I recently started learning desktop app development with Electron, and the transition from web development felt very natural. Electron allows you to build cross-platform desktop apps using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Node.js, and it powers popular tools like VS Code, Discord, and Slack.
What Is Electron?
Electron combines Chromium for the UI, Node.js for system access, and a runtime that connects everything together. This lets you build Windows, macOS, and Linux apps from one codebase.
My Project: ElectronQR
To learn the basics, I created ElectronQR, a small app for generating and scanning QR codes.
Current features:
- Customizable QR generation (colors, size, optional logo)
- QR scanning via camera or image upload
- Simple history system with duplicate prevention
The project helped me understand IPC communication, working with partials, custom title bars, and image processing using Jimp and qrcode.
Future Plans
- More QR customization (gradients, rounded modules)
- Better history (search, tags, export)
- Settings page with themes and defaults
- App packaging with proper icons and auto-update
- Possibly a small mobile companion app
ElectronQR is still evolving, and I’ll continue expanding it as I explore more of what Electron can do.