Electron (formerly known as Atom Shell) is a free and open-source software framework developed and maintained by OpenJS Foundation. The framework is designed to create desktop applications using web technologies (mainly HTML, CSS and JavaScript, although other technologies such as front-end frameworks and WebAssembly are possible) that are rendered using a version of the Chromium browser engine and a back end using the Node.js runtime environment. It also uses various APIs to enable functionality such as native integration with Node.js services and an inter-process communication module.
Electron was originally built for Atom and is the main GUI framework behind several other open-source projects including GitHub Desktop, Light Table, WordPress Desktop, and Eclipse Theia. It is also used in Microsoft's proprietary code editor Visual Studio Code.
From the Wikipedia article “Electron (software framework)”, CC BY-SA 4.0
What is Electron?
Electron is an open-source languages & sdk program for Windows from OpenJS Foundation (developed by GitHub Inc.). The first release dates back to 2013. It is written in C++, TypeScript, and JavaScript. Besides Windows, it is available for macOS and Linux.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit as Portable. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 42.11.18, released on October 21, 2026. 45 versions are listed since May 5, 2026, each with links to its own installer files. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (electron/electron) has 123,469 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 17 of our languages. Similar programs include Go Programming Language, LLVM and Deno.
Project description on GitHub: “:electron: Build cross-platform desktop apps with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Portable: runs without installation
- Updated in the last two months
- Also runs on macOS and Linux
- Large user base
- Mature project (since 2013)
In short: Electron is an open-source languages & sdk tool for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit PCs.
Screenshots
Is Electron safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
95DB2E9CDBE61D292F28BA42E863518B605115A79E6AEBB3C21D5A99B28F35BA· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the electron/electron repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 24, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- Dependency update tool10
- Security policy10
- Code review10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Restricted token permissions10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Pinned dependencies10
- Licence declared10
- Tests in CI10
- Contributors from several organisations10
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge5
- Branch protection4
- No known vulnerabilities0
- Signed releases0
- Fuzzing0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 45 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42.11.18Latest | October 21, 2026 | — | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 42.11.17 | October 20, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 42.11.16 | October 20, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 42.11.15 | October 16, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 42.11.14 | October 14, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 42.11.13 | October 13, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 42.11.12 | October 7, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 42.11.11 | October 6, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
Release cycle and support
Version 42.11.18 belongs to the 42 release line, which reached its end of life on October 20, 2026: it no longer receives security updates.
| Release line | Released | Support ends | Latest version | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | October 20, 2026 | April 27, 2027 | 45.0.0 | Supported |
| 44 | August 24, 2026 | March 2, 2027 | 44.9.3 | Supported |
| 43 | June 29, 2026 | January 5, 2027 | 43.8.3 | Supported |
| 42 | May 5, 2026 | October 20, 2026 | 42.11.18 | End of life |
| 41 | March 10, 2026 | August 24, 2026 | 41.10.7 | End of life |
| 40 | January 15, 2026 | July 1, 2026 | 40.10.6 | End of life |
| 39 | October 27, 2025 | May 5, 2026 | 39.8.10 | End of life |
| 38 | September 2, 2025 | March 10, 2026 | 38.8.6 | End of life |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id OpenJS.Electron.42 -eRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- OpenJS Foundation
- Developer
- GitHub Inc.
- Category
- Languages & SDKs
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/electron/electron
- Written in
- C++, TypeScript, and JavaScript
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64, 32-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Other platforms
- macOS, Linux
- Version
- 42.11.18
- Released
- October 21, 2026
- First release
- 2013
- Added to the catalogue
- May 6, 2026
- Versions listed
- 45
- GitHub stars
- 123,469
- GitHub forks
- 17,682
- Website
- electronjs.org
- winget ID
- OpenJS.Electron.42
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Electron
See all ›-
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Frequently asked questions
Is Electron free?
Yes. Electron is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is Electron safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Electron with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does Electron run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Electron?
The versions page lists all 45 versions with links to their official installer files, back to May 5, 2026.
Can I use Electron without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to Electron?
Go Programming Language, LLVM, Deno, CMake and Yarn. The alternatives page compares them.
