Ecosyste.ms: Awesome
An open API service indexing awesome lists of open source software.
https://github.com/sindresorhus/electron-better-ipc
Simplified IPC communication for Electron apps
https://github.com/sindresorhus/electron-better-ipc
electron electron-module ipc ipc-message nodejs npm-package
Last synced: 6 days ago
JSON representation
Simplified IPC communication for Electron apps
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/sindresorhus/electron-better-ipc
- Owner: sindresorhus
- License: mit
- Created: 2018-04-23T07:26:50.000Z (over 6 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2022-07-20T18:16:04.000Z (over 2 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2024-12-04T21:38:37.769Z (8 days ago)
- Topics: electron, electron-module, ipc, ipc-message, nodejs, npm-package
- Language: JavaScript
- Size: 40 KB
- Stars: 719
- Watchers: 8
- Forks: 60
- Open Issues: 7
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: readme.md
- License: license
Awesome Lists containing this project
- awesome-github-star - electron-better-ipc
- awesome-electron - electron-better-ipc - Simplified IPC communication. (Tools / For Electron)
- awesome-electron - electron-better-ipc - Simplified IPC communication.  (Library / IPC)
README
# electron-better-ipc
> Simplified IPC communication for Electron apps
The biggest benefit of this module over the [built-in IPC](https://electronjs.org/docs/api/ipc-main) is that it enables you to send a message and get the response back in the same call. This would usually require multiple IPC subscriptions.
You can use this module directly in both the main and renderer process.
## Install
```sh
npm install electron-better-ipc
```
*Requires Electron 10 or later.*
## Usage
### Using the built-in IPC
Here, as an example, we use the built-in IPC to get an emoji by name in the renderer process from the main process. Notice how it requires coordinating multiple IPC subscriptions.
###### Main
```js
const {ipcMain: ipc} = require('electron');
ipc.on('get-emoji', async (event, emojiName) => {
const emoji = await getEmoji(emojiName);
event.sender.send('get-emoji-response', emoji);
});
```
###### Renderer
```js
const {ipcRenderer: ipc} = require('electron');
ipc.on('get-emoji-response', (event, emoji) => {
console.log(emoji);
//=> '🦄'
});
ipc.send('get-emoji', 'unicorn');
```
### Using this module
As you can see below, this module makes it much simpler to handle the communication. You no longer need multiple IPC subscriptions and you can just `await` the response in the same call.
###### Main
```js
const {ipcMain: ipc} = require('electron-better-ipc');
ipc.answerRenderer('get-emoji', async emojiName => {
const emoji = await getEmoji(emojiName);
return emoji;
});
```
###### Renderer
```js
const {ipcRenderer: ipc} = require('electron-better-ipc');
(async () => {
const emoji = await ipc.callMain('get-emoji', 'unicorn');
console.log(emoji);
//=> '🦄'
})();
```
Here we do the inverse of the above, we get an emoji by name in the main process from the renderer process:
###### Renderer
```js
const {ipcRenderer: ipc} = require('electron-better-ipc');
ipc.answerMain('get-emoji', async emojiName => {
const emoji = await getEmoji(emojiName);
return emoji;
});
```
###### Main
```js
const {ipcMain: ipc} = require('electron-better-ipc');
(async () => {
const emoji = await ipc.callFocusedRenderer('get-emoji', 'unicorn');
console.log(emoji);
//=> '🦄'
})();
```
## API
The module exports `ipcMain` and `ipcRenderer` objects which enhance the built-in `ipc` module with some added methods, so you can use them as a replacement for `electron.ipcMain`/`electron.ipcRenderer`.
## Main process
### ipcMain.callRenderer(browserWindow, channel, data?)
Send a message to the given window.
In the renderer process, use `ipcRenderer.answerMain` to reply to this message.
Returns a `Promise` with the reply from the renderer process.
#### browserWindow
Type: `BrowserWindow`
The window to send the message to.
#### channel
Type: `string`
The channel to send the message on.
#### data
Type: `unknown`
The data to send to the receiver.
### ipcMain.callFocusedRenderer(channel, data?)
Send a message to the focused window, as determined by `electron.BrowserWindow.getFocusedWindow`.
In the renderer process, use `ipcRenderer.answerMain` to reply to this message.
Returns a `Promise` with the reply from the renderer process.
#### channel
Type: `string`
The channel to send the message on.
#### data
Type: `unknown`
The data to send to the receiver.
### ipcMain.answerRenderer(channel, callback)
This method listens for a message from `ipcRenderer.callMain` defined in a renderer process and replies back.
Returns a function, that when called, removes the listener.
#### channel
Type: `string`
The channel to send the message on.
#### callback(data?, browserWindow)
Type: `Function | AsyncFunction`
The return value is sent back to the `ipcRenderer.callMain` in the renderer process.
### ipcMain.answerRenderer(browserWindow, channel, callback)
This method listens for a message from `ipcRenderer.callMain` defined in the given BrowserWindow's renderer process and replies back.
Returns a function, that when called, removes the listener.
#### browserWindow
Type: `BrowserWindow`
The window for which to expect the message.
#### channel
Type: `string`
The channel to send the message on.
#### callback(data?, browserWindow)
Type: `Function | AsyncFunction`
The return value is sent back to the `ipcRenderer.callMain` in the renderer process.
### ipcMain.sendToRenderers(channel, data?)
Send a message to all renderer processes (windows).
#### channel
Type: `string`
The channel to send the message on.
#### data
Type: `unknown`
The data to send to the receiver.
## Renderer process
### ipcRenderer.callMain(channel, data?)
Send a message to the main process.
In the main process, use `ipcMain.answerRenderer` to reply to this message.
Returns a `Promise` with the reply from the main process.
#### channel
Type: `string`
The channel to send the message on.
#### data
Type: `unknown`
The data to send to the receiver.
### ipcRenderer.answerMain(channel, callback)
This method listens for a message from `ipcMain.callRenderer` defined in the main process and replies back.
Returns a function, that when called, removes the listener.
#### channel
Type: `string`
The channel to send the message on.
#### callback(data?)
Type: `Function | AsyncFunction`
The return value is sent back to the `ipcMain.callRenderer` in the main process.
## Related
- [electron-store](https://github.com/sindresorhus/electron-store) - Simple data persistence for your Electron app
- [electron-timber](https://github.com/sindresorhus/electron-timber) - Pretty logger for Electron apps
- [electron-serve](https://github.com/sindresorhus/electron-serve) - Static file serving for Electron apps
- [electron-debug](https://github.com/sindresorhus/electron-debug) - Adds useful debug features to your Electron app
- [electron-unhandled](https://github.com/sindresorhus/electron-unhandled) - Catch unhandled errors and promise rejections in your Electron app
- [electron-context-menu](https://github.com/sindresorhus/electron-context-menu) - Context menu for your Electron app
- [electron-dl](https://github.com/sindresorhus/electron-dl) - Simplified file downloads for your Electron app