The situation:
Connecting with `new Ably.Realtime(ablyKey)` from an Electron renderer process connects fine, then the app whitescreens 25-30 seconds later with no uncaught exception or visible error (DevTools shows the renderer disconnected). The same code works in plain browser and Node apps. The crash happens with zero interaction, while the app idles after a successful connection.
What actually fixes it (verified in the thread):
The Ably team root-caused this to a Chromium `setTimeout` bug that triggers when ably-js code is evaluated from a custom vm context in an Electron renderer process. Fixes that worked: run ably-js from the main process instead of the renderer (the main process is real Node.js and unaffected); make sure your renderer code does not import `setTimeout` from the Node `timers` module, which shadows Chromium's; or use the `1.1.25-electron-workaround` build Ably shipped for this. The Ably team later confirmed the issue is fixed in current releases.