# How to run Express inside an Electron app

You can run your Express app very easily inside your Electron app.

All you need to do is to:

- place all the files of your Express app inside a new app folder in `your_electron_app\resources\app`
- reconfigure the `app.js` file
- refactor some relative pathes in your Express app

## Configure app.js

You should start your Express app before opening a new BrowserWindow and the load a new mainWindow like this:

````
const express = require('./express'); //your express app

app.on('ready', function() {
  express();
  mainWindow = new BrowserWindow({
    width: 1280,
    height: 720,
    autoHideMenuBar: true,
    useContentSize: true,
    resizable: false,
  });
  mainWindow.loadURL('http://localhost:5000/');
  mainWindow.focus();

});
````

## Refactor pathes

Pathes in Electron don't work the same way they do in your Express app.

You have to make them all from relative to **absolute** pathes first.

So instead of doing this:

````
app.set('views', '/client/views');
app.use(express.static(/client/dist/static));
````

you have to do this:

````
app.set('views', __dirname + '/client/views');
app.use(express.static(__dirname + '/client/dist/static'));
````