# Extension points — electron/electron

> Canonical page: https://codevetter.com/unpack/electron/extension-points

# Extension points — electron/electron

Scanned commit 56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f (2026-09-22). Generated by codevetter codevetter 1.12.0 on 2026-09-22.

New APIs plug in at three layers: a C++ binding registered via NODE_LINKED_BINDING_CONTEXT_AWARE plus a name in the ELECTRON_*_BINDINGS macros, a JS wrapper added to the appropriate lib/<proc>/api/module-list.ts, and a docs/api/*.md page that generates the .d.ts. Apps extend Electron through protocol.handle/registerSchemesAsPrivileged, session partitions and preload-script registration, ipcMain/ipcRenderer channels, utilityProcess.fork, and (for embedders) build-time fuses and GN buildflags. docs/development/creating-api.md documents the recipe.
- To add a main-process module: add { name, loader } to browserModuleList in lib/browser/api/module-list.ts (alphabetical, with a matching module-keys update noted in the file's TODO), implement lib/browser/api/<name>.ts, and it appears on require('electron') via defineProperties. — [lib/browser/api/module-list.ts#L1-L5](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/browser/api/module-list.ts#L1-L5) [lib/browser/api/exports/electron.ts#L5-L8](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/browser/api/exports/electron.ts#L5-L8) [lib/common/define-properties.ts](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/common/define-properties.ts)
- To add a native binding: register Initialize() with NODE_LINKED_BINDING_CONTEXT_AWARE(electron_<proc>_<name>, Initialize) at file scope and add the name to the matching ELECTRON_*_BINDINGS macro in node_bindings.cc; JS reaches it via process._linkedBinding('electron_<proc>_<name>'). — [shell/browser/api/electron_api_app.cc#L2099-L2127](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/shell/browser/api/electron_api_app.cc#L2099-L2127) [shell/common/node_bindings.cc#L68-L120](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/shell/common/node_bindings.cc#L68-L120)
- docs/development/creating-api.md is the canonical recipe for new APIs; the docs page's YAML 'history' front-matter is schema-validated and feeds electron.d.ts generation via create-api-json.mjs + electron-typescript-definitions. — [docs/development/creating-api.md](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/docs/development/creating-api.md) [docs/api-history.schema.json](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/docs/api-history.schema.json) [package.json#L61-L62](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/package.json#L61-L62)
- protocol.registerSchemesAsPrivileged (must run before app ready, per spec/index.js usage) + session.protocol.handle/unhandle/isProtocolHandled let apps mint custom URL schemes with privileges (standard, secure, stream, corsEnabled, supportFetchAPI, allowServiceWorkers). — [lib/browser/api/protocol.ts#L152-L212](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/browser/api/protocol.ts#L152-L212) [spec/index.js#L62-L80](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/spec/index.js#L62-L80) [shell/browser/protocol_registry.cc](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/shell/browser/protocol_registry.cc)
- session.fromPartition/fromPath create isolated storage/network contexts; registerPreloadScript registers frame- or service-worker-scoped preloads (superseding getPreloads/setPreloads which are deprecation shims). — [lib/browser/api/session.ts#L57-L85](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/browser/api/session.ts#L57-L85) [lib/browser/api/session.ts#L122-L128](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/browser/api/session.ts#L122-L128) [shell/browser/electron_browser_context.cc](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/shell/browser/electron_browser_context.cc)
- session.extensions.loadExtension (Chromium extensions support, ENABLE_ELECTRON_EXTENSIONS buildflag) is the app-facing extension point for MV2-style extensions; old session.loadExtension calls are rerouted with deprecation warnings. — [lib/browser/api/session.ts#L87-L114](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/browser/api/session.ts#L87-L114) [shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.cc#L114-L121](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.cc#L114-L121) [docs/api/extensions.md](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/docs/api/extensions.md)
- ipcMain.handle/on and ipcRenderer.invoke/send are the app-level RPC extension point; MessageChannelMain/MessagePortMain support transferable ports, and ipcMainServiceWorker covers service-worker targets. — [lib/browser/ipc-main-impl.ts#L15-L35](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/browser/ipc-main-impl.ts#L15-L35) [docs/api/ipc-main.md](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/docs/api/ipc-main.md) [docs/api/ipc-main-service-worker.md](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/docs/api/ipc-main-service-worker.md)
- utilityProcess.fork(modulePath, args, opts) is the supported way to run app JS in a dedicated process with postMessage messaging — replacing child_process.fork when the runAsNode fuse is off. — [lib/browser/api/utility-process.ts#L151-L153](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/browser/api/utility-process.ts#L151-L153) [lib/node/init.ts#L28-L32](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/node/init.ts#L28-L32)
- GN buildflags (buildflags/buildflags.gni) gate major subsystems — ENABLE_ELECTRON_EXTENSIONS, ENABLE_BUILTIN_SPELLCHECKER, ENABLE_PDF_VIEWER, ENABLE_PRINTING, ENABLE_PLUGINS — and are exposed to JS at runtime via electron_common_features binding (features.cc). — [buildflags/buildflags.gni](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/buildflags/buildflags.gni) [shell/common/api/features.cc](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/shell/common/api/features.cc) [shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.cc#L114-L135](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/shell/browser/electron_browser_main_parts.cc#L114-L135)
- Fuses are the distributor-facing extension mechanism: build/fuses/fuses.json5 is the schema (with a 'never remove, mark removed r' rule and _version field), generated into fuses.h/fuses.cc by build/fuses/build.py during the electron_fuses GN action; the @electron/fuses npm package flips them in shipped binaries. — [build/fuses/fuses.json5#L1-L4](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/build/fuses/fuses.json5#L1-L4) [BUILD.gn#L450-L457](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/BUILD.gn#L450-L457) [spec/fuses-spec.ts](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/spec/fuses-spec.ts)
- New webview-exposed behaviors plug into the GUEST_VIEW_MANAGER_* internal channels plus the syncMethods/asyncMethods/properties tables in lib/common/web-view-methods.ts and the event list in lib/browser/web-view-events.ts. — [lib/common/ipc-messages.ts#L5-L11](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/common/ipc-messages.ts#L5-L11) [lib/common/web-view-methods.ts](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/common/web-view-methods.ts) [lib/browser/guest-view-manager.ts#L7-L11](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/lib/browser/guest-view-manager.ts#L7-L11)
- New patch targets are added by extending patches/config.json with a {patch_dir, repo} pair — the queue is applied by e sync / apply-patches.yml and exported by e patches <target>. — [patches/config.json](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/patches/config.json) [.github/workflows/apply-patches.yml](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/.github/workflows/apply-patches.yml)
- The bundle pipeline itself is extensible: adding a lib/<name>/init.ts plus a targets.mjs entry produces a new baked-in JS context, with knobs for Node availability, electron-module aliasing, node-globals capture and init wrapping. (inferred) — [build/bundle/targets.mjs#L5-L54](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/build/bundle/targets.mjs#L5-L54) [build/bundle/bundle.mjs#L50-L60](https://github.com/electron/electron/blob/56f681cfe08e1c6bf02cfad2807ff1c47ae13d4f/build/bundle/bundle.mjs#L50-L60)

Every claim links to its cited files at the pinned commit. Citations identify source evidence; they do not establish runtime correctness. Independent CodeVetter scan — not reviewed by upstream maintainers.

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