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# electron-prebuilt
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[![build status ](http://img.shields.io/travis/mafintosh/electron-prebuilt.svg?style=flat )](http://travis-ci.org/mafintosh/electron-prebuilt)
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Install [electron ](https://github.com/atom/electron ) (formerly called **atom-shell** ) prebuilt binaries for command-line use using npm.
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Works on Mac, Windows and Linux OSes that Electron supports (e.g. Electron [does not support Windows XP ](https://github.com/atom/electron/issues/691 )).
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Electron is a javascript runtime that bundles Node.js and Chromium. You use it similar to the `node` command on the command line for executing javascript programs. This module helps you easily install the `electron` command for use on the command line without having to compile anything.
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## Installation
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Download and install the latest build of electron for your OS and add it to your projects `package.json` as a `devDependency` :
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```
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npm install electron-prebuilt --save-dev
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```
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This is the preferred way to use electron, as it doesn't require users to install electron globally.
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You can also use the `-g` flag (global) to symlink it into your PATH:
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```
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npm install -g electron-prebuilt
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```
If that command fails with an `EACCESS` error you may have to run it again with `sudo` :
```
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sudo npm install -g electron-prebuilt
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```
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Now you can just run `electron` to run electron:
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```
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electron
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```
## Usage
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First you have to [write an electron application ](https://github.com/atom/electron/blob/master/docs/tutorial/quick-start.md )
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Then you can run your app using:
```
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electron your-app/
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```
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## Programmatic usage
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If you require `electron-prebuilt` inside your node app it will return the file path to the binary.
Use this to spawn electron
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``` js
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var electron = require('electron-prebuilt')
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var proc = require('child_process')
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// will something similar to print /Users/maf/.../Electron
console.log(electron)
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// spawn electron
var child = proc.spawn(electron)
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```