Building a desktop app begins by selecting an appropriate platform approach: native (Windows/macOS/Linux), cross-platform frameworks, and how you’ll distribute it. A clearly defined MVP and an early prototype confirm workflows, performance requirements, and the overall user experience on actual devices.

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