Our Approach: Web Technologies for Desktop Applications
Instead of building separate applications, we implemented Electron — a framework that packages web applications into desktop software by running them in a specialized Chromium browser with full access to native system capabilities.
This strategic choice delivered two significant advantages:
Technical Implementation: Making Electron Enterprise-Ready
01 Strategic Module Architecture
- Implemented precise module loading sequences to optimize startup time
- Separated core functionality from optional features using lazy loading
- Developed a dependency system that ensures essential components load first
02 Performance Optimizations
- Offloaded intensive processing to background Web Workers
- Implemented WebAssembly for PDF rendering and large dataset operations
- Created intelligent caching for frequently accessed document metadata
- Used virtual scrolling for large document libraries to minimize memory usage
03 Native Platform Integration
- Developed Windows Explorer integration for contextual file operations
- Created custom C++ Addons for OS-specific functionality
- Implemented native drag-and-drop support for document management
- Built Microsoft Office plugins that connect with the document system
Overcoming Electron's Challenges
Electron applications face three common criticisms: security vulnerabilities, performance overhead, and non-native user experience. Here's how we addressed each:
Enterprise-Grade Security
- Isolated process structure: separate main process with managed system access and sandboxed renderer for UI
- Secure inter-process communication with Content Security Policies and message validation
- Modern security stack leveraging battle-tested technologies (React, Node.js)
Native-Level Performance
- Smart resource management: progressive loading, deferred non-critical operations, reduced dependencies
- Process optimization: background computing, thread management to prevent UI freezing
- Web Workers for parallel document processing
Platform-Native Experience
While maintaining cross-platform consistency, we incorporated platform-specific elements:
- Native keyboard shortcuts for Windows and macOS
- OS-specific window controls and menu behaviors
- System-level file associations and protocol handlers
- Custom OS-integrated notification systems
Our document management system now powers workflows for enterprises across multiple industries, with users seamlessly transitioning between web and desktop environments without disruption. The consistent interface across platforms has reduced training costs for client companies by an average of 35%, while the unified codebase allows us to implement customer-requested features three times faster than our previous multi-platform approach.
Development Timeline
2021 – Ongoing
Team Composition
- Tech lead
- Scrum master
- 5 Developers
- UX/UI Designer
- 2 QA engineers
- DevOps engineer
- Business Analyst
Target Platforms
- Web
- Apple
- Android
Location
Canada and Worldwide
Methodology
Agile
Technology Stack
Framework
Electron
Frontend
TypeScript, React
Backend
Node.js
Design
Custom UI framework
Extensions
C++ Addons for OS-specific features
Key Making a Difference:
- 40% reduction in development costs through unified codebase maintenance
- Simultaneous feature releases across all platforms, eliminating fragmentation
- Expanded market access with consistent experience for all users
- Streamlined QA process — bugs fixed once apply everywhere
- Seamless user transitions between web and desktop versions
