Native modules allow developers to access low-level APIs like hardware interaction, native GUI components, or other system-specific features. Because Electron applications run across different platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux), native modules must be compiled for each target platform. This can introduce challenges in cross-platform development.

To simplify this process, Electron provides tools like electron-rebuild to automate the recompilation of native modules against Electron's custom Node.js environment, ensuring compatibility and stability in the Electron application.

Read more: https://www.bigbinary.com/blog/native-modules-electron