# .NET and Node.js in-process on Electron

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**This is a fork of [edge-js](https://github.com/agracio/edge-js) adapted to support [Electron](https://github.com/electron/electron/)**

## Overview

**electron-edge-js allows you to run .NET code in Electron process on Windows, macOS, and Linux.**  
**Call compiled .NET dlls or inline C# code directly from Electron process.**  

## Version support policy

### Electron officially supports 3 latest released versions. You can read more about Electron release schedule and support here [Electron Releases](https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/tutorial/electron-timelines).

### electron-edge-js support policy

- Windows supports 6 latest Electron releases.
- macOS comes pre-compiled with 6 latest Electron releases.  
When using Electron version that is not pre-compiled `electron-edge-js` binaries will be compiled during `npm install` using `node-gyp`.
- Linux will always compile `electron-edge-js` binaries during `npm install` using `node-gyp`.

> [!WARNING] 
> - Currently `electron-edge-js` on Linux does not support **Electron 43** and above due to unknown bug.  

> [!NOTE] 
> - Versions prior to **Electron 29** are not supported.

-----

### Windows supported versions 

| Electron    | x86                | x64                | arm64              |
| ----------- |--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
| 39.x - 43.x | :heavy_check_mark: | :heavy_check_mark: | :heavy_check_mark: |
| 44.x        | :x:                | :heavy_check_mark: | :heavy_check_mark: |

### macOS binaries pre-compiled for 

| Electron    |  x64               | arm64              |
| ----------- |  ----------------- | ------------------ |
| 39.x - 44.x | :heavy_check_mark: | :heavy_check_mark: |

#### Supports

| Electron    | x64                | arm64              |
|------------ |--------------------|--------------------|
| 29.x - 44.x | :heavy_check_mark: | :heavy_check_mark: |

### Linux
On Linux  `npm install` will compile binaries with correct Electron headers for a given Electron version.

### Linux supported versions

| Electron    | x64                | arm64              |
| ----------- | ------------------ | ------------------ |
| 29.x - 42.x | :heavy_check_mark: | :heavy_check_mark: |

Other Linux architectures might work but have not been tested.

#### Usage is the same as edge-js, replace `require('edge-js')` with `require('electron-edge-js')`:

```bash
npm install electron-edge-js
```

```diff
-var edge = require('edge-js');
+var edge = require('electron-edge-js');

var helloWorld = edge.func(function () {/*
    async (input) => {
        return ".NET Welcomes " + input.ToString();
    }
*/});
```

## Quick start

Sample app that shows how to work with .NET Core using inline code and compiled C# libraries.  
https://github.com/agracio/electron-edge-js-quick-start

## Pre-requisites
- Windows: [Visual C++ Redistributable](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170#latest-microsoft-visual-c-redistributable-version)

## Packaging Electron application

`electron-edge-js` needs to be specified as an external module, some examples  

### webpack
 
``webpack.config.js ``

```js
module.exports = {
  target: 'node',
  externals: {
    'electron-edge-js': 'commonjs2 electron-edge-js',
    'edge-cs': 'commonjs2 edge-cs',
  },
  node: {
    __dirname: true,
    __filename: true,
  },
}
```

### From [#138](https://github.com/agracio/electron-edge-js/issues/138)

``webpack.config.js ``

```js
externals: {
    'electron-edge-js': 'commonjs2 electron-edge-js',
},
node: {
    __dirname: false,
    __filename: false,
},
extraResources:[
    "./node_modules/electron-edge-js/**",
]
```

Electron `main.js` 

```js
// https://github.com/ScottJMarshall/electron-webpack-module-resolution
require("module").globalPaths.push(process.cwd()+'/node_modules');
var edge = require('electron-edge-js');
```

### Vue.js

``vue.config.js``

```js
module.export = {
    pluginOptions: {
        electronBuilder: {
            externals:["electron-edge-js"]
        }
    }
}
```  

### Vite

When using dotnet Core CLR environment variable `process.env.EDGE_USE_CORECLR` needs to be set in Vite config instead of code.

`vite.config.ts`

```typescript
export default defineConfig(({ command }) => {
  process.env.EDGE_USE_CORECLR = 1;
  return {
    // ..
  }
});
```
 
Related issues to use for troubleshooting:  
https://github.com/agracio/electron-edge-js/issues/39  
https://github.com/agracio/electron-edge-js/issues/74  
https://github.com/agracio/electron-edge-js/issues/21  
https://github.com/agracio/electron-edge-js/issues/138

## electron-builder

electron-builder example based on `electron-edge-js-quick-start`  
https://github.com/agracio/electron-edge-js-quick-start-builder

## electron-forge

electron-forge example based on `electron-edge-js-quick-start`  
https://github.com/agracio/electron-edge-js-quick-start-forge

## Async execution

If `electron-edge-js` module is used on main Electron thread it will cause Electron app to freeze when executing long-running .NET code even if your C# code is fully async.  
To avoid this you can use worker thread packages such as **[threads.js](https://www.npmjs.com/package/threads)** or **[piscina](https://www.npmjs.com/package/piscina)**  


This issue is not present when using Electron [IPC](https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/tutorial/ipc)

### Workaround from [#97]( https://github.com/agracio/electron-edge-js/issues/97)

`main.js`
```js
const { fork } = require("child_process"); fork("../child.js", [], { env: {file: 'filename'}, })
```

`child.js`
```js
const path = require('path');
const powerpoint = require('office-script').powerpoint;
const filePath = '../../directory/';

powerpoint.open(path.join(${remotePath}${process.env.file}.pptx), function(err) {
    if(err) throw err;
});
```

## Window refresh issue

If `electron-edge-js` module is used on main Electron thread refreshing the window (F5, Ctrl+R, Command+R etc) will cause a hard crash in `electron-edge-js` module and Electron app.  
Currently there is no solution to this issue other than using Electron [IPC](https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/tutorial/ipc).

## Documentation

For full documentation see [edge-js](https://github.com/agracio/edge-js) repo.

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