Where Does the Electron npm Package Cache Binaries?
The electron installer caches prebuilt binaries per OS version. Cache paths on all platforms and the override variable.
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Installing the electron npm package downloads a prebuilt binary through @electron/get, which caches zips by version plus checksum. Repeat installs reuse the cache instead of hitting GitHub releases again. Each Electron version gets its own entry, so the folder grows with every upgrade.
Old setups may also carry a legacy ~/.electron folder from earlier caching schemes. Override the location with electron_config_cache for offline mirrors or custom builds. Prune ancient versions freely: missing entries simply redownload on next install.
Where Electron stores this, by platform
%LOCALAPPDATA%\electron\Cache
Versioned zips plus checksums as [checksum]/[filename]. Override with the electron_config_cache variable. Safe to delete; reinstalls refetch what they need.
~/Library/Caches/electron
Same versioned layout as Windows. CI caches keyed on lockfiles should include this path to skip redundant downloads.
~/.cache/electron
Honors XDG_CACHE_HOME when set. Legacy ~/.electron may linger from old versions and can go. Custom builds drop in here to install fully offline.
Frequently asked questions
How do I clear the Electron download cache?
Delete the cache folder for your OS above. The next npm install redownloads the needed versions. Keep the current version's entry if you reinstall often and bandwidth is precious.
How do I install Electron fully offline?
Pre-seed the cache folder with the right version zip and checksum, or set electron_config_cache to a prepared directory. @electron/get then installs without touching the network.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.