Desktop Monitoring System

Real-time visibility into employee desktop activity across the org — no VPN, no complexity.

ElectronChrome ExtensionExpressNext.jsSocket.IOPostgreSQL

desktop-monitoring-system.app

Overview

Remote and hybrid teams create visibility gaps for IT and management. This system provides a lightweight, non-invasive monitoring layer across all company machines — surfacing usage patterns, idle time, and application activity in a central real-time dashboard.

The Problem

The client had no visibility into how remote employees were spending their workday. Manual check-ins were inefficient. They needed objective, real-time data without deploying heavy enterprise DLP software that required complex infrastructure.

The Solution

A four-layer architecture: Electron collects desktop-level telemetry, the Chrome extension captures browsing activity, both report to a central Express backend, and the Next.js dashboard renders everything live with Socket.IO push updates.

Key Features

Electron Desktop Agent

Silent background process captures application focus, idle detection, and screenshot intervals at configurable frequency using active-win.

Chrome Extension

Tracks visited domains and time-on-site during work hours, reporting to the central backend alongside desktop telemetry.

Central Express Backend

Aggregates telemetry from all agents, stores it in PostgreSQL, and exposes REST + WebSocket endpoints for the dashboard.

Real-Time Admin Dashboard

Next.js frontend shows live activity feeds, per-employee timelines, application usage breakdowns, and productivity metrics.

Architecture

Desktop Agent + Chrome Extension → Express API → PostgreSQL → Socket.IO → Next.js Dashboard