Vue-TTS + Vite + Electron Issue Discussion

[pattang56892]

Summary of the Issue: "require is not defined" in Vite + Electron Project

Issue Description:
While running a Vite + Electron project, an error appears in the browser console stating:

Uncaught ReferenceError: require is not defined
    at x00electron:5:18

The error suggests that the require function is not recognized within the browser environment, which is expected since require() is a Node.js-specific feature and is not available in standard browser-based JavaScript execution.

What I've Tried:

1. Checked project setup:

   • The project uses Vite as the frontend build tool and Electron for the backend.
   • Verified that Vite is correctly bundling the files.

2. Confirmed require() scope:

   • require() works fine in Electron main process but fails in the renderer process.
   • This likely means the code is being executed in a non-Node.js environment (browser context).

3. Possible Causes Considered:
   (1) Vite's default behavior: Vite builds the project as a browser application, so it doesn’t automatically expose Node.js built-in modules (like require()).
   (2) Missing proper configuration: require() only works when using nodeIntegration: true in Electron’s renderer.
   (3) Incorrect script execution context: If the script is running in a preload.js file without proper exposure, it may not have access to require().

Proposed Solutions:

Solution 1: Enable nodeIntegration in main.js
Modify the main.js file where the BrowserWindow is created to explicitly enable nodeIntegration:

const { app, BrowserWindow } = require("electron");

let mainWindow;

app.whenReady().then(() => {
mainWindow = new BrowserWindow({
width: 800,
height: 600,
webPreferences: {
nodeIntegration: true, // Enables Node.js features in the renderer process
contextIsolation: false, // Ensures require() works
},
});

mainWindow.loadURL("http://localhost:3000"); // Adjust based on your Vite setup
});

Solution 2: Use preload.js Instead
Instead of enabling nodeIntegration, a safer approach is to use a preload script:

1. Create preload.js and expose require()-based functions:
   const { contextBridge, ipcRenderer } = require("electron");
   contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld("electron", {
   ipcRenderer: ipcRenderer,
   });

2. Modify main.js to load the preload script:
   mainWindow = new BrowserWindow({
   width: 800,
   height: 600,
   webPreferences: {
   preload: path.join(dirname, "preload.js"), // Loads the preload script
   contextIsolation: true, // Ensures secure context
   nodeIntegration: false, // Keeps Node.js features restricted
   },
   });

3. Use it in your frontend (renderer) code:
   window.electron.ipcRenderer.send("some-event");

Request for Help
I’ve tried the above solutions but still facing this issue. If anyone has encountered the same problem or has alternative fixes, please let me know! Should I adjust Vite’s configuration to allow require()? Or is there another recommended approach?

Would appreciate any feedback or suggestions.