jan/docs/docs/getting-started/app-anatomy.md

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2	Anatomy of an app

Jan Architecture

High level architecture

Jan mission is to power the next gen App with the limitless extensibility by providing BUILDER:

• Unified API/ Helpers so that they only need to care about what matters
• Wide range of Optimized and State of the art models that can help your App with Thinking/ Hearing/ Seeing capabilities. This is powered by our Nitro
• Strong support for App marketplace and Model market place that streamline value from end customers to builders at all layers
• The most important: The user of Jan can use the Apps via UI and API for integration

At Jan, we strongly believe in portable AI that is created once and run anywhere.

Low level architecture

• Jan platform includes the following components:

  • Processes:
    • UI process:
      • This is Electron framework renderer component (Web technology equivalent)
      • Jan provides core platform UI that:
        • Allows App to register() function blueprint with name and arguments
        • Run execute() registered App functions
    • Node process (NodeJS technology equivalent)
      • This is Electron framework main process component (NodeJS runtime)
      • Jan provides core platform UI that:
        • Allows App to register() function blueprint with name and arguments
        • Run execute() registered App functions
  • @janhq/core library that exposes Core API for App to reuse. Currently it only supports App index.ts

• Vertically, there are Platform Core component and App component. Each of those includes UI and Node process that work in pair.

Platform has 3 events that are broadcast to installed Apps

• onLaunch()
• onStart()
• onDispose()
• At any given time, when there is new App installtion/ unintallation, the Platform restarts and trigger
• When App is being used, here is how the information passes between Platform and Apps