notes.md

Notes

Architecture

1. Main Process
   • create/manage browser windows (run its own web page/GUI)
   • can be only one main process
   • communicates with OS to make use of native GUI features
2. Renderer Process (visible)
   • every browser window created by main process gives rise to a renderer process
   • shows a webpage (renders the GUI)
   • using React, we only need one tab (one renderer process) by writing a SRA
3. Renderer Process (Hidden)
   • perform thread blocking task
4. Python Script
   • use python-shell

Communications

1. Main <-> Renderer:
   • electron IPC
   • acts like event listeners
2. Visible Renderer <-> Hidden Renderer
   • sending messages across the main process like a relay system
3. Hidden Renderer <->ython Script
   • python-shell uses stdin and stdout to send a receive data from py script.
   • use JSON message format

Boilerplate

• electron is saved as a dev dependency because electron-builder (packaging tool) will add electron into final build

• wait-on waits for a process to finish execution.

• electron.js is in the public folder due to production build

• visible renderer:

  • request main renderer to start a background process
  • listen for an event that the background process will send back