Building desktop software begins by selecting an appropriate platform approach: native for Windows/macOS/Linux, cross-platform options, and the way it's distributed. A clearly defined MVP and an early prototype assist in validating workflows, performance requirements, and the overall user experience on real 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 the application remains dependable in day-to-day use, while an update system and crash reporting ease ongoing maintenance.