Quick Reference
Essential reference tables and checklists for plugin development.
Plugin Lifecycle Methods
| Method | Phase | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
onInitialize() | Startup | Register listeners, set up monitoring |
onActivate() | Activation | Create windows, start services |
onDeactivate() | Deactivation | Hide windows, pause services |
onDispose() | Shutdown | Release all resources |
Template Comparison
| Template | Bundle Size | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| HTML/CSS/JS | ~60 KB | Simple plugins, rapid prototyping |
| React | ~200 KB | Medium complexity, component reusability |
| Angular | ~350 KB | Complex applications, enterprise requirements |
Download Context Types
| Type | Use Case |
|---|---|
PluginDownloadContextType.CDN | HTTPS ZIP archive from a CDN endpoint |
PluginDownloadContextType.LOCAL | Local filesystem ZIP (development and enterprise) |
PluginDownloadContextType.NPM | npm package registry (public or private) |
IPC Channel Naming Convention
All plugin IPC channels should be prefixed with the plugin's unique identifier to prevent collisions:
plugin-name::channel-action
Common IPC Patterns
// Main → Renderer (one-way push)
window.webContents.send("my-plugin::update", data);
// Renderer → Main (fire-and-forget)
ipcRenderer.send("my-plugin::notify", data);
// Renderer → Main (request/response)
const result = await ipcRenderer.invoke("my-plugin::action", data);
// Main process handler
ipcMain.handle("my-plugin::action", async (event, data) => {
return { result: "response" };
});
Distribution Checklist
-
manifest.jsonpresent and valid -
mainfield references a compiled bundle - All IPC handlers removed in
onDispose() - Settings validated before persistence
- No raw Node.js APIs exposed to the renderer process
-
contextIsolationenabled and not overridden - Build artifacts packaged as
build.zip - Semantic version follows
MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
Essential Files Reference
| File | Purpose | Required |
|---|---|---|
manifest.json | Plugin identity and entry point declaration | Yes |
index.ts | Main process entry point | Yes |
package.json | npm package configuration | Yes |
webpack.config.js | Build pipeline configuration | Yes |
tsconfig.json | TypeScript compiler configuration | Yes |
preload.ts | Main-to-renderer IPC bridge | If using a window |
ui/index.html | Renderer process UI document | If using a window |