Building a desktop app begins by selecting an appropriate platform approach: native for Windows/macOS/Linux, cross-platform frameworks, and how it will be distributed. A clearly defined MVP and an early prototype help verify workflows, performance requirements, and the overall user experience on real hardware.

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