Building a desktop app begins by selecting an appropriate platform approach: native for Windows/macOS/Linux, cross‑platform tools, and the distribution method. Defining a solid MVP and an early prototype helps confirm workflows, performance requirements, and the overall user experience on real hardware.

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