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'''''Electron''''' is an open-source programming environment to allow an application normally developed for a web browser to run as a standalone app on the user's computer. It consists of a browser to display the output the application generates (currently Chromium), a CSS processor, and a Javascript interpreter,  It also provides the same connectivity to the Internet that the user's web browser has, so that, for example, if the application uses a remote database, it can connect to it.
{{StubNotice}}
{{ProductLineCargo
|ArticleType=Product
|Category=Software
|Company=OpenJS Foundation
|Description=
|InProduction=Yes
|Logo=Electron Software Framework logo.png
|ReleaseYear=2013
|Website=https://www.electronjs.org/
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Electron can encrypt the application so that its internal operations are not visible to those who download it.
'''{{Wplink|Electron_(software_framework)|Electron}}''' is an open-source programming framework that allows developers to write and run web applications as a standalone application. Electron uses [[Chromium]], an open-source project primarily maintained by [[Google]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shankland |first=Stephen |date=30 Nov 2020 |title=Google gets web allies by letting outsiders help build Chrome's foundation |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/google-gets-web-allies-by-letting-outsiders-help-build-chromes-foundation/ |url-status=live |access-date=29 Apr 2025 |website=CNET |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251230172608/https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/google-gets-web-allies-by-letting-outsiders-help-build-chromes-foundation/ |archive-date=30 Dec 2025}}</ref> as the underlying technology to parse and render web applications. The most common criticisms of Electron are performance issues and massive [[Bloatware|software bloat]], given that each application based on Electron also contains and runs Chromium.


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==Dependency on Chromium==
Due to being based on Chromium and being one of the most widely used frameworks for developing [[wikipedia:Application_software|desktop applications]], Electron heavily contributes to Google's monopoly<ref>{{Cite web |year=2025 |title=Browser Market Share Worldwide {{!}} Statcounter Global Stats |url=https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250729173848/https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share |archive-date=29 Jul 2025 |access-date=16 Aug 2025 |website=Statcounter}}</ref> in the browser market. This, unfortunately, further increases the leverage Google has on the whole industry. This also means that upstream changes by Google to the Chromium project can have impacts to projects built on Electron.


[[Category: Definitions]]
==Software using Electron==
Documenting a full list of all applications using Electron would be extremely tedious given the wide adoption of the framework. Some notable examples, however, are:
 
*[[Discord]]
*[[Slack]]
*[[1Password]]
*[[WhatsApp]]
*[[Signal cloud backups | Signal]]<!-- No main article as of 25 Feb 2025. - Sojourna -->
*[[Tidal_updates_terms_without_explanation_or_opportunity_to_decline | Tidal]]<!-- No main article as of 25 Feb 2025. - Sojourna -->
*[[Visual Studio Code]]
*[https://trello.com/ Trello]
*[https://obsidian.md/ Obsidian]
*[https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/group-chat-software Microsoft Teams]
 
For a more complete list (though not necessarily exhaustive), see the [https://www.electronjs.org/apps application directory on the Electron website].
 
==See also==
*[[JavaScript]]
*{{Wplink|Chromium_(web_browser)|Wikipedia - Chromium (web-browser)}}
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
 
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Latest revision as of 03:21, 26 February 2026

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Electron
Basic Information
Release Year 2013
Product Type Software
In Production Yes
Official Website https://www.electronjs.org/

Electron is an open-source programming framework that allows developers to write and run web applications as a standalone application. Electron uses Chromium, an open-source project primarily maintained by Google,[1] as the underlying technology to parse and render web applications. The most common criticisms of Electron are performance issues and massive software bloat, given that each application based on Electron also contains and runs Chromium.

Dependency on Chromium

[edit | edit source]

Due to being based on Chromium and being one of the most widely used frameworks for developing desktop applications, Electron heavily contributes to Google's monopoly[2] in the browser market. This, unfortunately, further increases the leverage Google has on the whole industry. This also means that upstream changes by Google to the Chromium project can have impacts to projects built on Electron.

Software using Electron

[edit | edit source]

Documenting a full list of all applications using Electron would be extremely tedious given the wide adoption of the framework. Some notable examples, however, are:

For a more complete list (though not necessarily exhaustive), see the application directory on the Electron website.

See also

[edit | edit source]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. Shankland, Stephen (30 Nov 2020). "Google gets web allies by letting outsiders help build Chrome's foundation". CNET. Archived from the original on 30 Dec 2025. Retrieved 29 Apr 2025.
  2. "Browser Market Share Worldwide | Statcounter Global Stats". Statcounter. 2025. Archived from the original on 29 Jul 2025. Retrieved 16 Aug 2025.