marchildmann/beveldesk — explained in plain English
Analysis updated 2026-05-18
Try a nostalgic Windows 95 or NeXTSTEP style desktop directly in your browser.
Run a real terminal shell inside a retro styled desktop window on your own machine.
Browse your actual files and folders through a hand drawn Explorer style file manager.
Study the code as an example of building an entire desktop UI without image assets.
| marchildmann/beveldesk | caspermeijn/onvifviewer | youtalk/youfork | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | 41 | 41 | 41 |
| Language | C++ | C++ | C++ |
| Last pushed | — | 2023-01-19 | 2020-07-03 |
| Maintenance | — | Dormant | Dormant |
| Setup difficulty | moderate | moderate | hard |
| Complexity | 3/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 |
| Audience | developer | general | researcher |
Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.
Needs CMake, a C++17 compiler, and a network connection on first build to fetch dependencies.
BevelDesk is a desktop environment built from scratch using a graphics library called Dear ImGui, and it comes in two visual styles you can switch between while it runs: a silver look based on Windows 95, and a darker look the project calls NeXT Night, inspired by the old NeXTSTEP computers. Every button edge, scrollbar, title bar, and icon is drawn by hand in code rather than pulled from image files, so the whole interface is rendered pixel by pixel. Inside BevelDesk you get a working file manager that lets you browse your actual computer's folders, complete with sortable columns and different view modes. There is also an MS-DOS style prompt window that runs a real command line shell (your Mac or Linux terminal shell) inside a retro looking terminal window, so you can type real commands and get real results, not a fake simulation. A taskbar and Start menu let you open these programs, adjust display settings, and shut down the fake desktop with an old style fade animation. You can resize the whole interface with a zoom shortcut so it stays sharp on high resolution screens, and there is a settings panel where you can recolor the desktop or switch between the silver and dark themes live. The project explains that adding a new visual theme in the future would mean creating one new color and style file, since all the drawing code already reads from a shared set of theme values. Prebuilt versions are available for Mac, Linux, and Windows from the project's releases page, though the command line prompt feature currently only works on Mac and Linux. Building it yourself requires CMake and a C++ compiler, along with an internet connection the first time you set it up so it can download its graphics dependencies. There is also a browser based version built with WebAssembly that you can try without installing anything. The code is organized into separate folders for the visual theme, the desktop programs like the file manager and terminal, and the underlying system connections such as fonts and the terminal shell.
A retro desktop app that recreates the Windows 95 and NeXTSTEP look, complete with a real file manager and a working terminal, all drawn by hand in code.
Mainly C++. The stack also includes C++, CMake, Dear ImGui.
Use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice.
Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.
Mainly developer.
This repo across BitVibe Labs
double-check against the repo, no cap.