desktop

---

title: "Desktop" description: "worker-kmp on JVM Desktop — coroutine-based scheduler; no OS-level persistence, runs while process is alive."

Desktop (JVM)

worker-kmp on Desktop runs in two modes:

1. In-process (default) — workers execute on a coroutine-backed scheduler inside the consumer app. Survives app lifetime but not app close.
2. OS-scheduler daemon (cmp-worker-desktop-daemon) — a separate JVM daemon registered with the OS scheduler (Windows Task Scheduler / macOS launchd / Linux systemd-user) that runs work even when the consumer app is closed AND survives reboot.

Requirements

• JDK 11+ (JDK 17+ recommended)
• Windows 10+ / macOS 11+ / Linux with systemd (for daemon mode)

Dependency

// commonMain
api(libs.worker.kmp)
api(libs.worker.koin)

// jvmMain
api(libs.worker.desktop)

// (optional) OS-scheduler daemon for true-background
implementation(libs.worker.desktop.daemon)

Desktop setup (v4 single-API, in-process)

Worker wiring lives in your commonMain initApp() via WorkerKmpAuto.install() (see the Quick start); the generated Desktop installer selects desktopWorkManagerFactory() for you. The Desktop main() just calls initApp():

// desktopMain/main.kt
fun main() {
    initApp()               // commonMain initApp calls WorkerKmpAuto.install()
    // ... start your Compose Desktop UI
}

Desktop-specific WorkerConfig (e.g. a custom persistence dir) is supplied via a Koin binding — see Configuration:

// commonMain (or desktopMain) module wired into initApp's startKoin:
single {
    WorkerConfig(
        logLevel = LogLevel.INFO,
        desktopConfig = DesktopWorkManagerConfig(
            persistenceDir = Path.of(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".myapp", "work"),
        ),
    )
}

Daemon mode (true background)

For tasks that must run when the app is closed AND across reboots:

// At install/setup time, install the daemon:
DesktopDaemonInstaller.install(
    appId = "com.example.myapp",
    daemonJarPath = "/path/to/my-daemon.jar",
    scheduleEveryMinutes = 15,
)

// At app start, point the factory at the daemon's persistence dir:
factory = desktopWorkManagerFactory(
    DesktopDaemonConfig(daemonId = "com.example.myapp"),
)

The installer writes:

• Windows: schtasks /create entry with TRIGGER MINUTE + per-app working directory
• macOS: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.example.myapp.plist with StartInterval
• Linux: ~/.config/systemd/user/com.example.myapp.timer + .service units

Persistence

Work queue state lives in DesktopWorkManagerConfig.persistenceDir (default <user.home>/.workkmp/<app-id>/). The format is HMAC-protected .properties files — see Security T1-T6.

See also

• Platform API Matrix
• True Background Matrix — daemon mode vs other platforms
• Security — daemon integrity model + threat assumptions