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electron-best-practices

Coding & development

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Updated 10-16 02:31

About this skill

Electron + React Best Practices

Chinese Quick Guide

  • What it does: Provides secure, type-safe IPC, process integration, packaging signing and notarization, and testing patterns for developing Electron apps with React, along with reference materials for analysis, scaffolding generation, and types.
  • When to use: When writing main/preload/renderer process code, configuring electron-vite or Forge, setting up IPC, doing contextBridge/sandbox/CSP security, signing and notarization, or testing Electron apps with Playwright; not for Tauri, pure web apps, Electron versions below 20, or non-React rendering frameworks.
  • Core steps: ① First apply secure defaults (contextIsolation, sandbox, disable nodeIntegration, all main-renderer communication goes through contextBridge) ② Follow references/ to pick a pattern: typed IPC, process separation, React integration ③ Use electron-vite or Forge to package and do code signing/notarization ④ Verify with Playwright end-to-end and Jest/Vitest unit tests.
  • Domestic accessibility: The patterns, reference docs, and templates are all in this package (references/、assets/templates/), and can be applied without an internet connection; the optional actions in the main text require an external environment—GitHub Actions matrix builds, and deno run running scripts/ convenience scripts; when missing, handle it directly according to the observable exit in the main text and explain which step was not run.

Guide AI agents in building secure, production-ready Electron applications with React. This skill provides security patterns, type-safe IPC communication, project setup guidance, packaging and code signing workflows, and tools for analysis, scaffolding, and type generation.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

  • Generating Electron main, preload, or renderer process code
  • Configuring electron-vite or Electron Forge
  • Setting up IPC communication between processes
  • Implementing security patterns (contextBridge, sandbox, CSP)
  • Packaging, signing, and notarizing desktop applications
  • Testing Electron apps with Playwright
  • Designing multi-window architectures

Do NOT use this skill when:

  • Building Tauri apps (different paradigm, use Tauri-specific guidance)
  • Building pure web apps with no desktop requirements
  • Targeting Electron versions below 20 (security defaults differ)
  • Using non-React renderer frameworks (use framework-specific skills)

Core Principles

1. Security First Architecture

Modern Electron security relies on three defaults that became standard in Electron 20+: context isolation, sandbox mode, and nodeIntegration disabled. Disabling any of them allows XSS attacks to escalate to full remote code execution. All main-renderer communication must flow through contextBridge:

// preload.ts - SECURE pattern
contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('electronAPI', {
  loadPreferences: () => ipcRenderer.invoke('load-prefs'),
  saveFile: (content: string) => ipcRenderer.invoke('save-file', content),
  onUpdateCounter: (callback: (value: number) => void) => {
    const handler = (_event: IpcRendererEvent, value: number) => callback(value);
    ipcRenderer.on('update-counter', handler);
    return () => ipcRenderer.removeListener('update-counter', handler);
  }
});

Set Content Security Policy via HTTP headers for apps loading local files, restricting script sources to 'self'.

2. Type-Safe IPC Communication

The invoke/handle pattern is preferred over send/on for request-response communication, providing proper async/await semantics and error propagation. For typed channels, use a mapped type pattern:

type IpcChannelMap = {
  'load-prefs': { args: []; return: UserPreferences };
  'save-file': { args: [content: string]; return: { success: boolean } };
};

For complex applications, electron-trpc provides full type safety using tRPC's router pattern with Zod validation:

export const appRouter = t.router({
  greeting: t.procedure
    .input(z.object({ name: z.string() }))
    .query(({ input }) => `Hello, ${input.name}!`),
});

Error handling across the IPC boundary requires attention because Electron only serializes the message property of Error objects. Wrap responses in a { success, data, error } result type to preserve full error context.

