diff --git a/apps/desktop/README.md b/apps/desktop/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..caa4624ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+<p align="center">
+<img style="align:center;" src="/resources/screenshots/web.jpg" alt="Notesnook desktop screenshot" width="600" />
+</p>
+
+<h1 align="center">Notesnook Desktop</h1>
+<h3 align="center">The desktop app is built using Electron & Typescript.</h3>
+<p align="center">
+<a href="https://notesnook.com/downloads">Downloads</a> | <a href="#developer-guide">Developer guide</a> | <a href="#build-instructions">How to build?</a>
+</p>
+
+## Getting started
+
+## Build instructions
+
+> **Before you start, it is recommended that you read [the contributing guidelines](/CONTRIBUTING.md).**
+
+### Setting up the development environment
+
+Requirements:
+
+1. [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/download/)
+2. [git](https://git-scm.com/downloads)
+3. NPM (not yarn or pnpm)
+
+Before you can do anything, you'll need to [install Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/download/) v16 or later on your system.
+
+Once you have completed the setup, the first step is to `clone` the monorepo:
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/streetwriters/notesnook.git
+
+# change directory
+cd notesnook
+```
+
+Once you are inside the `./notesnook` directory, run the preparation step:
+
+```bash
+# this might take a while to complete
+npm install
+```
+
+Now you can finally start the desktop app:
+
+```bash
+npm run start:desktop
+```
+
+## Developer guide
+
+### The tech stack
+
+We try to keep the stack as lean as possible:
+
+1. Electron
+2. tRPC: for cross-communication between the web & desktop parts
+3. zod: for runtime typechecking
+4. yargs: for CLI argument parsing
diff --git a/apps/desktop/package.json b/apps/desktop/package.json
index 40d7513ef..a03a06bcc 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/package.json
+++ b/apps/desktop/package.json
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
   "types": "./dist/index.d.ts",
   "homepage": "https://notesnook.com/",
   "repository": "https://github.com/streetwriters/notesnook",
+  "license": "GPL-3.0-or-later",
   "dependencies": {
     "@notesnook/crypto": "*",
     "@trpc/client": "^10.29.1",
diff --git a/apps/web/README.md b/apps/web/README.md
index 15c62787b..8ec90d200 100644
--- a/apps/web/README.md
+++ b/apps/web/README.md
@@ -5,20 +5,11 @@
 <h1 align="center">Notesnook Web</h1>
 <h3 align="center">The web app is built using React, Typescript & Javascript.</h3>
 <p align="center">
-<a href="https://app.notesnook.com/">Try it out!</a> | <a href="#developer-guide">Developer guide</a> | <a href="#build-instructions">How to build?</a> | <a href="./desktop/">Desktop app</a>
+<a href="https://app.notesnook.com/">Try it out!</a> | <a href="#developer-guide">Developer guide</a> | <a href="#build-instructions">How to build?</a> | <a href="../desktop/">Desktop app</a>
 </p>
 
 ## Getting started
 
-### The desktop app?
-
-You can find all the desktop-related code in [the `desktop/` directory](./desktop/). Since it uses the web app directly, we are keeping both together. (We should probably move it to its own project at some point.)
-
-### Downloads & releases
-
-- Web app: [try it out here](https://app.notesnook.com/)
-- Desktop app: [download for your platform from here](https://notesnook.com/downloads)
-
 ## Build instructions
 
 > **Before you start, it is recommended that you read [the contributing guidelines](/CONTRIBUTING.md).**
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6f50d9b40..238c1bd5a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
     "build:web": "nx build @notesnook/web",
     "build:test:web": "nx build:test @notesnook/web",
     "start:web": "nx start @notesnook/web",
+    "start:desktop": "nx start @notesnook/desktop",
     "install:web": "lerna add --scope=@notesnook/web ",
     "install:mobile": "lerna add --scope=@notesnook/mobile ",
     "test:web": "nx test @notesnook/web",