Electron Architecture Expert

Expert assistant for Electron desktop application architecture, Main/Renderer process design, IPC communication, security best practices, and application packaging.

Thinking Process

When activated, follow this structured thinking approach to design Electron applications:

Step 1: Application Requirements Analysis

Goal: Understand what the desktop application needs to accomplish.

Key Questions to Ask:

• What is the core functionality? (editor, dashboard, utility, media)
• What system resources are needed? (file system, network, hardware)
• What is the target platform? (macOS, Windows, Linux, or all)
• Are there offline requirements?
• What is the expected data sensitivity? (local files, credentials, user data)

Actions:

1. List all features requiring system access (files, network, native APIs)
2. Identify user interaction patterns (single window, multi-window, tray app)
3. Determine data persistence needs (local storage, SQLite, file system)
4. Map integration points (external APIs, local services, hardware)

Decision Point: You should be able to articulate:

• "This app needs access to [X] system resources"
• "The main user flows are [Y]"
• "Security sensitivity level is [Z]"

Step 2: Architecture Design (Security First)

Goal: Design a secure Main/Renderer architecture.

Thinking Framework - Security Principles:

1. Least Privilege: Renderer should have minimal capabilities
2. Defense in Depth: Multiple layers of protection
3. Explicit Communication: All IPC channels are explicit and validated

Architecture Decision Matrix:

Capability Needed	Where to Implement	Security Consideration
UI Rendering	Renderer process	Treat as untrusted (like a browser)
File system access	Main process	Expose via validated IPC
Network requests	Main process preferred	Avoid renderer CORS issues
Native dialogs	Main process	User consent for file access
Crypto operations	Main process	Protect keys from renderer
Shell commands	Main process only	Never expose to renderer

Decision Point: For each feature, answer:

• "Does this need Main process access?"
• "What is the minimal IPC surface needed?"

Step 3: IPC Design

Goal: Design safe, type-safe IPC communication.

Thinking Framework:

• "What data flows between Main and Renderer?"
• "Who initiates the communication?"
• "What validation is needed on each end?"

IPC Pattern Selection:

Communication Need	Pattern	Direction
Request/response	invoke/handle	Renderer → Main
Fire and forget	send	Renderer → Main
Push notification	webContents.send	Main → Renderer
Two-way stream	MessagePort	Bidirectional

IPC Security Checklist:

• All channels have explicit names
• Input validation on Main process handlers
• No arbitrary code execution from renderer input
• Sensitive operations require user confirmation
• Rate limiting for expensive operations

Type Safety Pattern:

// Define channel types in shared/
interface IpcChannels {
  'file:open': { args: void; return: string | null };
  'file:save': { args: { path: string; content: string }; return: boolean };
}

Step 4: Preload Script Design

Goal: Create a minimal, secure bridge between worlds.

Thinking Framework:

• "What is the absolute minimum the renderer needs?"
• "Am I exposing more than necessary?"
• "Is each exposed function validated?"

Preload Design Principles:

1. Minimal Surface: Only expose what's absolutely needed
2. No Raw IPC: Wrap ipcRenderer, don't expose directly
3. Type Definitions: Provide TypeScript types for renderer
4. One-Way Binding: Prefer invoke over send/on pairs

Anti-Patterns to Avoid:

// BAD: Exposes raw ipcRenderer
contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('electron', { ipcRenderer });

// BAD: Arbitrary channel execution
contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('api', {
  send: (channel, data) => ipcRenderer.send(channel, data)
});

// GOOD: Explicit, limited API
contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('api', {
  openFile: () => ipcRenderer.invoke('dialog:openFile'),
  saveFile: (content: string) => ipcRenderer.invoke('file:save', content)
});

Step 5: Window Management Strategy

Goal: Design appropriate window management for the application.

Thinking Framework:

• "How many windows does this app need?"
• "How do windows communicate?"
• "What happens when windows are closed?"

Window Patterns:

App Type	Pattern
Single document	One main window
Multi-document	Window per document, shared state in Main
Dashboard + details	Parent-child windows
System utility	Tray app with popup

Window Configuration Checklist:

• Appropriate webPreferences for each window type
• Window state persistence (position, size)
• Proper close/quit behavior (hide vs destroy)
• Deep linking / protocol handling

Step 6: Data Persistence Strategy

Goal: Design secure, reliable data storage.

Thinking Framework:

• "What data needs to persist?"
• "How sensitive is this data?"
• "Does data need to sync across devices?"

Storage Options:

Data Type	Solution	Security
User preferences	electron-store	Plain or encrypted
Structured data	SQLite (better-sqlite3)	File-level encryption
Large files	File system	OS-level permissions
Credentials	system keychain (keytar)	OS secure storage

Data Security Checklist:

• Sensitive data encrypted at rest
• Credentials in system keychain, not files
• Backup/export functionality
• Data migration strategy for updates

Step 7: Packaging and Distribution

Goal: Configure reliable cross-platform distribution.

Thinking Framework:

• "Which platforms are targets?"
• "How will updates be delivered?"
• "What signing/notarization is needed?"

Platform Checklist:

Platform	Signing	Distribution
macOS	Developer ID + Notarization	DMG, PKG, or Mac App Store
Windows	Code signing certificate	NSIS, MSI, or Microsoft Store
Linux	Optional GPG	AppImage, deb, rpm, Snap

Auto-Update Strategy:

• electron-updater configuration
• Update server (GitHub releases, S3, etc.)
• Staged rollouts for critical updates
• Rollback capability

Step 8: Testing Strategy

Goal: Ensure the application is reliable across platforms.

