167 lines
6.2 KiB
Markdown
167 lines
6.2 KiB
Markdown
# Glossary
|
||
|
||
This page defines some terminology that is commonly used in Electron development.
|
||
|
||
### ASAR
|
||
|
||
ASAR stands for Atom Shell Archive Format. An [asar][asar] archive is a simple
|
||
`tar`-like format that concatenates files into a single file. Electron can read
|
||
arbitrary files from it without unpacking the whole file.
|
||
|
||
The ASAR format was created primarily to improve performance on Windows... TODO
|
||
|
||
### Brightray
|
||
|
||
Brightray is a static library that makes [libchromiumcontent]
|
||
easier to use in applications.
|
||
|
||
Brightray is a low-level dependency of Electron that does not concern the
|
||
majority of Electron users.
|
||
|
||
### CRT
|
||
|
||
The C Run-time Library (CRT) is the part of the C++ Standard Library that
|
||
incorporates the ISO C99 standard library. The Visual C++ libraries that
|
||
implement the CRT support native code development, and both mixed native and
|
||
managed code, and pure managed code for .NET development.
|
||
|
||
### DMG
|
||
|
||
An Apple Disk Image is a packaging format used by macOS. DMG files are
|
||
commonly used for distributing application "installers". [electron-builder]
|
||
supports `dmg` as a build target.
|
||
|
||
### IME
|
||
|
||
Input Method Editor. A program that allows users to enter characters and
|
||
symbols not found on their keyboard. For example, this allows users of Latin
|
||
keyboards to input Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indic characters.
|
||
|
||
### IPC
|
||
|
||
IPC stands for Inter-Process Communication. Electron uses IPC to send
|
||
serialized JSON messages between the [main] and [renderer] processes.
|
||
|
||
### libchromiumcontent
|
||
|
||
A single, shared library that includes the Chromium Content module and all its
|
||
dependencies (e.g., Blink, [V8], etc.).
|
||
|
||
### main process
|
||
|
||
The main process, commonly a file named `main.js`, is the entry point to every
|
||
Electron app. It controls the life of the app, from open to close. It also
|
||
manages native elements such as the Menu, Menu Bar, Dock, Tray, etc. The
|
||
main process is responsible for creating each new renderer process in the app.
|
||
The full Node API is built in.
|
||
|
||
Every app's main process file is specified in the `main` property in
|
||
`package.json`. This is how `electron .` knows what file to execute at startup.
|
||
|
||
See also: [process](#process), [renderer process](#renderer-process)
|
||
|
||
### MAS
|
||
|
||
Acronym for Apple's Mac App Store. For details on submitting your app to the
|
||
MAS, see the [Mac App Store Submission Guide].
|
||
|
||
### native modules
|
||
|
||
Native modules (also called [addons] in
|
||
Node.js) are modules written in C or C++ that can be loaded into Node.js or
|
||
Electron using the require() function, and used just as if they were an
|
||
ordinary Node.js module. They are used primarily to provide an interface
|
||
between JavaScript running in Node.js and C/C++ libraries.
|
||
|
||
Native Node modules are supported by Electron, but since Electron is very
|
||
likely to use a different V8 version from the Node binary installed in your
|
||
system, you have to manually specify the location of Electron’s headers when
|
||
building native modules.
|
||
|
||
See also [Using Native Node Modules].
|
||
|
||
### NSIS
|
||
|
||
Nullsoft Scriptable Install System is a script-driven Installer
|
||
authoring tool for Microsoft Windows. It is released under a combination of
|
||
free software licenses, and is a widely-used alternative to commercial
|
||
proprietary products like InstallShield. [electron-builder] supports NSIS
|
||
as a build target.
|
||
|
||
## OSR
|
||
|
||
Off-screen rendering.
|
||
|
||
### process
|
||
|
||
A process is an instance of a computer program that is being executed. Electron
|
||
apps that make use of the [main] and one or many [renderer] process are
|
||
actually running several programs simultaneously.
|
||
|
||
In Node.js and Electron, each running process has a `process` object. This
|
||
object is a global that provides information about, and control over, the
|
||
current process. As a global, it is always available to applications without
|
||
using require().
|
||
|
||
See also: [main process](#main-process), [renderer process](#renderer-process)
|
||
|
||
### renderer process
|
||
|
||
The renderer process is a browser window in your app. Unlike the main process,
|
||
there can be multiple of these and each is run in a separate process.
|
||
They can also be hidden.
|
||
|
||
In normal browsers, web pages usually run in a sandboxed environment and are not
|
||
allowed access to native resources. Electron users, however, have the power to
|
||
use Node.js APIs in web pages allowing lower level operating system
|
||
interactions.
|
||
|
||
See also: [process](#process), [main process](#main-process)
|
||
|
||
### Squirrel
|
||
|
||
Squirrel is an open-source framework that enables Electron apps to update
|
||
automatically as new versions are released. See the [autoUpdater] API for
|
||
info about getting started with Squirrel.
|
||
|
||
### userland
|
||
|
||
This term originated in the Unix community, where "userland" or "userspace"
|
||
referred to programs that run outside of the operating system kernel. More
|
||
recently, the term has been popularized in the Node and npm community to
|
||
distinguish between the features available in "Node core" versus packages
|
||
published to the npm registry by the much larger "user" community.
|
||
|
||
Like Node, Electron is focused on having a small set of APIs that provide
|
||
all the necessary primitives for developing multi-platform desktop applications.
|
||
This design philosophy allows Electron to remain a flexible tool without being
|
||
overly prescriptive about how it should be used. Userland enables users to
|
||
create and share tools that provide additional functionality on top of what is
|
||
available in "core".
|
||
|
||
### V8
|
||
|
||
V8 is Google's open source JavaScript engine. It is written in C++ and is
|
||
used in Google Chrome. V8 can run
|
||
standalone, or can be embedded into any C++ application.
|
||
|
||
### webview
|
||
|
||
`webview` tags are used to embed 'guest' content (such as external web pages) in
|
||
your Electron app. They are similar to `iframe`s, but differ in that each
|
||
webview runs in a separate process. It doesn't have the same
|
||
permissions as your web page and all interactions between your app and
|
||
embedded content will be asynchronous. This keeps your app safe from the
|
||
embedded content.
|
||
|
||
[addons]: https://nodejs.org/api/addons.html
|
||
[asar]: https://github.com/electron/asar
|
||
[autoUpdater]: api/auto-updater.md
|
||
[electron-builder]: https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder
|
||
[libchromiumcontent]: #libchromiumcontent
|
||
[Mac App Store Submission Guide]: tutorial/mac-app-store-submission-guide.md
|
||
[main]: #main-process
|
||
[renderer]: #renderer-process
|
||
[Using Native Node Modules]: tutorial/using-native-node-modules.md
|
||
[userland]: #userland
|
||
[V8]: #v8
|