ipc-express for electron

This library enables you to use the express framework in the mainthread of electron but without the http overhead.

Usage

Installation

npm i ipc-express

in your main.js file

const { ipcMain } = require('electron');
const express = require('express');
const { IpcServer } = require('ipc-express');

const expressApp = express();
const ipc = new IpcServer(ipcMain);

const someMiddleware = (req, res, next) => {
  next();
};
expressApp.use(someMiddleware);

expressApp.get('/test/:id', (req, res) => {
  res.send({
    params: req.params,
    query: req.query
  });
});


ipc.listen(expressApp);

In your frontend framework

import { IpcClient } from 'ipc-express';
const { ipcRenderer } = window.require('electron');

const ipc = new IpcClient(ipcRenderer);

  async componentDidMount() {
    const testId = 5;
    const { data } = await ipc.get(`/test/${testId}?test=testquery`);
    const { params, query } = data;
    console.log({ params, query })
  }

example

An example can be found in the example-app folder. To start the example-app:

cd example-app
npm run start:main
npm run start:renderer

contribute

• fork this repo
• npm i
• make changes on new branch
• update README
• submit PR

Todo

• extend the response object to an more express-like one

License

MIT

Copyright © 2019-Present, René Heinen. All rights reserved.

Changes in fork by nibdo

• updated packages
• modifications for handling responses in client
• added methods and status in server
• replaced ipcMain with ipcRenderer for server part to use it in different window