3. Modern Project Setup

The recommended stack uses electron-vite for development and Electron Forge for packaging. electron-vite provides a unified configuration managing main, preload, and renderer processes with sub-second dev server startup and instant HMR. Electron Forge uses first-party Electron packages for signing and notarization.

src/
├── main/           # Main process (Node.js environment)
│   ├── index.ts
│   └── ipc/        # IPC handlers
├── preload/        # Secure bridge via contextBridge
│   ├── index.ts
│   └── index.d.ts  # TypeScript declarations for exposed APIs
└── renderer/       # React application (pure web, no Node access)
    ├── src/
    └── index.html

4. React Integration Patterns

React 18's concurrent features work normally in Electron's Chromium-based renderer. Strict Mode's double-invocation of effects catches IPC listener leaks that would otherwise cause memory issues. Always return cleanup functions from effects that register IPC listeners:

useEffect(() => {
  const cleanup = window.electronAPI.onUpdateCounter((value) => {
    setCount(value);
  });
  return cleanup;
}, []);

For multi-window applications, the main process should serve as the single source of truth for shared state. Use electron-store for persistence combined with IPC broadcasting so any window's mutation updates all others.

Quick Reference

Category Prefer Avoid
Security contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld() nodeIntegration: true
IPC invoke/handle pattern send/on for request-response
Preload Typed function wrappers Exposing raw ipcRenderer
Build tool electron-vite webpack-based toolchains
Packaging Electron Forge Manual packaging
State Zustand + electron-store Redux for simple apps
Testing Playwright E2E Spectron (deprecated)
Updates electron-updater Manual update checks
Signing CI-integrated code signing Unsigned releases
CSP HTTP headers, 'self' only No CSP
Error handling Result type {success, data, error} Raw Error across IPC
Multi-window Main process as state hub Direct window-to-window

Code Generation Guidelines

When generating Electron code, follow these patterns:

BrowserWindow Creation

const win = new BrowserWindow({
  webPreferences: {
    preload: path.join(__dirname, '../preload/index.js'),
    contextIsolation: true,
    sandbox: true,
    nodeIntegration: false,
  },
});

Always enable contextIsolation and sandbox. Never enable nodeIntegration. The preload path must resolve to the built output location.

IPC Handler Module

export function registerFileHandlers(): void {
  ipcMain.handle('save-file', async (_event, content: string) => {
    try {
      await fs.writeFile(filePath, content);
      return { success: true, data: filePath };
    } catch (err) {
      return { success: false, error: (err as Error).message };
    }
  });
}

Group related handlers into modules. Use the result type pattern for all return values. Validate all arguments received from the renderer process.

Common Anti-Patterns

Avoid these patterns when generating Electron code:

Anti-Pattern Problem Solution
nodeIntegration: true XSS escalates to full RCE Keep disabled (default)
Exposing ipcRenderer directly Full IPC access from renderer Wrap in contextBridge functions
Missing contextIsolation Renderer accesses preload scope Keep enabled (default since Electron 12)
No code signing OS security warnings, Gatekeeper blocks Sign and notarize for all platforms
BrowserWindow without sandbox Preload has full Node.js access Enable sandbox (default since Electron 20)
Unvalidated IPC arguments Injection attacks from renderer Validate with Zod or manual checks
0.0.0.0 server binding Network-exposed local server Always bind to 127.0.0.1
Missing CSP headers Script injection vectors Set strict CSP via HTTP headers
No IPC error serialization Lost error context across boundary Use Result type pattern
Spectron for testing Deprecated, Electron 13 max Use Playwright

See references/security/security-checklist.md for the full security audit checklist.

