Desktop app development faces challenges with cross-platform compatibility, installers, delivery, and testing. Electron addresses these issues using Node.js and Chromium to create cross-platform apps, and tools like electron-builder and electron-packager for installers. However, Electron apps have large binary sizes, require JS boilerplate code, and have a complex architecture involving main and renderer processes.

1. Goedendag, Electron
%5

2. Plan
● Desktop App Development Problems?
● Electron solutions
● Electron Problems
%11

3. Desktop App Development
Problems?
%16

4. Desktop App Development
Problems?
● Cross platform
● Installers
● Deliver
● Testing
%21

5. Desktop App Development
Problems?
● Cross platform?
– Cross compiling (Qt and others)
– Java (Virtual) Machine (Go?)
%26

6. Desktop App Development
Problems?
● Installers
– UI: Windows Mac
– Configure it
%32

7. Desktop App Development
Problems?
● Deliver
– Stores
– Download page
– Package managers
– AppDater?
%37

8. Desktop App Development
Problems?
● Testing
– Behave Testing?
%42

9. Electron solutions
%47

10. Electron solutions
● Cross platform
● Installers
● Deliver
● Testing
%53

11. Electron solutions
● Cross platform
– NodeJS + Chromium
– Native module requires rebuilding
● ./node_modules/.bin/electron-rebuild
– tray+menu out of the box
– Native UI? (try photonkit)
%58

12. Electron solutions
● Installers
– electron-builder
– electron-packager
%63

13. Electron solutions
● Deliver
– Stores
– Download page
– Package managers
– AutoUpdates with Squirrel (Window, MacOS)
● It requires backend (electron-release-server or github)
%68

14. Electron solutions
● Testing
– Spectron
– Karma
%74

15. Electron Problems
● Architecture (main process and renderers )
● NodeJS in browser
● IpcRenderer ↔ IpcMain with JSON
– Main process manages renderers
● Desktop apps are complex…
%79

16. Electron Problems
● Binary size >= 100Mb, reducing requires
recompiling Chromium
● JS boilerplate code
● Frontend frameworks
%84

17. Summary
%89

18. Summary
● Desktop App Development Problems?
● Electron solutions
● Electron Problems
%95

19. References
● http://electron.atom.io/docs/
● https://github.com/atom/atom/
● https://github.com/sindresorhus/awesome-elect
ron
● https://github.com/chentsulin/electron-react-boil
erplate
● http://photonkit.com/
● https://github.com/maxogden/menubar
%100

20. Goedendag, Electron
%5

21. Plan
● Desktop App Development Problems?
● Electron solutions
● Electron Problems
%11

22. Desktop App Development
Problems?
%16

23. Desktop App Development
Problems?
● Cross platform
● Installers
● Deliver
● Testing
%21

24. Desktop App Development
Problems?
● Cross platform?
– Cross compiling (Qt and others)
– Java (Virtual) Machine (Go?)
%26

25. Desktop App Development
Problems?
● Installers
– UI: Windows Mac
– Configure it
%32

26. Desktop App Development
Problems?
● Deliver
– Stores
– Download page
– Package managers
– AppDater?
%37

27. Desktop App Development
Problems?
● Testing
– Behave Testing?
%42

28. Electron solutions
%47

29. Electron solutions
● Cross platform
● Installers
● Deliver
● Testing
%53

30. Electron solutions
● Cross platform
– NodeJS + Chromium
– Native module requires rebuilding
● ./node_modules/.bin/electron-rebuild
– tray+menu out of the box
– Native UI? (try photonkit)
%58

31. Electron solutions
● Installers
– electron-builder
– electron-packager
%63

32. Electron solutions
● Deliver
– Stores
– Download page
– Package managers
– AutoUpdates with Squirrel (Window, MacOS)
● It requires backend (electron-release-server or github)
%68

33. Electron solutions
● Testing
– Spectron
– Karma
%74

34. Electron Problems
● Architecture (main process and renderers )
● NodeJS in browser
● IpcRenderer ↔ IpcMain with JSON
– Main process manages renderers
● Desktop apps are complex…
%79

35. Electron Problems
● Binary size >= 100Mb, reducing requires
recompiling Chromium
● JS boilerplate code
● Frontend frameworks
%84

36. Summary
%89

37. Summary
● Desktop App Development Problems?
● Electron solutions
● Electron Problems
%95

38. References
● http://electron.atom.io/docs/
● https://github.com/atom/atom/
● https://github.com/sindresorhus/awesome-elect
ron
● https://github.com/chentsulin/electron-react-boil
erplate
● http://photonkit.com/
● https://github.com/maxogden/menubar
%100