Runbox

Electron desktop playground for running code in one split-screen workspace. Runbox ships with JavaScript ready to go, and now includes the plumbing for on-demand Python runtime installs without requiring the user to manage Python manually.

Stack

• Electron
• React
• TypeScript
• Monaco Editor

Scripts

npm install
npm run dev
npm run build
npm run package:mac
npm run package:win

Current capabilities

• Split editor/output layout
• Monaco-based code editor
• Manual run and auto-run
• Separate stdout and stderr panels
• Timeout and stop controls
• Persistent tabs and layout restore
• JavaScript execution in an isolated child process
• Python runner support
• In-app runtime installation flow for languages that are not bundled yet
• GitHub Releases auto-update hooks

Architecture

• src/renderer: UI, editor, output panels
• src/preload: safe bridge between renderer and Electron main
• src/main: window lifecycle, IPC, execution manager, runtime manager
• src/main/runners: language adapters
• src/main/runtimes: language runtime detection and installation
• src/shared: IPC payload and event types

Adding another language later

1. Create a runner in src/main/runners.
2. Return a PreparedRun with command, args, and cleanup logic.
3. If the language needs its own runtime, add a controller in src/main/runtimes.
4. Register the runner in src/main/runners/registry.ts.
5. The UI will pick it up from the shared language registry response.

Python runtime packages

Runbox expects Python runtime archives to be hosted by you and downloaded from inside the app when the user selects Python.

1. Open src/main/runtimes/python-config.ts.
2. Fill in the url for each supported platform.
3. Optional but recommended: fill in the sha256 checksum.
4. Package each archive so the extracted layout matches the configured entryPoint.

Expected archive layout examples:

macOS zip
  python/
    bin/
      python3

Windows zip
  python/
    python.exe

Notes:

• In development, Runbox will fall back to RUNBOX_PYTHON_PATH or a python3/python command found on your PATH.
• In packaged builds, users can select Python in the language dropdown and click the right-side install action to fetch the runtime.
• The same install flow can be reused later for Java, Go, or other languages.

Auto updates

Runbox now includes an update manager wired for GitHub Releases via electron-updater.

1. Set runboxUpdater.owner and runboxUpdater.repo in package.json.
2. Publish packaged builds to that GitHub repository's Releases page.
3. Use npm run package:mac and npm run package:win to generate installer artifacts.

Notes:

• macOS auto-update needs the zip target alongside dmg, which is already enabled.
• In dev mode, update checks stay disabled. Test updates with a packaged build.