Scripts Reference

analyze-security.ts

Analyze Electron projects for security misconfigurations:

deno run --allow-read scripts/analyze-security.ts <path> [options]

Options:
  --strict    Enable all checks
  --json      Output JSON for CI
  -h, --help  Show help

Examples:
  # Analyze a project
  deno run --allow-read scripts/analyze-security.ts ./src

  # Strict mode for CI pipeline
  deno run --allow-read scripts/analyze-security.ts ./src --strict --json

scaffold-electron-app.ts

Scaffold a new Electron + React project with secure defaults:

deno run --allow-read --allow-write scripts/scaffold-electron-app.ts [options]

Options:
  --name <name>     App name (required)
  --path <path>     Target directory (default: ./)
  --with-react      Include React setup
  --with-trpc       Include electron-trpc
  --with-tests      Include Playwright tests

Examples:
  # Basic app with React
  deno run --allow-read --allow-write scripts/scaffold-electron-app.ts \
    --name "my-app" --with-react

  # Full setup with trpc and tests
  deno run --allow-read --allow-write scripts/scaffold-electron-app.ts \
    --name "my-app" --with-react --with-trpc --with-tests

generate-ipc-types.ts

Generate TypeScript type definitions from IPC handler files:

deno run --allow-read --allow-write scripts/generate-ipc-types.ts [options]

Options:
  --handlers <path>  Path to IPC handler files
  --output <path>    Output path for type definitions
  --validate         Validate existing types match handlers

Examples:
  # Generate types from handlers
  deno run --allow-read --allow-write scripts/generate-ipc-types.ts \
    --handlers ./src/main/ipc --output ./src/preload/ipc-types.d.ts

  # Validate types in CI
  deno run --allow-read scripts/generate-ipc-types.ts \
    --handlers ./src/main/ipc --validate

Additional Resources

Security

  • references/security/context-isolation.md - contextBridge and isolation patterns
  • references/security/csp-and-permissions.md - Content Security Policy configuration
  • references/security/security-checklist.md - Full security audit checklist

IPC Communication

  • references/ipc/typed-ipc.md - Typed channel map patterns
  • references/ipc/electron-trpc.md - tRPC integration for full type safety
  • references/ipc/error-serialization.md - Result types across IPC boundary

Architecture

  • references/architecture/project-structure.md - Directory organization
  • references/architecture/process-separation.md - Main, preload, and renderer roles
  • references/architecture/multi-window-state.md - Shared state across windows

React Integration

  • references/integration/react-patterns.md - useEffect cleanup, Strict Mode
  • references/integration/state-management.md - Zustand and electron-store patterns

Packaging & Distribution

  • references/packaging/code-signing.md - Platform-specific signing workflows
  • references/packaging/auto-updates.md - electron-updater configuration
  • references/packaging/bundle-optimization.md - Size reduction techniques
  • references/packaging/ci-cd-patterns.md - GitHub Actions matrix builds

Testing

  • references/testing/playwright-e2e.md - Playwright Electron support
  • references/testing/unit-testing.md - Jest/Vitest multi-project configuration
  • references/testing/test-structure.md - Test organization patterns

Tooling

  • references/tooling/electron-vite.md - Build tool configuration
  • references/tooling/electron-forge.md - Packaging and distribution
  • references/tooling/tauri-comparison.md - When to choose Tauri instead

Templates

  • assets/templates/main-process.ts.md - Main process starter template
  • assets/templates/preload-script.ts.md - Preload script with contextBridge
  • assets/templates/ipc-handler.ts.md - IPC handler module template
  • assets/templates/react-root.tsx.md - React root component template

Configuration Examples

  • assets/configs/electron-vite.config.ts.md - electron-vite configuration
  • assets/configs/forge.config.js.md - Electron Forge configuration
  • assets/configs/tsconfig.json.md - TypeScript configuration presets
  • assets/configs/playwright.config.ts.md - Playwright Electron test config

Complete Examples

  • assets/examples/typed-ipc-example.md - End-to-end typed IPC walkthrough
  • assets/examples/multi-window-example.md - Multi-window state management

Minimal Worked Example

Precondition: an Electron + React app with the secure defaults above (contextIsolation: true, sandbox: true, preload via contextBridge).

Invocation: "Wire up saving a file from the renderer, with errors shown to the user instead of swallowed."

