Building a desktop app begins by selecting an appropriate platform approach: native for Windows/macOS/Linux, cross-platform frameworks, and the distribution method. A clearly scoped MVP and an early prototype confirm workflows, performance requirements, and the user experience on real hardware.

As the product evolves, reliability, release updates, and packaging take center stage. Managing file systems, permissions, offline capability, and integrations (device APIs, peripherals, enterprise authentication) keeps the application dependable in everyday use, while an update system and crash reporting ease ongoing maintenance.