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docs: update glossary (#31055)
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* docs: update glossary

* remove nsis entry

Co-authored-by: Erick Zhao <erick@hotmail.ca>
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trop[bot] and erickzhao committed Sep 23, 2021
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Expand Up @@ -4,24 +4,47 @@ This page defines some terminology that is commonly used in Electron development

### ASAR

ASAR stands for Atom Shell Archive Format. An [asar][asar] archive is a simple
ASAR stands for Atom Shell Archive Format. An [asar] archive is a simple
`tar`-like format that concatenates files into a single file. Electron can read
arbitrary files from it without unpacking the whole file.

The ASAR format was created primarily to improve performance on Windows... TODO
The ASAR format was created primarily to improve performance on Windows when
reading large quantities of small files (e.g. when loading your app's JavaScript
dependency tree from `node_modules`).

### code signing

Code signing is a process where an app developer digitally signs their code to
ensure that it hasn't been tampered with after packaging. Both Windows and
macOS implement their own version of code signing. As a desktop app developer,
it's important that you sign your code if you plan on distributing it to the
general public.

For more information, read the [Code Signing] tutorial.

### context isolation

Context isolation is a security measure in Electron that ensures that your
preload script cannot leak privileged Electron or Node.js APIs to the web
contents in your renderer process. With context isolation enabled, the
only way to expose APIs from your preload script is through the
`contextBridge` API.

For more information, read the [Context Isolation] tutorial.

See also: [preload script](#preload-script), [renderer process](#renderer-process)

### CRT

The C Run-time Library (CRT) is the part of the C++ Standard Library that
The C Runtime Library (CRT) is the part of the C++ Standard Library that
incorporates the ISO C99 standard library. The Visual C++ libraries that
implement the CRT support native code development, and both mixed native and
managed code, and pure managed code for .NET development.

### DMG

An Apple Disk Image is a packaging format used by macOS. DMG files are
commonly used for distributing application "installers". [electron-builder]
supports `dmg` as a build target.
commonly used for distributing application "installers".

### IME

Expand All @@ -31,19 +54,15 @@ keyboards to input Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indic characters.

### IDL

Interface description language. Write function signatures and data types in a format that can be used to generate interfaces in Java, C++, JavaScript, etc.
Interface description language. Write function signatures and data types in a
format that can be used to generate interfaces in Java, C++, JavaScript, etc.

### IPC

IPC stands for Inter-Process Communication. Electron uses IPC to send
serialized JSON messages between the [main] and [renderer] processes.

### libchromiumcontent

A shared library that includes the [Chromium Content module] and all its
dependencies (e.g., Blink, [V8], etc.). Also referred to as "libcc".
IPC stands for inter-process communication. Electron uses IPC to send
serialized JSON messages between the main and renderer processes.

- [github.com/electron/libchromiumcontent](https://github.com/electron/libchromiumcontent)
see also: [main process](#main-process), [renderer process](#renderer-process)

### main process

Expand All @@ -68,10 +87,22 @@ MAS, see the [Mac App Store Submission Guide].

### Mojo

An IPC system for communicating intra- or inter-process, and that's important because Chrome is keen on being able to split its work into separate processes or not, depending on memory pressures etc.
An IPC system for communicating intra- or inter-process, and that's important
because Chrome is keen on being able to split its work into separate processes
or not, depending on memory pressures etc.

See https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/master/mojo/README.md

See also: [IPC](#ipc)

### MSI

On Windows, MSI packages are used by the Windows Installer
(also known as Microsoft Installer) service to install and configure
applications.

More information can be found in [Microsoft's documentation][msi].

### native modules

Native modules (also called [addons] in
Expand All @@ -85,22 +116,33 @@ likely to use a different V8 version from the Node binary installed in your
system, you have to manually specify the location of Electron’s headers when
building native modules.

See also [Using Native Node Modules].
For more information, read the [Native Node Modules] tutorial.

### notarization

### NSIS
Notarization is a macOS-specific process where a developer can send a
code-signed app to Apple servers to get verified for malicious
components through an automated service.

Nullsoft Scriptable Install System is a script-driven Installer
authoring tool for Microsoft Windows. It is released under a combination of
free software licenses, and is a widely-used alternative to commercial
proprietary products like InstallShield. [electron-builder] supports NSIS
as a build target.
See also: [code signing](#code-signing)

### OSR

OSR (Off-screen rendering) can be used for loading heavy page in
OSR (offscreen rendering) can be used for loading heavy page in
background and then displaying it after (it will be much faster).
It allows you to render page without showing it on screen.

For more information, read the [Offscreen Rendering][osr] tutorial.

### preload script

Preload scripts contain code that executes in a renderer process
before its web contents begin loading. These scripts run within
the renderer context, but are granted more privileges by having
access to Node.js APIs.

See also: [renderer process](#renderer-process), [context isolation](#context-isolation)

### process

A process is an instance of a computer program that is being executed. Electron
Expand All @@ -120,13 +162,17 @@ The renderer process is a browser window in your app. Unlike the main process,
there can be multiple of these and each is run in a separate process.
They can also be hidden.

In normal browsers, web pages usually run in a sandboxed environment and are not
allowed access to native resources. Electron users, however, have the power to
use Node.js APIs in web pages allowing lower level operating system
interactions.

See also: [process](#process), [main process](#main-process)

### sandbox

The sandbox is a security feature inherited from Chromium that restricts
your renderer processes to a limited set of permissions.

For more information, read the [Process Sandboxing] tutorial.

See also: [process](#process)

### Squirrel

Squirrel is an open-source framework that enables Electron apps to update
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -174,13 +220,15 @@ embedded content.

[addons]: https://nodejs.org/api/addons.html
[asar]: https://github.com/electron/asar
[autoUpdater]: api/auto-updater.md
[Chromium Content module]: https://www.chromium.org/developers/content-module
[electron-builder]: https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder
[libchromiumcontent]: #libchromiumcontent
[Mac App Store Submission Guide]: tutorial/mac-app-store-submission-guide.md
[autoupdater]: api/auto-updater.md
[code signing]: tutorial/code-signing.md
[context isolation]: tutorial/context-isolation.md
[mac app store submission guide]: tutorial/mac-app-store-submission-guide.md
[main]: #main-process
[msi]: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/msi/windows-installer-portal
[offscreen rendering]: tutorial/offscreen-rendering.md
[process sandboxing]: tutorial/sandbox.md
[renderer]: #renderer-process
[userland]: #userland
[Using Native Node Modules]: tutorial/using-native-node-modules.md
[V8]: #v8
[using native node modules]: tutorial/using-native-node-modules.md
[v8]: #v8

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