Bubbles (Windows)
If you are using a computer with Windows installed, the resource you can turn to to turn a website into a program is Bubbles. It is in fact a completely free software that, in fact, allows you to make the online services most frequently used in software. Its use is very elementary, to the point that there is no need to even explain how it works.
In any case, if you want to use it, the first step you must take is to connect to the download page of the program on the Softonic website and then click on the button free Download which is at the top right and you have to wait a few moments for the software download to be started and completed. If the download procedure does not start automatically, click on the hit Alteranative download which is at the bottom of the screen to manually force it by taking the reference file from another source.
Then open the Bubbles installation file obtained, press on Si and, in the window that opens on the desktop, click the button I Agree. Prize for your Next and install to start the actual installation process.
At the end of the procedure, the main window of Bubbles will open. There are, already configured, some Internet services that are widely used. If you don't use them, you can remove them by clicking on them, then pressing the button Delete and later on that Yes.
As for the procedure for creating a program starting from an online service of your choice, all you have to do is type in the field that you find under the heading Add Bubble at the top the address of the reference online service then click on the button Add.
Bubbles will then open the online service you added in a new window. You just have to enter your identification data that may be required to use the service and that's it. To start the same online service in the future you can act from Start menuby clicking the button with the windows flag that you find at the bottom left of the application bar, then clicking on the item Bubbles and then pressing on the name of the previously created program.
Alternatively, you can create a shortcut to add to the desktop in order to access programs created directly from there. To do this, right-click on the program name in the menu Bubbles in Start menu and, continuing to hold down, drag the icon onto the desktop and then release the “grip”. Et voila! To start it, just double-click on it.
Also keep in mind that if you close the window containing an online service, the icon of the latter will be shown among those attached to the notification area (next to the Windows clock). This way, you can double-click the icon and start the service from there. Convenient, right?
Chrome (Windows)
As I told you at the beginning of the guide, it is possible to transform a website into the program also by exploiting Chrome, the Google home web browser. In its variant for Windows there is in fact a special option that allows you to transform any website into a desktop application in its own right which can therefore be opened in a special window of the big G browser, without having to call up the latter every time and without having to type the relevant link in the address bar.
You ask me how to take advantage of this special function? I'll point it out to you right away. First start Chrome on your Windows PC (if you haven't already installed it, you can fix it immediately by following the instructions I gave you in my post on how to download Chrome). Then type in the address bar the URL of the online service you want to transform into a computer program and press the key Submit sulla tastiera from the PC.
Now, click on the button [...] located in the upper right part of the browser window, select Other tools from the menu that appears and then click on Add to desktop…. Then type the name you want to assign to the application you are about to create in the appropriate field attached to the window that appears on the screen, leave the option checked Open as window and then click on the button Add.
Once this is done, the icon of the online service of your choice will be added to the Windows desktop and you can therefore access it "on the fly" by simply double clicking on it, as you usually do with any other program installed on your computer . In this way, a Chrome window will open separately from the browser and relative to the reference service.
If you want, you can also add the newly created application to the Windows taskbar in such a way as to have it always and in any case at hand, or rather by clicking. To do this, drag the shortcut that was added to the desktop to the taskbar and you're done. Then when you want to start the app, just click on its icon. Convenient!
Fluid (Mac)
Are you using a Mac? If so, the resource you can call upon to turn a scheduled website is called Fluid. It is a free application (but possibly also available in a paid variant with additional features) that is perfectly capable of fulfilling the purpose in question, also offering the possibility of making various types of customizations to the applications generated. For example, you can choose the icon, the user agent and so on.
To use it, first of all visit the Fluid website and then click on the button free Download which is on the right to download the free version of the program on your Mac. Once the download is complete, extract the ZIP archive obtained from any location on your computer, then drag the app icon to the MacOS Applications folder and open it by clicking on it and choosing the item apri twice in a row (in order to circumvent the limitations imposed by Apple on unauthorized developers).
Now that you see the program window on your desktop, enter in the field corresponding to the item URL: the URL of the online service that you can turn into an application for your Mac and in the field next to the item Name: the name you intend to assign to the reference application.
Then use the drop-down menus next to the items Location: e Icon: to select, respectively, the location on the Mac where you want to save the application file and the type of icon you intend to use for the app you are about to create (you can choose to use the site favicon or you can set a custom icon ) then presses the button Create and it's done.
Then go to the position where you previously chose to save the application and you will find yourself in the presence of your "creation" that you can start by simply double clicking on it, as you usually do with any other app on macOS.
I also point out that if you deem it appropriate you can make some customizations to the newly created application by selecting the name of the menu bar at the top left, then clicking on the wording Preferences ... and then using the commands attached to the configuration window of Fluid that you see appear.
From there you can therefore adjust the opacity level of the window, the font used, you can choose whether to open the links in the application window or in the default browser, whether to enable plugins, whether to block pop-ups and so on. Some functions, keep this in mind, are the prerogative of those who decide to buy the paid version of Fluid. All changes will then be applied at the next restart of the application.
As for the elimination of applications created with Fluid, you can behave as you usually do with any other app installed on Mac: drag its icon onto the basket attached to Dock bar and empty it by right clicking on it and choosing the option Empty the trash per due turn consecutive.
Hermit (Android)
Instead of being a computer, do you have the habit of acting as a mobile and would you therefore like to understand if there is something similar to the above solutions for smartphones and tablets? Of course yes. If you have an Android device you can in fact appeal to the app Hermit which is intended precisely for the purpose in question. In fact, this is a free application (which however offers in-app purchases to unlock additional features) that allows you to transform any website into real apps that will be accessible from the main Hermit screen, with a customized icon and to which it will be You can apply any further customizations.
To use it, first download it on your Android device by grabbing it, unlocking it, tapping on the icon of the Play Store (the one with the multicolor “Play” symbol), by typing Hermit in the appropriate search field, selecting the relevant result and then tapping on Install e Accept on the next screen. If you want, you can speed up the steps I just indicated by tapping here directly from the screen of your device.
When installation is complete, start Hermit by pressing on its icon that has been added to the screen where those of all the other apps installed on the device are also present and press on Proceed then stop on the button [+] which is at the bottom right, on the board Create your own and enter the website address of the reference service in the appropriate field at the top of the screen.
Then press the button with the arrow that you see appear in the lower right corner of the screen and fill in the form displayed by first choosing the icon you want to assign to the app you are about to create from the section on the left (you can use the favicon of the site, an image with the initial of the service or a customized image) then indicate the name you want to assign to the application in the field below the item Choose a name for your Lite App and to conclude the stage on the button Create a lite app which is at the bottom right.
Once you see the main screen of the newly created application you can immediately start using it. If you want, you can make any customizations by pressing thegear at the top right and using the options attached to the menu that appears (you can change the font used, the zoom, etc.).
If you then want to access the app in the future you can do it simply by pressing on the relative icon attached to the main Hermit screen. To remove the app, however, presses the button [...] that you find next to his name on the main Hermit screen and choose Remove give the menu check if you press.
How to turn website into program
