# Seamless Electron Storage with RxDB

> Use the RxDB Electron Plugin to share data between main and renderer processes. Enjoy quick queries, real-time sync, and robust offline support.

# Electron Plugin

## RxStorage Electron IpcRenderer & IpcMain

To use RxDB in [electron](./electron-database.md), it is recommended to run the RxStorage in the main process and the RxDatabase in the renderer processes. With the rxdb electron plugin you can create a [remote RxStorage](./rx-storage-remote.md) and consume it from the renderer process.

To do this in a convenient way, the RxDB electron plugin provides the helper functions `exposeIpcMainRxStorage` and `getRxStorageIpcRenderer`.
Similar to the [Worker RxStorage](./rx-storage-worker.md), these wrap any other [RxStorage](./rx-storage.md) once in the main process and once in each renderer process. In the renderer you can then use the storage to create a [RxDatabase](./rx-database.md) which communicates with the storage of the main process to store and query data.

:::note
`nodeIntegration` must be enabled in [Electron](https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/api/browser-window#new-browserwindowoptions).
:::

```ts
//  main.js
const { exposeIpcMainRxStorage } = require('rxdb/plugins/electron');
const { getRxStorageMemory } = require('rxdb/plugins/storage-memory');
app.on('ready', async function () {
    exposeIpcMainRxStorage({
        key: 'main-storage',
        storage: getRxStorageMemory(),
        ipcMain: electron.ipcMain
    });
});
```

```ts
//  renderer.js
const { getRxStorageIpcRenderer } = require('rxdb/plugins/electron');
const { getRxStorageMemory } = require('rxdb/plugins/storage-memory');

const db = await createRxDatabase({
    name,
    storage: getRxStorageIpcRenderer({
        key: 'main-storage',
        ipcRenderer: electron.ipcRenderer
    })
});
/* ... */
```

## FAQ

<details>
<summary>How to securely create an [offline-first](./offline-first.md) desktop app with Electron.js?</summary>

You securely create an offline-first Electron application by maintaining strict process isolation: the primary database connection runs securely within the hidden Node.js `main` process, while the vulnerable DOM execution runs in the heavily-restricted `renderer` process. **[RxDB](https://rxdb.info)** automates this architecture precisely via its dedicated Electron IPC plugin (`exposeIpcMainRxStorage`), enabling seamless, non-blocking data synchronization across the IPC boundary while mitigating direct local filesystem exposure to malicious client payloads.
</details>

## Related

- [Comparison of Electron Databases](./electron-database.md)