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docs: Say more about what is renderer process and main process

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Cheng Zhao 2015-03-29 16:02:03 +08:00
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Generally, atom-shell enables you to create desktop applications with pure Generally, atom-shell enables you to create desktop applications with pure
JavaScript by providing a runtime with rich native APIs. You could see it as JavaScript by providing a runtime with rich native APIs. You could see it as
a variant of the Node.js runtime which is focused on desktop applications a variant of the io.js runtime which is focused on desktop applications
instead of web servers. instead of web servers.
It doesn't mean atom-shell is a JavaScript binding to GUI libraries. Instead, It doesn't mean atom-shell is a JavaScript binding to GUI libraries. Instead,
@ -13,25 +13,40 @@ Chromium browser, controlled by JavaScript.
### The main process ### The main process
The main atom-shell process displays a GUI by creating web pages. We have In atom-shell the process that runs `package.json`'s `main` script is called
**scripts that run in the atom-shell runtime**, that create **scripts __the main process__. The script runs in the main process can display GUI by
that run in the web page**. creating web pages.
In atom-shell, we have provided the [ipc](../api/ipc-renderer.md) module for
communication from the main process to the renderer process, and the
[remote](../api/remote.md) module for easy RPC support.
### The renderer process ### The renderer process
Normal web pages are designed to not reach outside of the browser, which makes Since atom-shell uses Chromium for displaying web pages, Chromium's
them unsuitable for interacting with native systems. Atom-shell provides Node.js multi-processes architecture is also used. Each web page in atom-shell runs in
APIs in web pages so you can access native resources from web pages, just like its own process, which is called __the renderer process__.
[nw.js](https://github.com/nwjs/nw.js).
But unlike nw.js, you cannot do native GUI related operations in web In normal browsers web pages are usually running in sandboxed environment and
pages. Instead you need to do them on the main process by sending messages to not allowed to access native resources. In atom-shell users are given the power
it, or using the easy [remote](../api/remote.md) module. to use io.js APIs in web pages, so it would be possible to interactive with
low level operating system in web pages with JavaScript.
### Differences between main process and renderer process
The main process creates web pages by creating `BrowserWindow` instances, and
each `BrowserWindow` instance runs the web page in its own renderer process,
when a `BrowserWindow` instance is destroyed, the corresponding renderer process
would also be terminated.
So the main process manages all web pages and their corresponding renderer
processes, and each renderer process is separated from each other and only care
about the web page running in it.
In web pages it is not allowed call native GUI related APIs because managing
native GUI resources in web pages is very dangerous and easy to leak resources.
If you want to do GUI operations in web pages, you have to communicate with
the main process to do it there.
In atom-shell, we have provided the [ipc](../api/ipc-renderer.md) module for
communication between main process and renderer process. And there is also a
[remote](../api/remote.md) module for RPC style communication.
## Write your first atom-shell app ## Write your first atom-shell app