Cross-platform desktop apps using just JavaScript, HTML, and CSS? Yes — it's real. And it's called Electron.
💡 What is Electron?
Electron is an open-source framework that allows developers to build desktop applications using web technologies — JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
It's like having the power of a browser and the operating system combined into one powerful platform. With Electron, your app runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, from a single codebase.
🏆 Popular Apps Built with Electron
You use these every day — but did you know they run on Electron?
| App Name | Use Case |
|---|---|
| 💬 Discord | Voice & Text Chat |
| 🔧 Visual Studio Code | Code Editor |
| ✍️ Notion | Notes & Productivity |
| 📁 Dropbox | File Storage |
| 🧑💻 GitHub Desktop | Git GUI |
| 📦 Postman | API Testing |
| 🎨 Figma | UI/UX Design |
| 💼 Microsoft Teams | Collaboration |
| 🧾 Slack | Team Communication |
| 🟢 Skype | Video Calling |
| 📋 Trello | Task Management |
| 🔍 Loom | Video Messaging |
| 🧠 Obsidian | Markdown Knowledge Base |
👉 You can find the full list of Electron-powered apps on the Electron official website.
⚙️ Why Use Electron?
- ✅ Cross-Platform: One codebase for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- 🧠 Familiar Tools: Use React, Vue, Angular, or plain JavaScript.
- 🚀 Great Community: Backed by GitHub, used by developers worldwide.
- 🔥 Quick Setup: Get your first desktop app running in under 10 minutes.
🧪 How Electron Works
Electron combines:
- Chromium for rendering web content.
- Node.js for backend-like capabilities (filesystem, networking).
- Electron APIs for native integration (menus, notifications, system tray).
🛠️ Getting Started
npx create-electron-app my-app
cd my-app
npm start
👉 Or check out the official boilerplate here: Electron Quick Start
🧠 Want to Build Something Cool?
You could build:
- A markdown notes app 📝
- A custom YouTube downloader 📽️
- A cross-platform code snippet manager 💻
- A Discord bot manager UI 🤖
📚 Resources
✨ Final Thoughts
Electron is more than a framework. It's a gateway for web developers to build native-like desktop apps — fast, powerful, and cross-platform.
If you’ve used any of the apps above — you've already experienced Electron’s magic.
Now it’s your turn to build something awesome.
💬 Drop a comment if you're interested in a full beginner-friendly Electron tutorial or boilerplate!
📌 Follow me on Dev.to or GitHub for more awesome web & desktop dev content.
Top comments (5)
Nice post! It's impressive to see how many top-tier apps leverage Electron for cross-platform compatibility. Apps like Visual Studio Code, Slack, Discord, WhatsApp Desktop, and Figma are prime examples of Electron's versatility in building robust desktop applications using web technologies.
Thank You !
*thank you @dmsmenula *
Welcome !
Thanks for this blog. I'm using Capacitor (ionic base) since 2025, for static UI Web App in Android and iOS connected to API, and it feels close to native because of instant loading. Now I came here to see which popular Apps are made with Electron, and I'm amazed. I now know that I can go with it fully.