App Container
Run any HTML5 app as a native mobile experience — no publishing required.
App Container is a high-performance mobile shell for iOS and Android that turns HTML5 web applications into full-screen, native-feeling experiences. Install it once, load any number of HTML5 projects, and launch them as standalone applications — all running privately and locally on the device with zero cloud dependencies.
🚀 Why App Container?
Publishing dedicated mobile apps for every HTML5 control interface or dashboard is slow, cumbersome, and expensive. App Container removes that barrier: package your project as a .zip or .ch5z archive, load it into the container, and launch it immediately — full-screen, offline-capable, and without browser chrome or restrictions.
It is specifically tailored for:
- Building Automation & Smart Home Panels — Run Crestron, KNX, AMX, QSC, or custom HTML5 control UIs on dedicated iOS/Android tablets.
- Industrial & Commercial Dashboards — Deploy HTML5 UIs to floor-mounted, desktop, or wall-mounted touch panels.
- HTML5 UI Developers — Test and debug web applications on real hardware instantly without needing a full mobile development environment.
🔑 Core Features
🗂️ Project & Multi-Management
- Multiple Project Hosting: Host and organize multiple HTML5 projects simultaneously within a single app instance. Each project maintains its own configuration, custom icon, and access rules.
- Flexible Loading: Load projects from local files (
.zip,.ch5z), direct web URLs, or the built-in demo library. Instant switching between projects. - iOS File Association: On iOS,
.ch5zfiles register as a system file type, allowing projects to be opened directly from the iOS Files app or any system Share Sheet. - Smart Object Bindings: Connect UI components to control system data using classic joins, string joins, and JSON datasources.
🌐 Full-Fidelity Web Rendering & Offline Connectivity
- Unrestricted WebView: Runs with full JavaScript support, unrestricted media autoplay, and zero cross-origin restrictions for local content.
- Localhost Connectivity & Storage: Store and execute projects directly from local device storage for complete offline operation without external web hosting.
- CORS & SSL Bypass: Self-signed and expired SSL certificates are accepted — essential for local network AV deployments.
fetchandXMLHttpRequestcalls to external hosts are transparently proxied through the on-device server, eliminating mixed-content and CORS issues without code modifications.
⚙️ Display Controls & Immersion
Fine-grained control over the device display and navigation chrome:
| Setting | Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Status Bar | Visible / Hidden / Extended behind | Controls top status bar rendering |
| Navigation Bar | Visible / Hidden | Hides Android bottom system navigation bar |
| Full Immersive Mode | Enabled / Disabled | Hides both status and navigation bars for total immersion |
| Screen Orientation | Auto / Portrait / Landscape | Locks UI orientation to target hardware layout |
| Keep Screen Awake | On / Off | Prevents device screen dimming or sleeping |
| Settings Button | Visible / Hidden | Toggle visibility of the floating gear icon for container settings |
On iOS, all display settings are also accessible directly from the native iOS Settings app.
🔒 Kiosk Mode & Unattended Deployments
Lock down the hardware for public, commercial, or unattended deployments:
- Android Screen Pinning: Activates system lock task (
startLockTask()) with optional PIN protection via device security settings. - iOS Guided Access: Guided setup for single-app locking with direct accessibility shortcuts.
🛠 ️ Developer Console & Diagnostics
- Console Inspector: Captures
console.log,warn,error,info, uncaught exceptions, and unhandled promise rejections, filterable by log level with millisecond-precision timestamps. - Network Monitor: Real-time monitoring of all
fetchandXMLHttpRequesttraffic, displaying HTTP methods, target URLs, status codes, response times, and failed resource loads.
🔗 Custom URL Parameter Management
Define key/value parameter pairs that are automatically appended to project URLs globally or per-project. Inject security tokens, server hostnames, or environment flags dynamically into web projects without editing source files.
📡 Remote Management API
Access the device management panel at http://{device-ip}:8080/manage from any web browser on the local network:
- Remotely switch the active project
- Upload, install, and delete project archives
- Capture live device screen snapshots
- Execute hardware control commands (on supported AVstudio touch panels)
- Manage OEM WebRTC/WHEP stream proxies
Access is secured via a Bearer token generated in the app settings.
🧩 Advanced API Modules
App Container includes specialized APIs for high-performance video streaming and touch panel hardware integration:
📱 Touch Panels (AVS-10 / AVS-15)
Commercial-grade 10.1" and 15.6" PoE+ touch panels powered by AVstudio Runtime. Built-in RS-232/485, relays, GPIO, RGB status LED, and environmental sensors.
🔌 Remote Hardware API
Control terminal shells, GPIO & Relays, RS-232/485 serial ports, RGB LEDs, UDP sockets, RTC sleep/wake schedules, and OEM app execution on AVstudio panels.
🎥 Streaming API (Native Player)
Integrate ultra-low latency RTSP camera video overlays into HTML5 apps using Flutter's native libmpv/FFmpeg engine with hardware acceleration.
🌐 WebRTC / WHEP Proxy
Bridge RTSP streams to browser-compatible WebRTC over WHEP (WebRTC HTTP Egress Protocol) for zero-plugin playback in standard web browsers.
📱 Platform Availability
| Platform | Availability | Download Link |
|---|---|---|
| iOS (iPhone & iPad) | Available | Download on App Store |
| Android (Phone & Tablet) | Available | Download on Google Play |
| macOS | Available | Included in universal app build |
| Windows | Coming Soon | In development |
Source code and issue tracking are available on GitHub at AVstudio-Inc/App-Container.
💳 Licensing & Subscriptions
Every new installation includes a 14-day free trial with full functionality — no user registration or account creation required.
Following the trial, uninterrupted access to full feature set and Remote APIs requires an active license plan:
- Monthly Subscription — Recurring monthly license
- Annual Subscription — Recurring annual license
- Lifetime License — One-time perpetual purchase
Subscriptions and purchases are securely managed through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, and existing purchases can be restored across devices at any time.