Tab Desktop vs StackBlitz
The two closest relatives on this list: both execute your project inside the browser rather than on a cloud machine. The difference is scope — StackBlitz is a web IDE around a Node.js runtime; Tab Desktop is an operating system in a tab, with several runtimes, a desktop, a file manager and cloud drives around the same idea.
StackBlitz: StackBlitz is a browser IDE whose WebContainers technology boots Node.js inside the tab, with a strong focus on JavaScript frameworks, instant project sharing and embedded examples.
Side by side
| Tab Desktop | StackBlitz | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your code runs | In your browser tab, on WebAssembly. No server runs your code. | In your browser tab (WebContainers), for Node.js projects. |
| Runtimes | Node.js, PHP 8.3 (WordPress, Laravel), Python, TypeScript, SQLite, a Postgres-compatible database, git, and more. | Node.js and the npm ecosystem; other languages are not the focus. |
| What it looks like | A desktop: windows, a dock, Tab Code (VS Code-class editor), terminals, Finder, a Browser app, office and media apps. | A single editor workspace with a preview pane. |
| Install / sign-up | Nothing to install; no account needed to start. | Nothing to install; an account for saving and sharing projects. |
| Cloning a repository | Paste any public git URL; it clones into the tab and runs. A launch button can be added to a README. | GitHub repositories open via a URL scheme; embeds and starters are a core feature. |
| Public URL for a dev server | One click in Harbor; browser-to-browser over WebRTC, relayed only for tools that cannot. | Preview URLs are part of the product. |
| Offline | Works offline once loaded; files are in the browser's storage. | Works offline once loaded, for the Node.js runtime. |
| Cloud drives | Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive mount as disks, talking to the provider directly. | Projects are saved to the StackBlitz account. |
| Privacy | Files stay on your device; relays carry only what you initiate and store nothing. | Projects are stored on StackBlitz's servers when saved. |
| Cost | Free; a paid plan adds cross-device sync of connected drives. | Free tier with paid plans for teams and private projects. |
Pick StackBlitz when
- You want a shareable, embeddable JavaScript example with the least possible ceremony
- Your work is entirely Node.js and a single editor pane is all you need
Pick Tab Desktop when
- The project is PHP, WordPress, Laravel or Python, or mixes runtimes
- You want a whole workspace — files, several servers, a browser, cloud drives — not one editor
- Nothing about the project should leave your device
Questions
Do both really run code in the browser?
Yes. That is what they have in common and what separates both from cloud-VM products. StackBlitz does it for Node.js; Tab Desktop does it for Node.js, PHP, Python and the rest of its runtimes.
Can I move a StackBlitz project to Tab Desktop?
If it is in a git repository, paste the URL on the front page. Otherwise download it and drop the folder onto the desktop.