Building a desktop app begins by selecting an appropriate platform approach—native for Windows/macOS/Linux, cross-platform frameworks, and the distribution method. A clearly defined MVP and an early prototype aid in verifying workflows, performance requirements, and the overall user experience on real devices.

As the product evolves, reliability, updates, and packaging take center stage. Thoughtful management of file systems, permissions, offline capability, and integrations (device APIs, peripherals, enterprise authentication) ensures daily reliability, while an update system and crash reporting ease ongoing maintenance.