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ADR-0004: Desktop app framework — Electron

  • Status: Accepted
  • Date: 2026-04-24
  • Deciders: @hanfour
  • Tags: frontend, desktop, distribution

Context​

The pmk desktop app (see PRD-2026-0002) needs a cross-platform shell. Two constraints shape the choice:

  1. The renderer is React/TypeScript (same stack as the Docusaurus site); team has zero Rust experience.
  2. v1.0 ships all 15 functional requirements including Git worktree integration, child process management, local file system access — all of which need a real Node (or Rust) runtime, not just a browser.

Decision​

Adopt Electron for v1.0.

Plan to re-evaluate Tauri in v2.0 once the product-market fit is proven and Rust investment becomes justifiable.

Consequences​

Positive​

  • Zero learning curve for renderer code — same React/TS/Tailwind stack as Docusaurus site
  • Direct access to Node APIs — simple-git, execa, fs all work as-is, no IPC-wrapping needed
  • Mature ecosystem: electron-builder, electron-store, electron-updater solve the common problems (code sign, auto-update, settings persistence) out-of-the-box
  • Ship v1.0 in ~3 months instead of 6+ with Tauri learning curve

Negative​

  • Bundle size: 80–150 MB — significantly larger than Tauri's 5–15 MB
  • RAM usage: 150–300 MB idle — two Chromium processes + V8
  • Security surface: Chromium's attack surface is larger; needs context isolation, CSP discipline
  • Not as "native" feeling on macOS — menu integration and window chrome are less polished by default

Neutral​

  • macOS code signing still requires $99/yr Apple Developer Program — same regardless of framework
  • Auto-update infrastructure (electron-updater) mirrors what Tauri provides

Alternatives Considered​

Alternative A — Tauri 2.0​

  • Pros: 10× smaller bundle, 3× less RAM, Rust security properties, first-class mobile support in 2.0
  • Cons: Team has zero Rust experience; ecosystem less mature (e.g., simple-git equivalent must be bridged); Windows MSI signing more manual; fewer worked examples for the Spec-editor + Mermaid + Monaco combo we want
  • Rejected for v1.0: the 3-month timeline has no room for Rust onboarding. Revisit in v2.0.

Alternative B — Web app only (Next.js + browser)​

  • Pros: No install friction; familiar stack; easy to iterate
  • Cons: Can't run Git worktree / local file system / shell commands without a local daemon. Defeats the "local tool" value proposition. RAG index can't live purely in browser.
  • Rejected: kills F10 (Park), F11 (Git worktree), F14 (TDD flow) by design.

Alternative C — Hybrid: Web app + local companion daemon​

  • Pros: Browser UI with local capabilities via WebSocket bridge
  • Cons: Two runtime artifacts to install, coordinate, and update. Worse UX than either pure option.
  • Rejected: Spectra-style "one binary" UX is part of the product promise.

Alternative D — Neutralinojs / NW.js​

  • Pros: Bundle sizes between Electron and Tauri; similar familiarity
  • Cons: Smaller ecosystems, fewer production examples for complex IDE-like UIs
  • Rejected: marginal bundle savings don't offset ecosystem risk

Alternative E — Pure CLI (no GUI)​

  • Pros: Simplest possible; ships in a few weeks
  • Cons: Fails F3–F8, F10–F15 — the GUI IS the product differentiator vs Claude Code's CLI
  • Rejected by user explicitly — v1.0 is full app

Implementation Notes​

  • Use Electron 33+ (Chromium 130) with Node 20 main process
  • Context isolation ON, sandbox ON, no nodeIntegration in renderer
  • Preload script exposes typed IPC surface only
  • Renderer build: Vite (not webpack; faster HMR for our team's dev loop)
  • Package via electron-builder with target matrix: dmg + zip (macOS), nsis + msi (Windows), AppImage + deb (Linux)
  • Auto-update via electron-updater pointing at GitHub Releases

Re-evaluation Trigger​

Revisit this ADR when any of:

  • Bundle size complaints from users become the #1 issue in feedback
  • RAM usage becomes a blocker for a specific user segment
  • Team hires / acquires Rust expertise
  • Tauri 3.x matures with fewer edge cases for our stack

References​

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