Electron Desktop App Development · Lección

Almacenamiento local e IndexedDB

Utilice mecanismos de almacenamiento similares a los del navegador, como `localStorage` e `IndexedDB`, para conservar datos del lado del cliente en su aplicación Electron.

Almacenamiento local e IndexedDB es una lección gratuita de Electron Desktop App Development en CoddyKit. Esta es la lección 1 de 3. Puedes leer la lección completa abajo gratuitamente — luego la practicas en el navegador con un editor de código integrado y un tutor de IA 24/7. Forma parte de la ruta de aprendizaje de Electron Desktop App Development, y tu progreso se sincroniza en la web y la app de CoddyKit. El curso de Electron Desktop App Development incluye 3 lecciones en total.

Partes de esta lección aún no han sido traducidas y se muestran en inglés.

Saving Data in Electron Apps

When building desktop applications with Electron, you often need to save user data or application settings. This is called data persistence.

Unlike web apps that rely on servers, Electron apps can store data directly on the user's computer. This lesson explores two common browser-like storage methods: localStorage and IndexedDB.

Introducing Web Storage API

Electron's renderer processes are essentially web browsers. This means you can use standard browser APIs for data storage, like the Web Storage API.

The Web Storage API provides two main types:

localStorage: Stores data with no expiration date.
sessionStorage: Stores data only for the duration of the browser session.

We'll focus on localStorage for persistent data.

Understanding localStorage

localStorage allows you to store data as simple key-value pairs. Think of it like a small, local dictionary.

Persistence: Data stored in localStorage remains even after the app is closed and reopened.
Scope: Data is unique to the origin (your app's domain, usually file:// for Electron).
Capacity: Limited to about 5-10 MB per origin.

It's great for small amounts of data like user preferences or simple settings.

Storing Data with localStorage

You can store data in localStorage using the setItem() method. Remember, values are always stored as strings.

Try running this example in your renderer process:

/* This code runs in the Electron renderer process. */

const username = "CoddyKitUser";
localStorage.setItem("userName", username);

const userSettings = {
  theme: "dark",
  notifications: true
};
// Objects need to be converted to JSON strings
localStorage.setItem("appSettings", JSON.stringify(userSettings));

console.log("Data saved to localStorage!");

Retrieving & Removing localStorage Data

To get data back, use getItem(). To delete, use removeItem(). If you stored an object, you'll need to parse it back from JSON.

Run this snippet after the previous one:

/* This code runs in the Electron renderer process. */

const storedUsername = localStorage.getItem("userName");
console.log("Stored Username:", storedUsername);

const storedSettingsString = localStorage.getItem("appSettings");
if (storedSettingsString) {
  const storedSettings = JSON.parse(storedSettingsString);
  console.log("Stored Theme:", storedSettings.theme);
}

// To remove an item:
localStorage.removeItem("userName");
console.log("Username removed.");

// To clear all localStorage for the origin:
// localStorage.clear();

Limitations of localStorage

While easy to use, localStorage has some limitations:

Size Limit: Typically 5-10 MB per origin. Not suitable for large datasets.
String-Only: All data is stored as strings. Objects and arrays must be manually serialized (e.g., with JSON.stringify()) and deserialized (JSON.parse()).
Synchronous: Operations block the main thread, which can cause UI freezes if you're storing/retrieving a lot of data.
No Indexing/Querying: You can't directly query data, only access by key.

Introducing IndexedDB

For larger, more structured, and complex data, IndexedDB is a powerful alternative. It's a low-level API for client-side storage of significant amounts of structured data.

No Size Limit: Generally limited only by available disk space.
Structured Data: Can store JavaScript objects directly, not just strings.
Asynchronous: Operations don't block the UI thread, making it suitable for performance-critical apps.

IndexedDB Core Concepts

IndexedDB works with a few key concepts:

Databases: You create databases, each with a name and version.
Object Stores: Like tables in a relational database, but they store JavaScript objects. Each object store has a key path.
Indexes: For fast querying of data within an object store.
Transactions: All read and write operations must occur within a transaction, ensuring data integrity.
Asynchronous: Operations return IDBRequest objects, which resolve with success or error events (or Promises).

Basic IndexedDB Setup

Setting up IndexedDB involves opening a database and defining object stores. This is usually done in the renderer process.

This example shows how to open a database and create an object store if it doesn't exist:

/* This code runs in the Electron renderer process. */

const request = indexedDB.open("CoddyKitDB", 1); // DB name, version

request.onerror = (event) => {
  console.error("Database error:", event.target.errorCode);
};

request.onsuccess = (event) => {
  const db = event.target.result;
  console.log("Database opened successfully!");
  // You can now interact with the database (add/get data)
  db.close(); // Close when done if not actively using
};

request.onupgradeneeded = (event) => {
  // This runs if the database didn't exist or version changed
  const db = event.target.result;
  const objectStore = db.createObjectStore("users", { keyPath: "id" });
  console.log("Object store 'users' created.");
  // You can also create indexes here
  objectStore.createIndex("name", "name", { unique: false });
};

Quick Check on Storage

You've learned about localStorage and IndexedDB. Which statement accurately describes a key difference?

Recap: Local & IndexedDB

Great job! You've explored client-side data persistence in Electron:

localStorage is simple, synchronous, key-value storage for small, non-critical data.
IndexedDB is a powerful, asynchronous, transactional database for large amounts of structured data.

Choosing between them depends on your data's size, structure, and performance needs. Both are crucial for building robust Electron applications that save user data locally.

Preguntas frecuentes

¿La lección «Almacenamiento local e IndexedDB» es gratis?

Sí — el texto completo de «Almacenamiento local e IndexedDB» es gratis para leer aquí en la web. Para practicarla de forma interactiva (editor de código integrado y tutor de IA 24/7) y desbloquear el resto del curso de Electron Desktop App Development, actualiza a CoddyKit PRO. El curso de Electron Desktop App Development incluye 3 lecciones en total.

¿Qué aprenderé en «Almacenamiento local e IndexedDB»?

Utilice mecanismos de almacenamiento similares a los del navegador, como `localStorage` e `IndexedDB`, para conservar datos del lado del cliente en su aplicación Electron. Practicas Electron Desktop App Development con código real que ejecutas directamente en el navegador, y un tutor de IA 24/7 responde tus preguntas mientras trabajas en la lección.

¿Necesito experiencia previa para empezar Electron Desktop App Development?

No se requiere experiencia previa. Electron Desktop App Development en CoddyKit está estructurado para principiantes hasta estudiantes avanzados, así que puedes empezar aquí o desde el inicio y avanzar a tu ritmo. Esta es la lección 1 de 3.

¿Cuánto tiempo toma la lección «Almacenamiento local e IndexedDB»?

La mayoría de las lecciones de CoddyKit toman alrededor de 5–10 minutos. Cada una es compacta e interactiva, así que avanzas constantemente y retomas exactamente por donde dejaste en la web y la app.

¿Puedo escribir y ejecutar código en esta lección de Electron Desktop App Development?

Sí. Cada lección de Electron Desktop App Development incluye un editor de código integrado, así que escribes y ejecutas código real directamente en tu navegador y obtienes retroalimentación instantánea de IA — sin configuración local necesaria.

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