BigBox - AI Generated Micro-Apps Platform

Create, Manage and Run Self-Contained Web Apps

Screenshots

Home Page

App Generation Modal

📱 Overview

BigBox is a mobile-first Progressive Web App (PWA) that enables users to generate and run HTML micro-apps through an AI chat interface. Apps are executed in secure sandboxed iframes and stored locally using IndexedDB. The platform features an Android-style home screen interface optimized for mobile devices with full offline capabilities.

✨ Key Features

• AI-Generated Apps: Chat interface to create fully functional web apps
• Android-Style Interface: Mobile-optimized home screen with app grid
• Secure Sandbox Environment: Apps run in isolated iframes
• Offline-First: Full functionality without internet connection
• Progressive Web App: Installable on any device with modern browsers
• Local Storage: All data remains on device using IndexedDB

🏗️ Architecture

The project is organized as a monorepo with the following structure:

BigBox/
├── packages/
│   ├── bigbox-pwa/           # Main PWA Application
│   └── sandbox-manager/      # Core SDK for sandbox management
└── docs/                     # Documentation

Core Components

1. HomeShell UI: Android-style interface with wallpapers, app grid, and dock
2. SandboxManager SDK: Core library for managing and running sandboxed applications
3. Service Worker: PWA capabilities and offline caching
4. IndexedDB: Local storage for app data and generated content

🛠️ Tech Stack

• Frontend: React 18 + TypeScript + Vite
• Styling: Custom CSS with Android-inspired design
• PWA: Workbox Service Worker + Web Manifest
• Storage: IndexedDB with idb library
• Package Manager: pnpm workspace
• Build Tools: Vite with PWA plugin

🔄 PWA Features

• Installable: Add to home screen on any device
• Offline Support: Works without internet connection
• App-Like Experience: Fullscreen mode, no browser chrome
• Fast Loading: Service worker caching for assets
• Background Sync: Ready for future API integration

🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• pnpm (recommended) or npm

Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/BigBox.git
cd BigBox

# Install dependencies
pnpm install

# Start development server
pnpm --filter bigbox-pwa dev

# Access the app at http://localhost:5174/

Build and Preview

# Build for production
pnpm --filter bigbox-pwa build

# Preview production build
pnpm --filter bigbox-pwa preview

🔍 AI App Generation

BigBox comes with two modes for generating apps:

1. Demo Mode: Works without API keys and provides basic app templates

   • Calculator
   • Todo List
   • Timer

2. Full AI Mode: Requires OpenAI API key

   • Generates custom apps based on user prompts
   • Full HTML/CSS/JavaScript capabilities
   • Supports complex interactions and functionality

🧩 SandboxManager SDK

The core SDK (@bigbox/sandbox-manager) provides functionality for:

• Creating and storing sandboxes
• Running apps in secure iframes
• Managing lifecycle (start, pause, resume, stop)
• Content hashing for deduplication
• Event system for real-time updates

📱 Mobile Experience

BigBox is designed mobile-first with:

• Responsive design with mobile breakpoints
• Touch-optimized interactions
• Android-style navigation and UI elements
• Fullscreen mode for app-like experience
• Install prompt for adding to home screen

🔒 Security Model

• Sandbox Isolation: Apps run in iframes with restricted permissions
• Content Security: No external resource access by default
• Local Storage: All data stays on device
• Content Hashing: Integrity verification for generated apps

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

📝 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.