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

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