electron/docs/api/synopsis.md

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# Synopsis
Info about Node.js and the main and renderer processes.
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All of [Node.js's built-in modules](http://nodejs.org/api/) are available in
Electron and third-party node modules also fully supported as well (including
the [native modules](../tutorial/using-native-node-modules.md)).
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Electron also provides some extra built-in modules for developing native
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desktop applications. Some modules are only available in the main process, some
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are only available in the renderer process (web page), and some can be used in
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both processes.
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The basic rule is: if a module is [GUI][gui] or low-level system related, then
it should be only available in the main process. You need to be familiar with
the concept of [main process vs. renderer process](../tutorial/quick-start.md#the-main-process)
scripts to be able to use those modules.
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The main process script is just like a normal Node.js script:
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```javascript
const electron = require('electron');
const app = electron.app;
const BrowserWindow = electron.BrowserWindow;
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var window = null;
app.on('ready', function() {
window = new BrowserWindow({width: 800, height: 600});
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window.loadURL('https://github.com');
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});
```
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The renderer process is no different than a normal web page, except for the
extra ability to use node modules:
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```html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
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<body>
<script>
const remote = require('electron').remote;
console.log(remote.app.getVersion());
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</script>
</body>
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</html>
```
To run your app, read [Run your app](../tutorial/quick-start.md#run-your-app).
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## Destructuring assignment
If you are using CoffeeScript or Babel, you can also use
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[destructuring assignment][destructuring-assignment] to make it easier to use
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built-in modules:
```javascript
const {app, BrowserWindow} = require('electron')
```
However if you are using plain JavaScript, you have to wait until Chrome fully
supports ES6.
## Disable old styles of using built-in modules
Before v0.35.0, all built-in modules have to be used in the form of
`require('module-name')`, though it has [many disadvantages][issue-387], we are
still supporting it for compatibility with old apps.
To disable the old styles completely, you can set the
`ELECTRON_HIDE_INTERNAL_MODULES` environment variable:
```javascript
process.env.ELECTRON_HIDE_INTERNAL_MODULES = 'true'
```
Or call the `hideInternalModules` API:
```javascript
require('electron').hideInternalModules()
```
[gui]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphical_user_interface
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[destructuring-assignment]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/Destructuring_assignment
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[issue-387]: https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/387