Added desktop.launch method to launch GUI applications (#83)

* add gtk-launch and desktop.launch SDK method

* updated readme with examples for .launch

Author: mishushakov

.changeset/witty-buttons-smell.md

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+'@e2b/desktop-python': patch
+'@e2b/desktop': patch
+---
+
+added gtk-launch and launch SDK method

README.md

@@ -386,6 +386,29 @@ await desktop.files.write('/home/user/index.js', "console.log('hello')") // Firs
 await desktop.open('/home/user/index.js') // Then open it
 ```
 
+### Launch applications
+
+**Python**
+
+```python
+from e2b_desktop import Sandbox
+desktop = Sandbox()
+
+# Launch the application
+desktop.launch('google-chrome')
+```
+
+**JavaScript**
+
+```javascript
+import { Sandbox } from '@e2b/desktop'
+
+const desktop = await Sandbox.create()
+
+// Launch the application
+await desktop.launch('google-chrome')
+```
+
 ### Run any bash commands
 
 **Python**

packages/js-sdk/README.md

@@ -198,6 +198,17 @@ await desktop.files.write('/home/user/index.js', "console.log('hello')") // Firs
 await desktop.open('/home/user/index.js') // Then open it
 ```
 
+### Launch applications
+
+```javascript
+import { Sandbox } from '@e2b/desktop'
+
+const desktop = await Sandbox.create()
+
+// Launch the application
+await desktop.launch('google-chrome')
+```
+
 ### Run any bash commands
 
 ```javascript

packages/js-sdk/src/sandbox.ts

@@ -581,6 +581,18 @@ export class Sandbox extends SandboxBase {
 
     return result.stdout.trim()
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Launch an application.
+   * @param application - The application to launch.
+   * @param uri - The URI to open in the application.
+   */
+  async launch(application: string, uri?: string): Promise<void> {
+    await this.commands.run(`gtk-launch ${application} ${uri ?? ''}`, {
+      background: true,
+      timeoutMs: 0,
+    })
+  }
 }
 
 interface VNCServerOptions {

packages/python-sdk/README.md

@@ -155,8 +155,6 @@ desktop.press(["ctrl", "c"]) # Key combination
 
 ### Window control
 
-**Python**
-
 ```python
 from e2b_desktop import Sandbox
 desktop = Sandbox()
@@ -195,6 +193,16 @@ desktop.files.write("/home/user/index.js", "console.log('hello')") # First creat
 desktop.open("/home/user/index.js") # Then open it
 ```
 
+### Launch applications
+
+```python
+from e2b_desktop import Sandbox
+desktop = Sandbox()
+
+# Launch the application
+desktop.launch('google-chrome')
+```
+
 ### Run any bash commands
 
 ```python

packages/python-sdk/e2b_desktop/main.py

@@ -505,3 +505,9 @@ def get_window_title(self, window_id: str) -> str:
         Get the title of the window with the given ID.
         """
         return self.commands.run(f"xdotool getwindowname {window_id}").stdout.strip()
+
+    def launch(self, application: str, uri: Optional[str] = None):
+        """
+        Launch an application.
+        """
+        self.commands.run(f"gtk-launch {application} {uri or ''}", background=True, timeout=0)

template/e2b.Dockerfile

@@ -90,6 +90,10 @@ COPY ./wallpaper.png /usr/share/backgrounds/xfce/wallpaper.png
 RUN mkdir -p /home/user/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/
 COPY ./xfce4-desktop.xml /home/user/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-desktop.xml
 
+# Install gtk-launch and update desktop database
+RUN apt-get install -y libgtk-3-bin && \
+    update-desktop-database /usr/share/applications/
+
 # Copy firefox policies
 COPY firefox-policies.json /usr/lib/firefox-esr/distribution/policies.json
 COPY firefox-autoconfig.js /usr/lib/firefox-esr/defaults/pref/autoconfig.js