The release of Electron 27.0.0 has been published, providing a standalone framework for developing cross-platform user applications, based on Chromium, V8, and Node.js components. The significant version number change is due to the update to Chromium 118 codebase, Node.js 18.17.1, and JavaScript engine V8 11.8.
Among the changes in the new release:
- The WaylandWindowDecorations mode is enabled by default, allowing resizing and moving of windows correctly in Wayland environments based on GNOME and Weston where the XDG Decoration protocol is not supported, when started with Wayland support (—ozone-platform=wayland). In environments supporting XDG Decoration, such as KDE and Sway, the WaylandWindowDecorations mode is ignored.
- An API has been added to account for system settings that control background transparency levels in applications.
- Support for the chrome.scripting API has been added, allowing custom JavaScript and CSS to be injected into pages.
- The methods safeStorage.setUsePlainTextEncryption and safeStorage.getSelectedStorageBackend have been added.
- The API BrowserWindow.showAllTabs has been added. The property tabbingIdentifier has been added to the BrowserWindow object. The chrome.tabs.query API has been partially implemented.
- The session.downloadURL() and webContents.downloadURL() methods have been updated to send specific HTTP headers.
- A flag ‘—dns-result-order’ has been added.
- In Linux, the detection of dark theme settings via the ‘xdg settings’ portal has been implemented.
- The API ipcRenderer.sendTo() has been deprecated; MessageChannel should be used for interaction between two renders.
- The method webContents.getPrinters has been removed; instead, webContents.getPrintersAsync should be used.
- The methods systemPreferences.{get,set}AppLevelAppearance and systemPreferences.appLevelAppearance have been removed in favor of the nativeTheme module.
- The method systemPreferences.getColor has ceased support for the value alternate-selected-control-text; instead, selected-content-background should be used.
- In systemPreferences, color scheme change events have been removed (instead of inverted-color-scheme-changed and high-contrast-color-scheme-changed, the updated event from the nativeTheme module should be used).
- Support for macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) and macOS 10.14 (Mojave) has been discontinued.
- The support cycle for Electron 22.x has been completed, marking the end of the last branch supporting Windows 7/8/8.1.
The Electron platform allows you to create any graphical applications using web technologies, with logic defined in JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, and functionality that can be extended through a plugin system. Developers have access to Node.js modules as well as an extended API for creating native dialogs, integrating applications, creating context menus, integrating with the notification output system, window manipulation, and interaction with Chromium subsystems.
Unlike web applications, Electron-based programs are delivered as self-contained executable files that are not browser-dependent. Additionally, developers do not need to worry about porting the application to different platforms; Electron provides the ability to build for all systems supported in Chromium. Electron also offers tools for automating the delivery and installation of updates (updates can be delivered either from a separate server, or directly from GitHub).
Notable applications built on the Electron platform include the Atom text editor, Mailspring email client, GitKraken Git toolkit, WordPress Desktop blogging system, WebTorrent Desktop BitTorrent client, as well as official clients for services like Skype, Signal, Slack, Basecamp, Twitch, Ghost, Wire, Wrike, Visual Studio Code, and Discord. In total, the Electron program catalog features 744 applications. To simplify the development of new applications, a set of sample demonstration applications has been prepared, including code examples for various tasks.
Source: opennet.ru
