Create windows .exe packager

Author: vinniefalco

.gitignore

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ env/
 dist/
 build/
 .eggs/
+*.spec.bak
 
 # Environment & secrets
 .env

README.md

@@ -160,6 +160,21 @@ cursor-chat-browser-python/
     └── workspace.html
 ```
 
+## Desktop App (Windows .exe)
+
+You can package the browser as a standalone desktop application with its own window - no Python installation required on the target machine.
+
+### Build
+
+```bash
+pip install pywebview pyinstaller
+pyinstaller cursor-browser.spec
+```
+
+This produces `dist/CursorChatBrowser/` containing `CursorChatBrowser.exe` and its supporting files. Move the folder anywhere you like, then pin the `.exe` to Start or the taskbar.
+
+The desktop app uses [pywebview](https://pywebview.flowrl.com/) to render the Flask UI inside a native window via Edge WebView2 (pre-installed on Windows 10/11). No HTTP server or port is opened - pywebview calls the WSGI app directly in-process.
+
 ## Technology Stack
 
 - **Backend:** Python 3, Flask

app.py

@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@
 from the Cursor editor's AI chat feature.
 """
 
+import sys
 from datetime import datetime
+from pathlib import Path
 
 from flask import Flask, render_template, send_from_directory
 
@@ -18,8 +20,24 @@
 from utils.exclusion_rules import resolve_exclusion_rules_path, load_rules
 
 
+def _get_base_path():
+    """Return the directory that contains templates/ and static/.
+
+    In a PyInstaller bundle the files live under sys._MEIPASS;
+    otherwise they sit next to this source file.
+    """
+    if getattr(sys, "frozen", False):
+        return Path(sys._MEIPASS)
+    return Path(__file__).resolve().parent
+
+
 def create_app(exclusion_rules_path=None):
-    app = Flask(__name__, static_folder="static", template_folder="templates")
+    base = _get_base_path()
+    app = Flask(
+        __name__,
+        static_folder=str(base / "static"),
+        template_folder=str(base / "templates"),
+    )
     app.config["JSON_SORT_KEYS"] = False
 
     # Exclusion rules: optional path (CLI or default ~/.cursor-chat-browser/exclusion-rules.txt).

cursor-browser.spec

@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+# PyInstaller spec for Cursor Chat Browser (--onedir mode).
+# Build:  pyinstaller cursor-browser.spec
+# Output: dist/CursorChatBrowser/CursorChatBrowser.exe
+
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+block_cipher = None
+src = Path(SPECPATH)
+
+a = Analysis(
+    [str(src / "launcher.py")],
+    pathex=[str(src)],
+    binaries=[],
+    datas=[
+        (str(src / "templates"), "templates"),
+        (str(src / "static"), "static"),
+    ],
+    hiddenimports=[
+        "api.workspaces",
+        "api.composers",
+        "api.logs",
+        "api.search",
+        "api.export_api",
+        "api.pdf",
+        "api.config_api",
+        "utils.exclusion_rules",
+        "utils.workspace_path",
+        "utils.path_helpers",
+        "utils.text_extract",
+        "utils.tool_parser",
+        "utils.cli_chat_reader",
+        "utils.cursor_md_exporter",
+    ],
+    hookspath=[],
+    hooksconfig={},
+    runtime_hooks=[],
+    excludes=[],
+    win_no_prefer_redirects=False,
+    win_private_assemblies=False,
+    cipher=block_cipher,
+    noarchive=False,
+)
+
+pyz = PYZ(a.pure, a.zipped_data, cipher=block_cipher)
+
+exe = EXE(
+    pyz,
+    a.scripts,
+    [],
+    exclude_binaries=True,
+    name="CursorChatBrowser",
+    debug=False,
+    bootloader_ignore_signals=False,
+    strip=False,
+    upx=True,
+    console=False,           # --windowed: no console window
+)
+
+coll = COLLECT(
+    exe,
+    a.binaries,
+    a.zipfiles,
+    a.datas,
+    strip=False,
+    upx=True,
+    upx_exclude=[],
+    name="CursorChatBrowser",
+)

launcher.py

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+"""Desktop launcher for Cursor Chat Browser.
+
+Opens the Flask app inside a native OS window via pywebview.
+No HTTP server or port is used; pywebview calls the WSGI app
+directly in-process.
+"""
+
+import webview
+
+from app import create_app
+
+
+def main():
+    app = create_app()
+    webview.create_window(
+        "Cursor Chat Browser",
+        app,
+        width=1280,
+        height=860,
+    )
+    webview.start()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

requirements.txt

@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 flask>=3.0
 fpdf2>=2.7
+pywebview>=5.0