# electron-vue-vite
[](https://github.com/vitejs/awesome-vite)
**English | [įŽäŊä¸æ](README.zh-CN.md)**
đĨŗ Real simple `Electron` + `Vue3` + `Vite2` boilerplate.
## Quick Start
```bash
# clone the project
git clone https://github.com/caoxiemeihao/electron-vue-vite.git
# enter the project directory
cd electron-vue-vite
# install dependency
npm install
# develop
npm run dev
```
## Overview
This is a `Vite`-integrated `Electron` template built with simplification in mind.
The repo contains only the most basic files, dependencies and functionalities to ensure flexibility for various scenarios.
You need a basic understanding of `Electron` and `Vite` to get started. But that's not mandatory - you can learn almost all the details by reading through the source code. Trust me, this repo is not that complex. đ
## Directory
A `dist` folder will be generated everytime when `dev` or `build` command is executed. File structure of `dist` is identical to the `packages` directory to avoid any potential path calculation errors.
```tree
â
âââ dist Will be generated following the structure of "packages" directory
â âââ main
â âââ preload
â âââ renderer
â
âââ scripts
â âââ build.mjs Build script -> npm run build
â âââ watch.mjs Develop script -> npm run dev
â
âââ packages
â âââ main Main-process source code
â âââ vite.config.ts
â âââ preload Preload-script source code
â âââ vite.config.ts
â âââ renderer Renderer-process source code
â âââ vite.config.ts
â
```
## `dependencies` vs `devDependencies`
- First, you need to know if the package is still needed at runtime after packed.
- Packages like [serialport](https://www.npmjs.com/package/serialport), [sqlite3](https://www.npmjs.com/package/sqlite3) are node-native modules and should be placed in `dependencies`. Vite will not build them and will treat them as externals.
- Packages like [vue](https://www.npmjs.com/package/vue), [react](https://www.npmjs.com/package/react) are pure javascript modules and can be built with Vite. They can be listed in `devDependencies` which helps reducing the size of bundled product.
## Use Electron, NodeJs API
> đ§ Due to [electron security](https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/tutorial/security/) constraints, using Electron or NodeJS API in the rederer process is strongly discouraged.
The template provides two methods for using the NodeJs API in the rendering process:
1. Bypass the security constraints (**default**), located in the [main](https://github.com/caoxiemeihao/electron-vue-vite/tree/main) branch. `nodeIntegration` is enabled by default, making it easy to use.:tada:, but there are certain security risks đ§.
2. Inject Render by preload script, located in the [withoutNodeIntegration](https://github.com/caoxiemeihao/electron-vue-vite/tree/withoutNodeIntegration) branch. `nodeIntegration` is turned off by default, the official recommended way of electron, more secure:lock:.
**For [1](https://github.com/caoxiemeihao/electron-vue-vite/tree/main), all NodeJs and Electron APIs can be used directly in the rendering process.**
**For [2](https://github.com/caoxiemeihao/electron-vue-vite/tree/withoutNodeIntegration), all NodeJs, Electron APIs injected into the rendering process via `Preload-script`**
you need to create a context bridge and expose the APIs you need to the renderer process.
Note that if your project uses typescript, you also need to add type declarations to the `Window` interface, for example:
* **packages/preload/index.ts**
```typescript
import fs from 'fs'
import { contextBridge, ipcRenderer } from 'electron'
// --------- Expose some API to Renderer-process. ---------
contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('fs', fs)
contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('ipcRenderer', ipcRenderer)
```
* **packages/renderer/src/global.d.ts**
```typescript
// Defined on the window
interface Window {
fs: typeof import('fs')
ipcRenderer: import('electron').IpcRenderer
}
```
* **packages/renderer/src/main.ts**
```typescript
// Use Electron, NodeJs API in Renderer-process
console.log('fs', window.fs)
console.log('ipcRenderer', window.ipcRenderer)
```
Finally, either way, for third-party NodeJs APIs (e.g. `sqlite3`), You'll also need to declare how it was imported in `packages/renderer/vite.config.ts` `defineConfig.plugins` so that the template can recognize them correctly. đ reference `issues` [resolveElectron](https://github.com/caoxiemeihao/electron-vue-vite/issues/52)
## Use SerialPort, SQLite3 or other node-native addons in Main-process
- First, you need to make sure the packages are listed in the "dependencies" since they are still needed at runtime after the project is packed.
- Source code of main process and preload scripts are also bundled with Vite[build.lib](https://vitejs.dev/config/#build-lib). Rollup configurations needed.
**More:** đ [packages/main/vite.config.ts](https://github.com/caoxiemeihao/electron-vue-vite/blob/main/packages/main/vite.config.ts)
```js
export default {
build: {
// built lib for Main-process, Preload-script
lib: {
entry: 'index.ts',
formats: ['cjs'],
fileName: () => '[name].js',
},
rollupOptions: {
// configuration here
external: [
'serialport',
'sqlite3',
],
},
},
}
```
## Main window
## Wechat | | č¯ˇæåæ¯ä¸åčļ đĨŗ