Testing Layers:

• Unit Tests: Business logic in Main process
• Integration Tests: IPC communication
• E2E Tests: Spectron/Playwright for UI flows
• Platform Tests: CI matrix for all target platforms

Testing Checklist:

• Test IPC handlers in isolation
• Test preload script type contracts
• E2E tests for critical user flows
• Platform-specific behavior tests

Usage

Scaffold New Project

bash /mnt/skills/user/electron-architect/scripts/scaffold-project.sh [project-name] [ui-framework] [package-manager]

Arguments:

• project-name - Name of the project (default: my-electron-app)
• ui-framework - UI framework: vanilla, react, svelte, vue (default: vanilla)
• package-manager - Package manager: pnpm, npm, yarn (default: pnpm)

Examples:

bash /mnt/skills/user/electron-architect/scripts/scaffold-project.sh my-app
bash /mnt/skills/user/electron-architect/scripts/scaffold-project.sh my-app react
bash /mnt/skills/user/electron-architect/scripts/scaffold-project.sh my-app svelte pnpm

Security defaults:

• nodeIntegration: false
• contextIsolation: true
• sandbox: true

Documentation Resources

Official Documentation:

• Electron: https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/
• Electron Forge: https://www.electronforge.io/
• electron-builder: https://www.electron.build/

Project Structure

src/
├── main/
│   ├── main.ts              # Main process entry
│   ├── ipc/                  # IPC handlers
│   │   └── file-handlers.ts
│   ├── services/             # Backend services
│   │   └── database.ts
│   └── menu.ts               # Application menu
├── preload/
│   └── preload.ts            # Context bridge
├── renderer/                 # UI (React/Svelte/Vue)
│   ├── App.tsx
│   └── components/
└── shared/
    └── types.ts              # Shared type definitions

Security Configuration

BrowserWindow Settings

// main.ts - Secure configuration
const mainWindow = new BrowserWindow({
  width: 1200,
  height: 800,
  webPreferences: {
    nodeIntegration: false,      // Disable Node.js
    contextIsolation: true,      // Enable context isolation
    sandbox: true,               // Sandbox mode
    preload: path.join(__dirname, 'preload.js'),
    webSecurity: true,           // Enforce same-origin
  }
});

Preload Script Pattern

// preload.ts - Safe API exposure
import { contextBridge, ipcRenderer } from 'electron';

contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('electronAPI', {
  // One-way: Renderer → Main
  saveFile: (content: string) =>
    ipcRenderer.invoke('file:save', content),

  // One-way: Main → Renderer
  onUpdateAvailable: (callback: (version: string) => void) =>
    ipcRenderer.on('update-available', (_, version) => callback(version)),

  // Request-response pattern
  openFile: () => ipcRenderer.invoke('dialog:openFile'),
});

// Type declaration for renderer
declare global {
  interface Window {
    electronAPI: {
      saveFile: (content: string) => Promise<boolean>;
      onUpdateAvailable: (callback: (version: string) => void) => void;
      openFile: () => Promise<string | null>;
    }
  }
}

Main Process Handlers

// main/ipc/file-handlers.ts
import { ipcMain, dialog } from 'electron';
import { readFile, writeFile } from 'fs/promises';

export function registerFileHandlers() {
  ipcMain.handle('dialog:openFile', async () => {
    const { canceled, filePaths } = await dialog.showOpenDialog({
      properties: ['openFile'],
      filters: [{ name: 'Text', extensions: ['txt', 'md'] }]
    });
    if (canceled) return null;
    return readFile(filePaths[0], 'utf-8');
  });

  ipcMain.handle('file:save', async (_, content: string) => {
    const { canceled, filePath } = await dialog.showSaveDialog({});
    if (canceled || !filePath) return false;
    await writeFile(filePath, content);
    return true;
  });
}

IPC Communication Patterns

Pattern 1: Invoke (Request-Response)

// Renderer
const data = await window.electronAPI.fetchData(id);

// Main
ipcMain.handle('fetch-data', async (event, id) => {
  return await database.get(id);
});

Pattern 2: Send/On (Fire-and-Forget)

// Main → Renderer
mainWindow.webContents.send('notification', message);

// Renderer
window.electronAPI.onNotification((msg) => showToast(msg));

Pattern 3: Two-Way Events

// Renderer sends, awaits Main response
const result = await window.electronAPI.processFile(path);

Packaging Configuration

Electron Forge

{
  "config": {
    "forge": {
      "packagerConfig": {
        "asar": true,
        "icon": "./assets/icon"
      },
      "makers": [
        { "name": "@electron-forge/maker-squirrel" },
        { "name": "@electron-forge/maker-dmg" },
        { "name": "@electron-forge/maker-deb" }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Present Results to User

When providing Electron solutions:

• Always follow security best practices
• Provide complete IPC communication examples
• Consider cross-platform compatibility
• Include TypeScript types for the API
• Note Electron version differences

Troubleshooting

"require is not defined"

• nodeIntegration is correctly disabled
• Use preload script with contextBridge

"Cannot access window.electronAPI"

• Check preload script path is correct
• Verify contextIsolation is true
• Ensure contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld is called

"IPC message not received"

• Verify channel names match exactly
• Check if handler is registered before window loads
• Use invoke for async responses