Electron
A framework for building desktop apps for macOS, Windows, and Linux using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
- Stars
- 124k
- Forks
- 17.9k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- C++
- Last update
- 4 days ago
- Type
- Framework
What it is
Electron lets developers write desktop applications using web technologies (JavaScript, HTML, and CSS) instead of platform-specific languages. The README says it is based on Node.js and Chromium, and that apps such as Visual Studio Code are built with it. The same code can run on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
- Build a cross-platform desktop app with an HTML/CSS interface and JavaScript logic
- Use Electron Fiddle to build, run, and package small experiments and try different Electron versions
- Spawn Electron from a Node.js script using the path returned by require('electron')
- Package and distribute an app to macOS, Windows, or Linux users
Great for
- Web developers who want to ship a desktop app using skills they already have
- Teams that need one codebase running on macOS, Windows, and Linux
- Developers building editor-style or tool-style desktop apps with web UIs
Not ideal for
- People who only want to use an existing desktop app; Electron is for building apps, not an end-user program
- Projects that need very small download sizes or minimal memory use, since each app bundles a Chromium and Node.js runtime (inferred from the README's description of its base components)
- Developers wanting native platform UI toolkits rather than web-based interfaces
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Node.js (version not stated in the README) · npm
Install Electron as a dev dependency in your app
npm install electron --save-dev - 2
Run it
- Create or open a Node-based project folder with a package.json
- Run npm install electron --save-dev to add Electron to your app
- Write your app's main process and HTML/JavaScript entry files following the docs at electronjs.org/docs
- Launch your app through Electron using the project's configured start script
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use Electron Fiddle to explore code examples for Electron's APIs and test different versions
- Read the docs at electronjs.org/docs, including the installation and versioning guides linked from the README
- Check the installation tutorial for mirrors if downloads are slow in your region (a China mirror is listed in the README)
- Use the Community page to find third-party tools and sample apps
Downloads
Strengths
- Uses JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, which many developers already know
- Prebuilt binaries are provided for macOS, Windows, and Linux on x64 and arm64 (macOS Intel and Apple Silicon)
- Released under the MIT license and used by large apps such as Visual Studio Code
Trade-offs
- The README does not state app size or memory footprint; apps bundle Chromium and Node.js, which the README's description implies adds weight
- Platform support follows Chromium and supported Linux distributions, so older OS versions may be dropped (e.g., macOS Ventura and up, Windows 10 and up)
- Desktop-specific behavior still requires learning Electron's APIs; documentation is at electronjs.org/docs
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| electron (this) | 124k | Framework | intermediate | 4 days ago | Web developers who want to ship a desktop app using skills they already have |
| nw.js | 41.1k | Framework | beginner | 14 days ago | Web developers who want to turn an existing web app into a desktop app |
| photon | 10.1k | Library | intermediate | 7 months ago | Developers already building Electron desktop apps who want consistent native-looking styling |
| bootstrap | 175k | Library | beginner | 4 days ago | Developers building responsive websites or web app interfaces quickly |
| app-ideas | 98.4k | Curated list | beginner | 1.1 years ago | Beginners looking for practice projects to build after learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript |
| Web-Dev-For-Beginners | 97.1k | Learning resource | beginner | 5 days ago | Complete beginners who want a structured, self-paced path into web development |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.