Building a desktop application begins by selecting an appropriate platform approach: native for Windows/macOS/Linux, cross-platform tools, and how it will be distributed. A clearly scoped MVP and an early prototype assist in verifying workflows, performance requirements, and the overall user experience on actual devices.

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