electron-path-resolution

# Electron Path Resolution Skill

Path resolution is the #1 cause of Electron app failures. This skill covers all the pitfalls and their solutions.

## The Core Problem

When an Electron app is launched from Finder/Explorer (NOT terminal):
- `process.cwd()` returns `/` on macOS, `C:\Windows\System32` on Windows
- `__dirname` in bundled code is resolved at bundle time, not runtime
- Node.js module resolution fails for bundled apps

## Environment Setup Pattern

In your main process, set environment variables that ALL code can use:

```typescript
// electron/main.ts
import { app } from 'electron';
import path from 'path';

async function initializeEnvironment() {
  // User data directory (database, uploads, cache)
  const userDataDir = app.getPath('userData');

  // App resources directory (bundled assets, node_modules)
  const appRoot = app.getAppPath();

  // Set environment variables for all processes
  process.env.ELECTRON_USER_DATA = userDataDir;
  process.env.ELECTRON_APP_ROOT = appRoot;
  process.env.ELECTRON_DB_PATH = path.join(userDataDir, 'app.db');

  // Ensure directories exist
  const fs = require('fs');
  const dirs = ['uploads', 'generated', 'cache', 'logs'];
  for (const dir of dirs) {
    const dirPath = path.join(userDataDir, dir);
    if (!fs.existsSync(dirPath)) {
      fs.mkdirSync(dirPath, { recursive: true });
    }
  }
}
```

## Safe Path Helper Functions

Create utility functions that ALL code uses:

```typescript
// src/shared/electron-paths.ts
import path from 'path';
import os from 'os';

/**
 * Get the user data directory (for database, uploads, etc.)
 * Works in both Electron and development
 */
export function getUserDataDir(): string {
  if (process.env.ELECTRON_USER_DATA) {
    return process.env.ELECTRON_USER_DATA;
  }
  if (process.env.ELECTRON_DB_PATH) {
    return path.dirname(process.env.ELECTRON_DB_PATH);
  }
  // Development fallback
  return path.resolve(process.cwd(), 'data');
}

/**
 * Get the app root directory (for bundled