Mac App Creator From Website: Tips and Tricks for Customizing Your SSB Apps
Mac App Creator From Website: How To Turn Any Webpage Into A Native Mac App
Do you use web apps or websites frequently on your Mac? If so, you might have wished that they had native Mac app equivalents that you could launch from your Dock, customize to your preferences, and integrate with macOS features. Unfortunately, not every web app or website has a native Mac app version. But what if you could create one yourself?
Mac App Creator From Website
In this article, we'll show you how to turn any webpage into a native Mac app using site-specific browser (SSB) technology. We'll explain what SSBs are, how they work, and what benefits they offer. We'll also guide you through two methods of creating SSB apps on your Mac: one using the built-in Automator utility, and another using a third-party app called Unite. By the end of this article, you'll be able to create your own Mac app from any website in minutes.
What are the benefits of having native Mac apps from websites?
Before we dive into how to create native Mac apps from websites, let's first explore why you might want to do that in the first place. What are the advantages of having native Mac apps over web apps or websites?
Faster and more responsive performance
One of the main benefits of having native Mac apps from websites is that they tend to run faster and more smoothly than web apps or websites in a browser. This is because native Mac apps use less resources and have less overhead than browsers, which have to load multiple tabs, extensions, plugins, etc. Native Mac apps also have better caching and offline capabilities, which means they can load faster and work even when you're not connected to the internet.
Better integration with macOS features
Another benefit of having native Mac apps from websites is that they can integrate better with macOS features and functionalities. For example, native Mac apps can support dark mode, notifications, keyboard shortcuts, drag-and-drop, menu bar icons, Touch Bar controls, etc. These features can enhance your user experience and productivity when using your favorite web apps or websites on your Mac.
Easier access and customization
A third benefit of having native Mac apps from websites is that they can provide easier access and customization options than web apps or websites in a browser. For instance, native Mac apps can be pinned to your Dock or Launchpad for quick launching, whereas web apps or websites require you to open a browser and navigate to the URL. Native Mac apps can also have custom names and icons that suit your preferences, whereas web apps or websites have fixed names and icons that might not be very recognizable or appealing.
What are site-specific browsers and how do they work?
Now that we've seen some of the benefits of having native Mac apps from websites, let's look at how we can actually create them using site-specific browser (SSB) technology.
The concept and functionality of SSB technology
A site-specific browser (SSB) is a software tool that allows you to create a standalone Mac app by leveraging the web-based interface of any website or web app. The SSB app is essentially a pared-down browser that only displays the content of the website or web app that you want to access. The SSB app does not have any browser features such as tabs, bookmarks, history, extensions, etc. It only has the basic navigation and settings options that are relevant to the website or web app that it hosts.
The SSB app acts as a native Mac app that can be launched from your Dock or Launchpad, customized with your own name and icon, and integrated with macOS features such as dark mode, notifications, keyboard shortcuts, etc. The SSB app also has its own cache and cookies, which means it can load faster and work offline. The SSB app can also isolate the website or web app from other browser activities, which can improve security and privacy.
The difference between SSB apps and regular web apps
You might be wondering how SSB apps differ from regular web apps that you can install on your Mac from some websites or web app providers. For example, you can install web apps such as Gmail, Google Docs, Spotify, etc. on your Mac by using the "Create Shortcut" option in Chrome or the "Install App" option in Safari.
The main difference between SSB apps and regular web apps is that SSB apps are more flexible and customizable than regular web apps. You can create an SSB app from any website or web app that you want, whereas regular web apps are only available for certain websites or web app providers that support them. You can also customize the name and icon of your SSB app, whereas regular web apps have fixed names and icons that are determined by the website or web app provider. Moreover, you can integrate your SSB app with macOS features such as dark mode, notifications, keyboard shortcuts, etc., whereas regular web apps may not support these features or may have limited support.
How to use Automator to create a basic Mac app from a website
One of the easiest ways to create an SSB app on your Mac is to use the built-in Automator utility. Automator is a powerful tool that allows you to create workflows and scripts that automate various tasks on your Mac. You can use Automator to create a simple SSB app by following these steps:
The steps and settings for using Automator
Launch Automator from your Applications folder or Spotlight search.
Select "Application" as the document type and click "Choose".
In the Library pane on the left, select "Internet" and drag the "Get Specified URLs" action to the workflow area on the right.
Click the "+" button and enter the URL of the website or web app that you want to turn into an SSB app. For example, https://www.reddit.com.
In the Library pane on the left, select "Utilities" and drag the "Run Shell Script" action to the workflow area below the previous action.
In the Run Shell Script action, change the "Pass input" option to "as arguments". Then, delete the default script and paste this script instead: /Applications/Safari.app/Contents/MacOS/Safari "$@" &
This script will launch Safari with the URL that you specified in the previous action.
Click "File" and select "Save". Give your SSB app a name and choose a location to save it. For example, Reddit.app.
Close Automator and locate your SSB app in Finder. You can now launch it from Finder or drag it to your Dock or Launchpad for easier access.
