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What's the user benefit of a (JavaScript) "desktop" (Electron, nw.js) app vs the same app as a web (browser) app , given that the web app has all the features o

by z3t4 10y ago

What's the user benefit of a (JavaScript) "desktop" (Electron, nw.js) app vs the same app as a web (browser) app , given that the web app has all the features of the desktop app, when the app won't work without the server ? (if you can't run the server yourself) Benefits for a web app (non-desktop): * User don't have to download the "browser" (Electron or nw.js) * The user don't need "install" permissions * The app can be accessed via an URL * The app runs in a VM (a browser) that don't give full (root) access like a Electron/nw.js app does. btw, I did not know Spotify had a web app. There's only a tiny link to it at the bottom of the page, impossible to find unless you really look for it, witch is probably why no one is using it. P.S I'm now enjoying Spotify via the web app after not using it for years because I don't like "desktop" apps (for the reasons above)

obmelvin 10y ago
It is much easier to navigate to the desktop app than to hunt through browser tabs to change the song etc.
- deleted 10y ago
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yoz-y 10y ago
Not à Spotify user but in general: - a native app can have global shortcuts (very important for a media player) - you don't accidentally refresh a native app - native apps don't get purged from memory at random - UI is generally better, keyboard shortcuts are more consistent
seangrogg 10y ago
As a web developer that has never touched electron I would imagine the benefit is simple: * One API that "just works" * Guaranteed caching of necessary assets * Access to native features (such as simplified access to the file system) I could totally see all of this on the browser. But then the file system needs to go to the cloud, we need to consider hipster browsers (like k-meleon and omniweb), and we have to deal with the browser determining how our assets are cached and evicted.
city41 10y ago
A browser has very limited access to the file system. That's a death knell for a text editor.

by z3t4 10y ago

obmelvin 10y ago

It is much easier to navigate to the desktop app than to hunt through browser tabs to change the song etc.

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

yoz-y 10y ago

Not à Spotify user but in general: - a native app can have global shortcuts (very important for a media player) - you don't accidentally refresh a native app - native apps don't get purged from memory at random - UI is generally better, keyboard shortcuts are more consistent

seangrogg 10y ago

As a web developer that has never touched electron I would imagine the benefit is simple: * One API that "just works" * Guaranteed caching of necessary assets * Access to native features (such as simplified access to the file system) I could totally see all of this on the browser. But then the file system needs to go to the cloud, we need to consider hipster browsers (like k-meleon and omniweb), and we have to deal with the browser determining how our assets are cached and evicted.

city41 10y ago

A browser has very limited access to the file system. That's a death knell for a text editor.