Electron

Electron bundles Chromium and Node.js into a desktop app. It is the industry standard (VS Code, Slack, Discord) despite the file size.

When to Use

• Rich Capabilities: If you need full Node.js access (Filesystem, Serial Port).
• Consistent UI: Loops exactly the same on Windows/Mac/Linux (Pixel Perfect).
• Legacy: Migrating an existing web app to desktop with zero changes.

Core Concepts

Main Process

The Node.js backend. Controls lifecycle and windows.

Renderer Process

The Chromium frontend. Displays UI.

Preload Scripts

The secure bridge between Main and Renderer (Context Isolation).

Best Practices (2025)

Do:

• Enable Context Isolation: Critical security feature (contextIsolation: true).
• Use IPC: ipcMain and ipcRenderer for communication.
• Update Chromium: Security patches come via Electron updates.

Don’t:

• Don’t use remote module: It is deprecated and insecure.

References

• Electron Documentation