Outcome excerpt (main process registers → preload exposes → renderer invokes and surfaces the error state):

// src/main/ipc/save-file.ts — main process registers the handler
ipcMain.handle('save-file', async (_event, content: string) => {
  try {
    await fs.writeFile(filePath, content);
    return { success: true, data: filePath };
  } catch (err) {
    return { success: false, error: (err as Error).message };
  }
});

// src/preload/index.ts — preload exposes exactly this one function
contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('electronAPI', {
  saveFile: (content: string) => ipcRenderer.invoke('save-file', content),
});

// renderer — invoke, then map the Result type to a user-visible state
async function handleSave(content: string) {
  const result = await window.electronAPI.saveFile(content);
  if (!result.success) {
    setStatus({ kind: 'error', message: `Couldn't save file: ${result.error}` });
    return;
  }
  setStatus({ kind: 'saved', path: result.data });
}

The handler never lets a rejection escape as a raw Error — the Result type crosses the boundary, and the renderer maps error to a visible state per Surfacing Errors to Users below.

Surfacing Errors to Users

The Result type pattern is for the IPC boundary; the renderer still has to show something a human can act on. When generating code:

  • Map every IPC failure to a user-visible state: inline message near the triggering control (forms), toast or banner (background operations), error boundary (render crashes) — never swallow the rejected promise.
  • Show cause plus next step, not just "an error occurred": e.g. Couldn't save file: disk is full. Free up space or choose another location. Include the error message from the Result type (it crossed the boundary for this purpose), but never raw stack traces.
  • Distinguish retryable from fatal: network/offline failures get a Retry action; permission and validation failures get instructions instead of a retry button.
  • Log full context (channel name, args shape) to the main process log; show only the summarized message in the UI.

Script Failure Exits

All three bundled scripts run under Deno. Each failure has an observable symptom and an exit:

Symptom Cause Action
command not found: deno Deno not installed Install Deno (see deno.com), or proceed manually: apply the patterns in references/ and assets/templates/ by hand — the scripts are conveniences, not prerequisites. Do not silently skip a requested scaffold/analysis; tell the user which step was not run.
PermissionDenied reading a path Missing --allow-read (or --allow-write for scaffold/type-gen) Re-run with the flags shown in Scripts Reference above — they are the documented minimum.
analyze-security.ts exits non-zero on --strict --json Checks failed (that is the report, not a crash) Treat the JSON output as findings to fix, not an environment error. A crash prints a stack trace instead of the JSON report.
generate-ipc-types.ts --validate exits non-zero Existing type definitions no longer match handlers Regenerate types, then re-run --validate to confirm exit 0.
scaffold-electron-app.ts refuses to write Target directory not empty or missing --name Supply the required --name, or point --path at an empty directory; the script does not overwrite existing files.
Runtime: a network request from the app fails (timeout/offline, visible in main-process log) Transient outage or unreachable host Retry a bounded number of times (e.g. 2-3 with backoff), then degrade to a user-visible error state with a Retry action per Surfacing Errors to Users — never retry in an unbounded silent loop.

Wrong Way → Fix (FAQ)

Wrong way Observable symptom Fix
Enabling nodeIntegration "just for one window" Renderer can require() — security checklist flags it Keep it disabled; expose exactly the needed functions via contextBridge.
send/on for a request-response call Race-prone replies, no awaited result Use invoke/handle.
Passing an Error object across IPC Renderer receives {}-like object with no message Return the Result type { success, data, error }.
Loading a remote URL in a BrowserWindow without CSP Content Security Policy checklist item fails Set strict CSP via HTTP headers, 'self' only for local content.
Testing with Spectron Deprecated, stops at Electron 13 Use Playwright (references/testing/playwright-e2e.md).
Using this skill for a Tauri or pure-web app Guidance does not apply to the runtime Stop; the When NOT to Apply boundaries above name these runtimes.