webview/webview

★ 14,058C++Audience · developerComplexity · 3/5Setup · moderate

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((webview))
    What it does
      Desktop app window
      HTML CSS JS UI
      Two-way JS bridge
    Platform backends
      Linux GTK WebKit
      macOS native WebKit
      Windows WebView2
    Distribution
      Single header file
      CMake examples
      Direct compiler usage
    Audience
      C and C++ developers
      Desktop app builders

mindmap root((webview)) What it does Desktop app window HTML CSS JS UI Two-way JS bridge Platform backends Linux GTK WebKit macOS native WebKit Windows WebView2 Distribution Single header file CMake examples Direct compiler usage Audience C and C++ developers Desktop app builders

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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Build a lightweight desktop app with a web-based UI in C++ without shipping a full browser like Electron.

USE CASE 2

Create a cross-platform desktop tool that reuses an existing web frontend by embedding it in a native window.

USE CASE 3

Call C++ functions from JavaScript running in your app UI to connect the interface to native system APIs.

Tech stack

CC++CMakeWebKitGTKWebView2

Getting it running

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

On older Windows versions, requires installing the Microsoft Edge WebView2 runtime separately before the app can run.

License terms were not described in the explanation.

In plain English

webview is a small C and C++ library that lets developers build desktop applications with a user interface written in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Instead of creating native buttons and windows from scratch using platform-specific code, the application uses a web browser component to display its interface. The library handles the differences between operating systems so the same code can run on Linux, macOS, and Windows. On Linux it uses GTK and WebKitGTK as the underlying browser component. On macOS it uses the native WebKit framework built into the operating system. On Windows it uses Microsoft's Edge WebView2, which requires the WebView2 runtime to be installed (this comes pre-installed on Windows 11, older versions of Windows need it added separately). One of the key features is two-way communication between the C or C++ code and the JavaScript running inside the web view. You can call JavaScript functions from your C++ code, and you can also call back into C++ from JavaScript. This lets the visible interface and the underlying application logic stay connected without much extra setup. The library is distributed as a header file, which makes it easy to add to a project without a complicated build process. The README includes working examples in both C and C++ using CMake, showing how to open a window, set its title and size, and load HTML content. There are also instructions for compiling without CMake by invoking the compiler directly. The project describes itself as trying to provide a common HTML5 interface layer across major platforms. Documentation is embedded in the source code itself, and contributions to both documentation and code are welcomed through GitHub.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

Show me a minimal C++ example using webview that opens a window, sets a title, and loads an HTML string as the UI.

Prompt 2

How do I set up two-way communication between JavaScript in my webview UI and a C++ callback function?

Prompt 3

Walk me through building a webview project on Windows with CMake, including handling the WebView2 runtime dependency.

Prompt 4

What is the difference between calling JavaScript from C++ and calling C++ from JavaScript in the webview library, and when would I use each direction?

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