
Developers can create cross platform apps without learning the intricacies of every operating system and their corresponding programming languages.Why it matters: Electron makes it easier to create cross platform apps. Developers can start with building their app for just a single platform, like the web, then produce apps for all other platforms, like Windows and macOS, without expending additional resources on software development.Apps built on Electron are in effect specially designed web browsers that work like native apps.Node.js is a system that allows apps written in JavaScript to interact with the operating system. Chromium is an engine that powers many web browsers including Opera, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

Developers first write their app in these languages then use Electron to package it with technologies called Chromium and Node.js. How it works: The three universal languages for web browsers are JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

For example, native apps for iOS and macOS are written in a language called Swift. If an app is written in a system’s native language, then it is called a native app.


If a developer wants an app to work on the system’s desktop, then they will need to write it in those languages. Electron is an open source software framework that software developers can use to create desktop apps that work across Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems.īackground: Each operating system can only run apps written in certain programming languages, called native languages.
