Creating a quick launcher for Android using the web
I built a simple tool, shortcut.cool, to create custom launchers for Android using the web. It leverages the power of PWAs, service workers, and the web app manifest, specifically the shortcuts feature. The tool allows you to define a set of .new domain shortcuts, which then get encoded into the URL. This URL points to a dynamically generated manifest file that Chrome uses to install the PWA with the specified shortcuts on your home screen. The project is a bit of an experiment and has some limitations, like the inability to update existing PWAs and potential security concerns from URL-encoded data. However, it’s a fun example of how the web can be used to create quick, personalized tools.