Decide if Electron fits the app

Electron is useful when the product needs desktop capabilities and the team can reuse web skills.

Start from the requirement, not the framework:

Requirement	First option to consider
Share by URL with no installation	Website
Local files, native menus, offline desktop workflow	Electron
Smallest download or deepest platform integration	Native app
Existing web product with a focused desktop companion	Electron or a thin native shell

Electron removes the need to build three separate native interfaces. It does not remove platform work. Menus, paths, installers, signing, permissions, and update behavior still differ.

For Desktop Notes, write a short decision record:

Desktop-only needs: offline notes, native export, application menu
Supported platforms: macOS and Windows
Accepted costs: larger download, two release pipelines
Reason a website is insufficient: notes must work fully offline

Make the tradeoff measurable. Set a download-size expectation, list the operating systems you will test, and name who owns security updates.

If the real app only displays a remote website, Electron may add more release and security responsibility than value. Choose it because desktop behavior matters.