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There are no realistic alternatives to Electron. So calling it "junk" when its the baseline for "cross platform GUI application" is nonsense. I get that you do

by duped 1y ago

There are no realistic alternatives to Electron. So calling it "junk" when its the baseline for "cross platform GUI application" is nonsense. I get that you don't like it, so go build an alternative.

pjmlp 1y ago
The alternative already exists, processes using the system browser, for several decades now. Or actually learn how we use to ship software on the glory days of 8, 16 and 32 bit home platforms. Now I do agree there are no alternatives for people that only care about shipping ChromeOS all over the place.
- JimDabell 1y ago
  > The alternative already exists, processes using the system browser, for several decades now. Yes, Windows supported Electron-like applications back in the 90s with HTAs. If you want something modern and cross-platform, Tauri does this: https://v2.tauri.app https://v2.tauri.app
- charcircuit 1y ago
  You can't trust the system browser to be up to date and secure or for it to render things how you want. You can not guarantee a good user experience unless you ship the browser engine with your app.
  - lillecarl 1y ago
    Yeah sure but I use most web apps through the browser either way so I'm already in "possibly incompatible land" and you can reasonably expect any user facing device to have an updated browser OR one specific browser in case of embedded. We're not in Windows XP software distribution times anymore.
- duped 1y ago
  The system browser doesn't work on iOS, MacOS, or Linux (under certain, but common, conditions).
johnnyanmac 1y ago
Are we really trying to argue about cross platform GUI in 2025? This was solved decades ago. Just not in ways that are trying to directly appeal to modern webdevs by jamming a browser into every desktop application. I don't even hate Electron that much. I'm working on a toy project using Electron right now for various reasons. This was just a bizarre angle to approach from.
ogoffart 1y ago
I’m actually working on an alternative called Slint => https://slint.dev https://slint.dev
SJC_Hacker 1y ago
QT?

by duped 1y ago

There are no realistic alternatives to Electron. So calling it "junk" when its the baseline for "cross platform GUI application" is nonsense. I get that you don't like it, so go build an alternative.

pjmlp 1y ago

The alternative already exists, processes using the system browser, for several decades now. Or actually learn how we use to ship software on the glory days of 8, 16 and 32 bit home platforms. Now I do agree there are no alternatives for people that only care about shipping ChromeOS all over the place.

JimDabell 1y ago
> The alternative already exists, processes using the system browser, for several decades now. Yes, Windows supported Electron-like applications back in the 90s with HTAs. If you want something modern and cross-platform, Tauri does this: https://v2.tauri.app https://v2.tauri.app
charcircuit 1y ago
You can't trust the system browser to be up to date and secure or for it to render things how you want. You can not guarantee a good user experience unless you ship the browser engine with your app.
- lillecarl 1y ago
  Yeah sure but I use most web apps through the browser either way so I'm already in "possibly incompatible land" and you can reasonably expect any user facing device to have an updated browser OR one specific browser in case of embedded. We're not in Windows XP software distribution times anymore.
duped 1y ago
The system browser doesn't work on iOS, MacOS, or Linux (under certain, but common, conditions).

johnnyanmac 1y ago

Are we really trying to argue about cross platform GUI in 2025? This was solved decades ago. Just not in ways that are trying to directly appeal to modern webdevs by jamming a browser into every desktop application. I don't even hate Electron that much. I'm working on a toy project using Electron right now for various reasons. This was just a bizarre angle to approach from.

ogoffart 1y ago

I’m actually working on an alternative called Slint => https://slint.dev https://slint.dev

SJC_Hacker 1y ago

QT?