab was open in a window) and Boom! You, the great Brave have done it! Total convert now! Thanks!