Engineering service
Electron Desktop App Development
We build Electron apps for Windows, macOS and Linux, and keep them on a supported Electron release after launch. The work covers secure IPC, native modules, signed installers, auto-update and performance, done by engineers who also work on Chromium, the engine inside Electron.
- 11+ years of experience
- 300+ projects delivered
- Remote team, clients worldwide
- NDA on request
Overview
What it is and when it fits
Electron bundles Chromium and Node.js with your application. Your interface is ordinary web code running in a window, and a Node.js process behind it handles windows, files, menus and anything else the operating system offers.
That model lets a web team ship desktop software without learning three native toolkits. The cost is that you own a runtime, so security settings, upgrades and signing need ongoing attention. We build Electron apps with those concerns handled from the first commit. Not sure Electron is the right choice? The comparison below covers Tauri and Qt, and we also build Tauri apps.
Who this is for
- Teams with a web app that needs to become an installable desktop app.
- Companies that want one codebase for Windows, macOS and Linux, with the same browser engine on every machine.
- Owners of an existing Electron app that needs security hardening, performance work or a new maintainer.
- Products that need deep desktop access: the file system, tray, global shortcuts or native modules.
How it works
Architecture at a glance
Anatomy of an Electron app
Renderer: your web UI
React, Vue or plain web code running in a sandboxed window.
Preload and IPC bridge
A small, typed API exposed with contextBridge. No direct Node access from the page.
Main process (Node.js)
Windows, menus, tray, file system, native modules and updates.
Electron runtime
Chromium and Node.js bundled with your app.
Packaging
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
Installers, code signing and auto-update.
- Your productWhat your users see
- Our engineeringWhat we build and maintain
- UpstreamThird-party code we build on
- Platforms and releaseBuild, sign and deliver
What we offer
What's included
Turn your web app into a desktop app
Package an existing React, Vue or Angular app for Windows, macOS and Linux without a full rewrite, then add the desktop features it needs.
Multi-window and process architecture
Structure the main process, background workers and multiple renderer windows so the app stays responsive under heavy use.
Native module integration
Wire up native Node.js modules, including prebuilt binaries and node-gyp builds, for hardware access or system features Electron doesn't expose by default.
Electron upgrades and maintenance
Regular Electron and Chromium upgrades, security patches and dependency updates. Electron supports only its most recent major versions, so an app that stops upgrading ends up on an unsupported Chromium.
Startup and runtime performance
Startup time, memory use and renderer responsiveness improved with lazy-loaded windows, V8 snapshots and profiling on the hardware your users have.
Crash reporting and diagnostics
Crash reporting and renderer process monitoring wired in, so failures on a user's machine reach you directly instead of through support tickets.
Deliverables
What you get
- 01
Working desktop app
A production build of your app for the operating systems you choose, with source code and build scripts in your repository.
- 02
Secure default configuration
Context isolation on, renderer sandbox enabled, no Node integration in renderers, a strict content security policy and validated IPC messages.
- 03
Typed IPC layer
A documented contract between the interface and the main process, so new features do not widen the attack surface by accident.
- 04
Signed installers
Installers for each platform, signed with your certificates and, on macOS, notarized.
- 05
Auto-update pipeline
A release flow that publishes signed builds and lets installed apps update themselves.
- 06
Handover documentation
Build, release and upgrade notes so your team can maintain the app without us.
Compare
Electron, Tauri or Qt?
No framework wins on every axis. This is how they usually compare, and what we weigh when we recommend one.
| Aspect | Electron | Tauri | Qt |
|---|---|---|---|
| UI technology | Web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) | Web technologies in the OS WebView | Qt Widgets or QML |
| Backend language | Node.js (JavaScript or TypeScript) | Rust | C++ (Python bindings also exist) |
| Consistent rendering across operating systems | Mostly. Every install runs the same bundled Chromium, though fonts and GPU drivers still differ by OS. | Varies. Each OS supplies its own WebView. | Mostly. Qt draws its own widgets, though platform styles and fonts differ. |
| App size | Larger, because Chromium ships with the app | Smaller, because it uses the system WebView | Medium, depending on which Qt modules you use |
| Team fit | Web developers who know JavaScript or TypeScript | Web developers plus at least some Rust capacity | C++ or QML developers, or teams with an existing Qt codebase |
| Mobile | No | Yes, with Tauri 2 (newer than desktop support) | Yes |
Why it matters
What this gives you
One team, three platforms
Your web engineers ship the Windows, macOS and Linux builds themselves, without separate native teams for each platform.
Direct access to the OS
The file system, clipboard, notifications and hardware APIs are available to the app in ways a browser tab cannot reach.
One engine to test against
Every user runs the Chromium version you ship, so you test against one engine instead of Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge.
Your npm ecosystem still works
Most of the web dependencies your team already uses keep working inside the Electron shell.
Our approach
How we build an Electron app
Scope and threat model
We list what the app must do on the desktop, what data it handles and which operating systems it must support.
You get: A short architecture note and security requirements
Shell and bridge
We set up the main process, the sandboxed renderer and the typed IPC contract before building features on top.
You get: A running app skeleton with the secure defaults in place
Features and native integration
We build the desktop-specific parts: files, menus, tray, notifications and any native modules.
You get: Tested builds on each target platform
Packaging and signing
We configure installers, code signing and notarization, and test installs on clean machines.
You get: Signed installers and a repeatable release job
Updates and handover
We wire up auto-update, document the release process and walk your team through upgrading Electron later.
You get: Update channel, runbook and upgrade notes
When this is not the right fit
- You need the smallest possible install and your team is comfortable with Rust. Assess Tauri first.
- Your product is a mostly native, widget-heavy app with an existing C++ team. Qt may fit better.
- The app is only a website in a window with no desktop features. An installable web app may be enough.
Tech stack
Technologies we use
The engines, APIs and tools we use on this service.
Electron
Chromium
Node.js
React
Vue.js
TypeScriptcontextBridge / IPCnode-gypElectron BuilderElectron ForgeViteFAQ
Common questions
It can be, when it is configured correctly and kept up to date. We ship the secure defaults listed under What you get, and plan regular Electron upgrades, because each Electron release carries Chromium security fixes.
Electron has a built-in updater based on Squirrel for Windows and macOS, and many teams use the electron-updater library from electron-builder instead. In both cases the app downloads a signed build from a release server and installs it. The right choice depends on your platforms and hosting.
Yes, when it fits. We assess first: which Node.js features you depend on, how sensitive your UI is to WebView differences and whether your team can support Rust. If the assessment says stay on Electron, we will say so.
On Windows, installers are signed with a code-signing certificate from a certificate authority. The private key must now sit on a hardware token or in a cloud signing service, so we set up signing in CI to match. On macOS, apps are signed with a Developer ID certificate and then notarized by Apple. We set up both in your release pipeline.
Yes. We start with a review of security settings, dependencies, Electron version and the release process, then agree on what to fix first. Many inherited apps need upgrades and IPC clean-up before new features.
Related reading
Our services
Related services
Start a project
Planning an Electron app?
Tell us what the app must do and which platforms it targets. We will tell you whether Electron, Tauri or another option fits, and why.
