Streamlining Electron.js App with Tray Icons

In the realm of desktop application development, Electron.js stands out as a robust framework for building cross-platform apps using web technologies. Among its many features, integrating tray icons can significantly enhance user experience by providing quick access to essential functionalities. Today, let’s explore how we can implement tray icons in our Electron.js application, from setup to implementation.

Setting Up A Electron.js Project

First things first, let’s set up a basic Electron.js project:

1. Initialize a new Node.js project

mkdir project_name && cd project_name
npm init -y

2. Install Electron.js

npm install electron

3. Create project files

project_name/
├── icon.png
├── index.html
├── index.js
├── node_modules
├── package.json
└── package-lock.json

– `index.html` for the application’s UI.

– `index.js` for Electron main process code.

– An icon file (`icon.png`) for the tray icon.

– add `start` command in package.json like this.

{
  "name": "project_name",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "main": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1",
    "start": "electron ."
  },
  "keywords": [],
  "author": "",
  "license": "ISC",
  "dependencies": {
    "electron": "^29.0.1"
  }
}

Implementing Tray Icon Functionality

Next, let’s dive into implementing the tray icon functionality in `index.js` file:

const { app, Tray, BrowserWindow } = require('electron');
const path = require('path');

let tray = null;
let mainWindow = null;

app.on('ready', () => {
  tray = new Tray(path.join(__dirname, 'icon.png'));

  mainWindow = new BrowserWindow({
    width: 800,
    height: 600,
    show: false,
    webPreferences: {
      nodeIntegration: true
    }
  });

  mainWindow.loadFile('index.html');

  tray.on('click', () => {
    mainWindow.isVisible() ? mainWindow.hide() : mainWindow.show();
  });
});

Running Your Electron.js Application

To run Electron.js application, execute the following command in the terminal:

npm start

This command will start Electron application, and we should see the tray icon appear in our system tray. Clicking on the tray icon should toggle the visibility of the application window.

Conclusion

Integrating tray icons into Electron.js application is a straightforward process that can greatly improve user experience. Whether it’s for displaying notifications, providing quick access to features, or simply adding a professional touch to our app, tray icons are a valuable addition to any desktop application.

With Electron.js, implementing tray icons becomes seamless, allowing us to focus on crafting an exceptional user experience for our desktop application. So why not enhance our Electron.js app with a sleek tray icon for innovative ideas?

Hope you enjoy that.

By Asahi