Dockerized Electron Development Environment

This repository provides a self-contained development environment for Electron using VS Code and Dev Containers.

It creates an isolated Docker container with all the necessary dependencies and provides a virtual desktop accessible through your web browser. The environment defaults to a non-root user for enhanced security, making it a safe and clean way to build and test your application.

Key Features

• Isolated Environment: All dependencies for your Electron app are managed within the container, keeping your host machine clean.
• Browser-Based GUI: No need to install a separate VNC client. The container's desktop is streamed directly to a browser tab.
• No Port Collisions: The environment uses dynamic port mapping, allowing you to run multiple instances without conflicts.
• Rootless by Default: Terminals and commands run as a non-root node user for better security.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following installed on your system:

• Docker Desktop
• Visual Studio Code with the Dev Containers extension

How to Use

1. Open in Container: Open this project folder in VS Code. A notification will appear in the bottom-right corner; click "Reopen in Container".

2. Wait for Build: The first time you open it, the Dev Container will build. This may take a few minutes.

3. Access the Desktop: Once the build is complete, VS Code will automatically forward a port and open a new tab in your web browser displaying the container's Linux desktop.

4. Configure package.json: Make sure your start script in your package.json file includes the --no-sandbox flag. This is required for Electron to start in this environment.

   "scripts": {
     "start": "electron . --no-sandbox"
   }

5. Start Your App:

   • Open a new terminal in VS Code (Terminal > New Terminal). The prompt will show you are the node user.
   • In that terminal, simply run the start command:

     npm start

Your Electron app's window will appear inside the browser tab that's showing the virtual desktop.

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Installing Additional Software

Because the terminal runs as the non-root node user, you must use sudo to perform administrative tasks, such as installing new packages.

Example:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y <package-name>