Electron Setup with mern stack

[adnan-gul2]

Select Topic Area

Question

GitHub Feature Area

Actions

Body

Hi everyone!

I’m a web developer with experience in React.js, Next.js, Redux Toolkit, Node.js/Express, MongoDB, and PostgreSQL. I’m now looking to build a cross-platform desktop application using Electron.js as the desktop wrapper.

✅ Stack I Want to Use:
Frontend: React.js or Next.js with Redux Toolkit

Backend (optional): Express.js with PostgreSQL or MongoDB

Desktop Environment: Electron.js

Key Requirement: Should work offline, so local backend/database handling is ideal

I’d really appreciate it if anyone could:

Share a working starter template or boilerplate project that combines Electron + React + Express

Offer guidance on best practices for setting up this stack

Suggest how to manage offline support (like bundling the backend and database with the app, or using something like SQLite/local Mongo/PostgreSQL)

Has anyone already done something like this? Any help, example repos, or advice would be super appreciated!

Thanks in advance 🙌

[shakibbinkabir]

Building Electron apps with a bundled backend is totally doable!

1. Starter Template:
There isn't a widely popular "Electron + React + Express" boilerplate, as the Express part is often customized.

• Start with a solid Electron + React template (e.g., electron-react-boilerplate or a simpler setup using create-react-app with Electron integration).
• Then, integrate your Express app into Electron's main process.

2. Best Practices:

• Main Process for Backend: Run your Express.js server directly from Electron's main process. This keeps your backend logic secure and accessible to all renderer windows.
• IPC for Communication: Use Electron's Inter-Process Communication (IPC) for secure and structured communication between your React frontend (renderer process) and the Express backend (running in the main process or as a separate child process managed by main). Avoid directly exposing Node.js APIs to the renderer.
• Packaging: Use electron-builder or electron-forge for packaging your app, ensuring your Express code and local database are included.

3. Offline Support / Local Database:
This is key for offline. Bundling full PostgreSQL/MongoDB instances is very complex for cross-platform distribution.

• For SQL: SQLite is your best friend. It's a file-based, embeddable database perfect for offline desktop apps. Node.js has excellent SQLite drivers.
• For NoSQL/Lightweight:
  • NeDB: A pure JavaScript embedded database with a MongoDB-like API, great for simple NoSQL needs.
  • Lowdb: A simple JSON database for small data sets.
• Consider Data Sync: If you ever plan to sync with a remote server, look into solutions like PouchDB/CouchDB (client-side DB with sync capabilities) or Realm.

Has anyone done this?
Yes, many Electron apps bundle their backend and use local databases for offline functionality. While a full Express.js server is less common than just using Node.js modules directly in the main process, it's definitely feasible for complex logic.

[queenofcorgis]

Hey there! 👋

Thanks for posting in the GitHub Community, @kamran-Gul77 ! We're happy you're here. You are more likely to get a useful response if you are posting in the applicable category. The Accessibility category is a place for our community to discuss and provide feedback on the digital accessibility of GitHub products. Digital accessibility means that GitHub tools, and technologies, are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them.

We’ve moved your post to our Programming Help 🧑‍💻 category, which is more appropriate for this type of discussion.

Please review our guidelines about the Programming Help category for more information.