Awesome NativePHP Apps Built by the Community

What is NativePHP?

NativePHP is a current toolkit that enables developers to make native desktop applications using plain PHP, without the use of the traditional web frameworks like Laravel or Symfony. It bridges the gap between desktop and web development so that PHP — traditionally only used for backend web services — can execute directly on the user’s machine as a standalone application.

By leveraging Electron under the hood, NativePHP enables developers to build cross-platform desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux with a large portion of the logic in PHP. That is, PHP coders can now build graphical applications, menu bar apps, notification systems, and more — without having to switch over to languages like JavaScript, C#, or Swift.

Key Features:

• Write Once, Run Anywhere: Develop once for several desktop platforms with PHP.
• No Framework Overhead: Light as a feather and lightweight — all PHP.
• Tinker-Friendly: Easy to prototype concepts, tools, or utilities.
• Works Seamlessly: Works with Laravel or independently.

NativePHP is ideal for:

PHP developers who are comfortable with PHP and want to try their hand at desktop application development

Internal tool development, developer tools, or taskbar applications

Quick idea development without the need to switch stacks

In short, NativePHP lets you think outside the browser but code in the language you love.

Why Build Without a Framework?

Why Go Without a Framework?

Frameworks like Laravel, Symfony, or CodeIgniter are wonderful to work with for developing web applications — but they introduce complexity, dependencies, and conventions that you don’t require, especially when developing lightweight desktop applications.

Here’s why you might prefer to go framework-less (or “native”) when coding with PHP:

1. Lightweight and Fast

Without the overhead of a full web framework, your app:

• Boots up faster
• Uses less system memory
• Has fewer dependencies to manage
• Perfect for utility libraries, quick prototypes, or internal tools.

2. More Control

You control the logic in any way you prefer, free from framework conventions or “magic methods.” Which means:

• You own your architecture outright
• No unexpected performance overhead
• Easier debugging and profiling

3. Smaller Packaging

Desktop apps typically don’t need routing, templating engines, or 
middleware layers. NativePHP with Electron handles the UI, and your backend PHP logic stays minimal. No database migrations, no queue workers — just focused functionality.

4. Excellent for Prototyping

Want to build a tool, visualize data, or test an API client locally? Native PHP apps let you:

• Skip deployment infrastructure
• Skip browser quirks
• Go from idea to working app in hours

5. Streamlined Learning Curve for Beginners

When you already have PHP basics under your belt, you can start building desktop applications without having to learn about JavaScript, React, or Electron internals.

6. Ideal for Dev Tools and Local Utilities

Need a custom:

• Log viewer?
• S3 file browser?

IP tracker or SMTP debugger?

Building it without a framework means fewer moving parts, less config, and quicker results.

Applications Built with NativePHP

🖥️ Productivity & Utilities

• LaraPass — A full-featured password manager

https://github.com/LaraPass/LaraPass-v1

• Logger Desktop App — View logs from local Laravel projects

https://github.com/opcodesio/log-viewer

• Object Storage Manager — Visual file manager for S3-compatible disks

https://github.com/mattsplat/ObjectStorageManager

• Psy REPL — GUI-based REPL for Laravel

https://github.com/Jacked-PHP/psy-repl

• IPTracker — Monitor IP address changes

https://github.com/modernben/iptracker

• PHP Dune — Portable PHP sandbox

https://github.com/pabloFdz/PHPDune

• TimeCode — Track global timezones from the menubar

https://github.com/nexxai/timecode

• TimeScribe — Time tracking without registration

https://timescribe.app/

• Watchdog — Website uptime monitoring

https://github.com/solutionforest/Watchdog

📬 Developer Tools

• Phost — Intercept local emails via SMTP

https://github.com/gwleuverink/phost

• Relay — Real-time GitHub workflow monitoring

https://github.com/gwleuverink/relay

• Cronikl — Manage scheduled cron jobs

https://github.com/simonhamp/cronikl

• RewriteGPT — Rewriting/translation with OpenAI

https://github.com/marcanthonysurmont/rewritegpt

• YaTTa! — Chat with OpenAI from your desktop

https://github.com/murdercode/yaTTA

🎮 Games & Fun Projects

• DOOM — A native PHP-powered version of DOOM

https://github.com/mho22/doom-native-php

• Daily Pursuit — A trivia game for iOS

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/daily-pursuit/id6740605199

🎨 Creativity & Customization

• Open Sketch App — Sketching/drawing app

https://github.com/kpicaza/open-sketch

• Hwei’s Brush — Customize your League of Legends profile

https://github.com/rico-vz/Hweis-Brush

• APNEE — Edit image metadata (EXIF, IPTC)

https://codeberg.org/atlza/apnee

📦 Laravel Desktop Utilities

• Larajobs Desktop — Job board notifier for Laravel developers

https://github.com/sawirricardo/larajobs-desktop

🌍 Environmental Tools

• Air Quality Index Taskbar App — Check AQI right from your taskbar

https://github.com/breadthe/aqi-desktop

NativePHP in Action — Tutorials & Videos

📹 YouTube Series

• Laravel Full App with NativePHP

Articles & Guides

Official Laravel News Tutorial

• NativePHP Tutorial: Building a Mac MenuBar application
• Overview: This step-by-step guide walks you through creating a time-zone tracking app using NativePHP and Laravel. It covers installation, setup, and building a functional MenuBar application.

Additional Tutorials and Guides

• DEV Community: Building a Menu Bar Desktop Application with NativePHP package in Laravel
• Overview: A comprehensive tutorial that demonstrates how to design and develop cross-platform desktop applications using Laravel and the NativePHP package.

Laravel News+2DEV Community+2DEV Community+2

• Medium by Moha: Running a Desktop App with PHPNative and Laravel: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Overview: This guide explores how to run a desktop app using PHPNative and Laravel, combining the power of web technologies with the versatility of desktop applications.

https://medium.com/%40m_64402/running-a-desktop-app-with-phpnative-and-laravel-a-step-by-step-guide-d6d7e034dec8

• Medium by Emin Çimen: Building a Desktop Application with NativePHP on Laravel
• Overview: An insightful article discussing the resurgence of PHP in modern application development and how to build a desktop application with NativePHP on Laravel.

https://emincimen.medium.com/building-a-desktop-application-with-nativephp-on-laravel-36e5a33d8d02

Tags & Technologies Used

Languages & Frameworks

• PHP — The core language behind all these applications
• NativePHP — Toolkit enabling PHP to run in desktop environments
• Laravel — Frequently used for backend logic and UI scaffolding
• Livewire — Real-time interfaces for Laravel apps
• Tailwind CSS — Utility-first CSS framework for styling interfaces

Platforms & UI Layers

• Electron — Enables building cross-platform desktop apps using web technologies
• macOS MenuBar — Many apps are built specifically for Mac menu bar utilities
• Mobile (iOS) — Some apps target mobile using NativePHP backends