🚀 Electron + Python Portable Desktop App

This project combines an Electron frontend with a Python backend, bundled into a cross-platform desktop application (macOS .dmg).
Python runs fully portable via a virtual environment (venv) created and managed using npm scripts.

🛠️ Project Structure

/python/                 # Python backend code
/python/venv/            # Python virtual environment (auto-created)
/python/requirements.txt # Python dependencies list
/scripts/setup_python.sh # Python environment setup script
/main.js                 # Electron main process
/package.json            # Build & run scripts
/dist/, /build/          # Build outputs

✅ Prerequisites

• Node.js (v16+ recommended)
• Python Portable (included in /python-portable/, no system Python required)
• macOS (for .dmg creation; adjust Electron Builder config for cross-platform builds)

🚀 Setup Instructions

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/VictorBaumgartner/electron_app.git
cd electron_app

2. Install dependencies and set up Python:

npm install

This will automatically:

• Create the Python virtual environment (/python/venv)
• Install Python dependencies (requirements.txt)
• Install Playwright browsers (in portable mode)
• Install Electron dependencies

3. (Optional) Manually set up the Python environment:

npm run setup-python

Equivalent to running:

npm run setup-venv
npm run install-python-deps
npm run install-playwright-browsers

💻 Development Mode

Run both the Electron app and the Python backend in parallel:

npm run dev

📦 Build Production Version (macOS .dmg)

To build the Python backend and Electron frontend and generate a macOS .dmg file:

npm run build

Includes:

• PyInstaller build of the Python backend
• Electron packaging using electron-builder

Output located in: /dist/*.dmg

🧹 Clean Build (Reset Everything)

rm -rf node_modules python/venv dist build
npm install

📝 Available npm Scripts

Command	Description
npm install	Install Node + Python dependencies (auto setup)
npm run setup-python	Manually set up Python venv + dependencies
npm run dev	Run Electron + Python backend in development mode
npm run build	Build Python (PyInstaller) + Electron app (.dmg)
npm run build-python	Build only the Python backend via PyInstaller
npm run build-electron	Build only the Electron app (.dmg)
npm run clean (if added)	Remove node_modules, python/venv, dist, build

⚠️ Notes

• Uses portable Python; no system Python required.
• Playwright browsers are stored locally (/python-portable/lib/playwright).
• PyInstaller produces the Python executable before Electron builds the final .dmg.

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GitHub Repository: https://github.com/VictorBaumgartner/electron_app