Simplified IPC communication for Electron apps
The biggest benefit of this module over the built-in IPC 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.
$ npm install electron-better-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.
const {ipcMain: ipc} = require('electron');
ipc.on('get-emoji', async (event, emojiName) => {
const emoji = await getEmoji(emojiName);
event.sender.send('get-emoji-response', emoji);
});const {ipcRenderer: ipc} = require('electron');
ipc.on('get-emoji-response', (event, emoji) => {
console.log(emoji);
//=> '🦄'
});
ipc.send('get-emoji', 'unicorn');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.
const ipc = require('electron-better-ipc');
ipc.answerRenderer('get-emoji', async emojiName => {
const emoji = await getEmoji(emojiName);
return emoji;
});const 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:
const ipc = require('electron-better-ipc');
ipc.answerMain('get-emoji', async emojiName => {
const emoji = await getEmoji(emojiName);
return emoji;
});const electron = require('electron');
const ipc = require('electron-better-ipc');
const win = electron.BrowserWindow.getFocusedWindow();
(async () => {
const emoji = await ipc.callRenderer(win, 'get-emoji', 'unicorn');
console.log(emoji);
//=> '🦄'
})();The export is just the built-in ipc module with some added methods, so you can use it as a replacement for electron.ipcMain/electron.ipcRenderer.
The API is different in the main and renderer process.
Send a message to the given window. Returns a Promise for the response.
In the renderer process, use ipc.answerMain to reply to this message.
Type: BrowserWindow
The window to send the message to.
Type: string
The channel to send the message on.
Type: any
Data to send to the receiver.
This method listens for a message from ipc.callMain defined in a renderer process and replies back.
Returns a function, that when called, removes the listener.
Type: string
The channel to send the message on.
Type: Function AsyncFunction
The return value is sent back to the ipc.callMain in the renderer process.
Send a message to all renderer processes (windows).
Type: string
The channel to send the message on.
Type: any
Data to send to the receiver.
Send a message to the main process. Returns a Promise for the response.
In the main process, use ipc.answerRenderer to reply to this message.
Type: string
The channel to send the message on.
Type: any
Data to send to the receiver.
This method listens for a message from ipc.callRenderer defined in the main process and replies back.
Returns a function, that when called, removes the listener.
Type: string
The channel to send the message on.
Type: Function AsyncFunction
The return value is sent back to the ipc.callRenderer in the main process.
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MIT © Sindre Sorhus