From Desktop to Browser: Java Swing, Java FX, SWT, and Netbeans Apps for the Web - Without Starting Over

Modernise your legacy Java desktop app — Swing, SWT, JavaFX, or NetBeans — without rewriting. Webswing runs your app in any browser with zero code changes, secure delivery, and full modernisation potential.

If your business relies on a legacy Java desktop application built in Swing, SWT, JavaFX, or NetBeans, you're not alone. These frameworks may be outdated, but your app is still essential. Here's how Webswing helps you move forward - without rewriting everything from scratch.

You’re Not Alone - And You’re Not Stuck

Remember when Swing was cutting-edge? Or when NetBeans generated half the Java UI code in your company? Or how SWT made Eclipse tooling feel native?

Today, many of those apps still work. They run critical workflows, control systems, manage finances, and help real people do real jobs. But they were built for a time when Java Web Start existed, plugins worked in browsers, and users were okay with installing JREs.

Fast forward to this year:

Java Web Start is long gone
Browsers no longer support Java plugins
Client-side Java is often banned by security policies
Users expect apps to run in the browser - on any device, instantly

And rewriting your whole application including business logic from scratch in Angular or React? That’s a multiple-month / multiple-year detour with serious risks.

Why Rewrite from Scratch When You Can Redeploy?

Most Java desktop apps built in Swing, JavaFX, SWT or Netbeans are still functional. But their delivery model is broken. That’s where Webswing enters the picture.

Webswing lets you run your existing Java GUI app in a browser - without changing the code. No migration. No new framework. No learning curve for your dev team.

You keep:

Your existing codebase
Your business logic
Your workflows
Your team’s know-how

And you gain:

Browser-based delivery
Zero installation on the client
No plugins, applets, or runtimes required
Centralized deployment and access control
Full support for Swing, SWT, JavaFX, and NetBeans-generated GUIs

Which Framework Do You Use? Doesn’t Matter. Webswing Supports Them All.

🟢 Swing - Still the backbone of thousands of Java desktop applications. Fully supported by Webswing, including keyboard shortcuts, drag-and-drop, and complex UIs. See Swing demo.

🟠 JavaFX - Whether you use CSS styling, animations, or WebView components, Webswing supports most JavaFX applications out-of-the-box. See JavaFX demo.

🟣 SWT - Common in industrial apps, Eclipse-based tools, and control systems. Webswing also supports SWT. See our SWT demo here.

🟡 NetBeans GUIs - Built your UI with NetBeans? No problem. Webswing supports these layouts out of the box - it's all Swing, and that’s exactly what we’re built for. See Netbeans demo.

Webswing Modernisation: No Rewrite, All Reward

It takes your current app and “wraps” it into a browser-accessible experience using HTML5 canvas. The backend stays untouched. The frontend lives in the browser.

You get

🧠 Same business logic
🧑‍💻 Same development workflow
🔐 Improved security
🧪 Support for automated testing
☕ Compatibility with Java 8, 11, 17, and 21

Webswing is infrastructure-agnostic and works with OpenJDK, Oracle JDK, or even custom JVMs.

But What About the UI?

We get it of course. Sometimes you really don’t want your app to look like 2004 anymore. And that’s okay.

Unlike many RDP solutions, Webswing is not a dead end solution. Once your apps’ are running in the browser, Webswing allows you to modernise your applications in many ways. You can gradually improve the UI using the Webswing Modernisation Framework.

It supports:

UI facelifting
Frontend extensions using modern web technologies
Step-by-step rebuild while keeping one codebase

No need to fork, rewrite, or double your QA effort.

What If You’re Still Using Installers or Shipping .jar Files?

Then you’re exactly the person we built this for. Webswing eliminates:

Managing client-side Java
Releasing platform-specific builds
Running into IT security barriers
Legacy deployment headaches

All updates go live instantly, centrally. Your users just open their browser and start working.

You don’t need to throw away your Swing, SWT, JavaFX, or NetBeans code to meet modern expectations. You just need to change how it reaches your users.

Webswing is your modernisation shortcut - without the rewrite.