The limitations and drawbacks of Automator
While using Automator to create an SSB app is simple and convenient, it also has some limitations and drawbacks that you should be aware of. Here are some of them:
The Automator SSB app is not very customizable. You cannot change its name or icon after saving it. You also cannot change its settings or preferences such as zoom level, window size, etc.
The Automator SSB app is not very secure or private. It shares the same cache and cookies as Safari, which means it can be affected by other browser activities such as browsing history, extensions, plugins, etc. It also does not support HTTPS encryption or password protection.
The Automator SSB app is not very stable or reliable. It can crash or freeze if Safari encounters any problems or errors. It also does not support offline mode or caching capabilities.
If you want to create a more advanced and robust SSB app on your Mac, you might want to consider using a third-party app called Unite.
How to use Unite to create a fully-featured Mac app from a website
Unite is a paid app that allows you to create a fully-featured Mac app from any website or web app with ease and flexibility. Unite is based on the WebKit engine, which powers Safari and other browsers, so it can display any website or web app with high fidelity and performance. Unite also offers many features and benefits that make it a superior choice for creating SSB apps on your Mac. Here are some of them:
The features and benefits of Unite
Unite allows you to customize your SSB app with your own name, icon, window size, zoom level, user agent, etc. You can also choose whether to show or hide the toolbar, status bar, scroll bars, etc.
Unite supports dark mode, notifications, keyboard shortcuts, drag-and-drop, menu bar icons, Touch Bar controls, etc. You can also enable or disable JavaScript, cookies, pop-ups, etc.
Unite provides security and privacy features such as HTTPS encryption, password protection, incognito mode, etc. You can also clear the cache and cookies of your SSB app at any time.
Unite supports offline mode and caching capabilities, which means your SSB app can load faster and work even when you're not connected to the internet.
Unite allows you to create multiple SSB apps from different websites or web apps and manage them easily from the Unite app. You can also update or delete your SSB apps at any time.
The steps and settings for using Unite
Download and install Unite from its official website: https://www.bzgapps.com/unite.
Launch Unite and click the "+" button to create a new SSB app.
Enter the URL of the website or web app that you want to turn into an SSB app. For example, https://www.reddit.com.
Enter a name for your SSB app. For example, Reddit.
Choose an icon for your SSB app. You can use the default icon provided by Unite, or you can select your own image file from your Mac.
Click "Create" to generate your SSB app. You can now launch it from Finder or drag it to your Dock or Launchpad for easier access.
To customize your SSB app further, right-click on its icon and select "Settings". You can change various options such as window size, zoom level, user agent, toolbar visibility, dark mode support, notifications support, etc.
Conclusion and FAQs
In this article, we've shown you how to turn any webpage into a native Mac app using site-specific browser (SSB) technology. We've explained what SSBs are, how they work, and what benefits they offer. We've also guided you through two methods of creating SSB apps on your Mac: one using the built-in Automator utility, and another using a third-party app called Unite.
We hope that this article has helped you to create your own Mac app from any website in minutes. Whether you want to have faster and more responsive performance, better integration with macOS features, easier access and customization, or more security and privacy, SSB apps can provide you with a great user experience and productivity boost when using your favorite web apps or websites on your Mac.
If you have any questions or comments about this article or SSB technology in general, feel free to leave them below. We'll try to answer them as soon as possible. Here are some FAQs that might be useful for you:
Q: Can I create an SSB app from any website or web app?
A: Yes, you can create an SSB app from any website or web app that has a web-based interface. However, some websites or web apps may not work well or at all in an SSB app due to various reasons such as incompatible browser features, unsupported plugins, blocked pop-ups, etc. In that case, you might want to use a regular browser instead of an SSB app.
Q: Can I use other browsers besides Safari to create an SSB app?
A: Yes, you can use other browsers besides Safari to create an SSB app using Automator. You just need to change the script in the Run Shell Script action to launch the browser of your choice instead of Safari. For example, if you want to use Chrome instead of Safari, you can use this script: /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome "$@" &
However, using other browsers besides Safari may not provide the same level of performance and integration with macOS features as Safari does. If you want to use a more advanced and flexible SSB app, we recommend using Unite instead of Automator.
Q: How much does Unite cost and where can I get it?
A: Unite costs $19.99 for a single license, which allows you to create unlimited SSB apps on one Mac. You can also get a family license for $29.99, which allows you to create unlimited SSB apps on up to five Macs. You can buy Unite from its official website: https://www.bzgapps.com/unite. You can also download a free trial version of Unite from the same website, which allows you to create up to two SSB apps and use them for 14 days.
Q: Are there any alternatives to Unite for creating SSB apps on Mac?
A: Yes, there are some alternatives to Unite for creating SSB apps on Mac, such as Fluid, Coherence X, and Epichrome. However, these alternatives may not have the same features and benefits as Unite, or they may have different pricing and licensing models. You can compare them and choose the one that suits your needs and budget best.
Q: Can I create SSB apps on other platforms besides Mac?
A: Yes, you can create SSB apps on other platforms besides Mac, such as Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, etc. However, the methods and tools for creating SSB apps on these platforms may vary depending on the availability and compatibility of the browsers and SSB technologies. You can search online for the best ways and tools to create SSB apps on your preferred platform. dcd2dc6462