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Guide · Open source

How to use listen1_desktop: install, run and build it

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

listen1_desktop is an open-source desktop music player that searches and plays songs from several Chinese music platforms in one app. This guide is for readers who want to install it from source, run it, and know which parts of the README to rely on. By the end you will be able to clone the repository, initialize its submodule, start the app, and build an installer for your platform.

Listen 1listen1/listen1_desktop · ★ 11.4k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Confirm prerequisites. Install Node.js, npm and git on your computer.
  2. 2Clone the repository. Run git clone on https://github.com/listen1/listen1_desktop.
  3. 3Initialize submodules. Inside the folder, run git submodule update --init --recursive to fetch listen1_chrome_extension.
  4. 4Start the app. Run npm run start to launch Listen 1 desktop.
  5. 5Build an installer (optional). Run the dist script for your platform, such as npm run dist:win64 or npm run dist:mac.

What Listen 1 does and which platforms it supports

Listen 1 lets you search and play songs from multiple major music websites from a single app. It also supports favorites, so you can create your own playlists.

According to the README, the supported platforms are NetEase Cloud Music (网易云音乐), QQ Music, Kugou, Kuwo, bilibili, Migu and Qianqian. The app is listed as running on Windows, Mac and Linux.

  • Search and play songs from the listed Chinese platforms in one player
  • Save favorites to build playlists
  • Runs on Windows, Mac and Linux

What you need before you install

The install method in the source is clone-and-build. You need Node.js, npm and git installed on your machine before you start.

The README is brief and its main text is in Chinese, so expect to read the commands and check the project page for anything else.

  • Node.js
  • npm
  • git

Clone the repository and initialize submodules

First, download the source code with git. The project references listen1_chrome_extension, so after checkout you must initialize that submodule, or the code will be incomplete.

Run the submodule command from inside the cloned folder.

git clone https://github.com/listen1/listen1_desktop git submodule update --init --recursive

How do you run Listen 1 from source?

Once the submodule is in place, install dependencies and start the app with the npm script from the README. The README gives this as the run command.

The README's section on the official download says you can also get an installer from the project homepage at https://listen1.github.io/listen1.

npm run start

How do you build an installer?

The README lists separate npm scripts for building packages. Pick the one that matches your system. Use the all-platform script to build packages for every platform, or a platform-specific script for one target.

  • All platforms: npm run dist
  • Windows 32-bit: npm run dist:win32
  • Windows 64-bit: npm run dist:win64
  • Mac: npm run dist:mac
  • Linux 32-bit: npm run dist:linux32
  • Linux 64-bit: npm run dist:linux64
npm run dist npm run dist:win64 npm run dist:mac npm run dist:linux64

What people use it for

  • Listening to songs from NetEase Cloud Music or QQ Music without keeping a browser tab open
  • Keeping favorites from several Chinese platforms in one desktop app
  • Reading the source to learn how a cross-platform Electron-style music app is put together
  • Building a local installer for Windows, Mac or Linux from the source

Frequently asked questions

Is listen1_desktop free?

The project is released under the MIT licence, as shown on its repository page. The README does not describe any licensing arrangements with the music platforms it lists.

What do I need to install listen1_desktop?

The source says the install method is clone-and-build and lists Node.js, npm and git as prerequisites. You clone the repository, initialize its submodule, then run npm run start.

Which music services does Listen 1 support?

The README lists NetEase Cloud Music, QQ Music, Kugou, Kuwo, bilibili, Migu and Qianqian. It does not list Western streaming services such as Spotify.

Does listen1_desktop work on Windows, Mac and Linux?

The README says it supports Windows, Mac and Linux. It provides build scripts for each platform, including separate 32-bit and 64-bit targets for Windows and Linux.

Why does the app code fail or look incomplete after cloning?

The project includes listen1_chrome_extension as a submodule. If you skipped git submodule update --init --recursive after checkout, the referenced code will be missing, so run that command.

Are there alternatives to listen1_desktop?

The analysis for this item lists no comparable projects, so this guide cannot compare it with others. Check the project homepage for the current download options.

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Our verdict

Use listen1_desktop if you listen on Chinese streaming platforms and want them in one desktop app, or if you want to study or build a cross-platform Electron-style player. Pick something else if you need Western catalogs, an officially licensed service, or a well-documented setup, since the README is brief and mostly in Chinese.

Install options & downloads