Web to Desktop framework comparison

This repository was made to create an objective comparison of multiple framework that grant us to "transform" our web app to desktop application formats.

Table Of Content

Major characteristics
Operating systems
Benchmarks
- 01 - Empty app
- 02 - Empty app (Frameless)

Major characteristics

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI
Github stars	109k	39.8k	68.1k	8.5k	6.9k	17.3k	156.4k	19.6k
Forks	15k	4k	2k	0.3k	0.3k	0.8k	25.9k	1.4k
Creation date	2013	2011	2019	2019	2018	2019	2018	2020
Last Update	9/2023	8/2023	9/2023	8/2023	9/2023	9/2023	9/2023	9/2023
Framework Language	C++, JS, Objective-C, Python	C++	Rust	C++	C++	Go	C, C++, Dart	C#
Usage Language - Back	JS, C++	JS, C++	Rust	JS, C++	JS, C++	Go	Dart	C#
Usage Language - Front	HTML, CSS, JS	HTML, CSS, JS	HTML, CSS, JS	HTML, CSS, JS	HTML, CSS, JS	HTML, CSS, JS	Dart	C#
License	MIT	MIT	MIT	MIT	MIT	MIT	BSD 3-Clause	MIT
Developer Dependencies	Node.js, Electron NPM Package	Node.js, NW.JS SDK	C++ Compiler, Node.js, Rustc, Cargo	Cmake, make, Node.js, NodeGUI NPM Package	Node.js, Neu NPM Package	Go 1.18+, Node 15+, Wails	Flutter SDK, Visual Studio 2019 / Clang	.Net SDK, Visual Studio (optional), WebView2 (optional), Xcode (optional)
User Dependencies	None	None	None	None	None	None	None	None
Dependencies / modules support	npm & node.js native addons	npm & node.js native addons	cargo (back), npm (front)	npm & node.js native addons	❌	Gomod (back), npm (front)	pub.dev	NuGet
Engine	Chromium	Webkit, Chromium	WRY (WebKitGTK for Linux, WebKit for MacOS, Webview2 for Windows)	Qt	WebkitGTK+	Webkit	Flutter engine	.NET MAUI
Integrated updater ?	Official	Community	Official	No	Official	Planned	No, but there are community solutions	No
Automated Tests	Standard node.js tests (back-end) or Webdriver/Playwright (UI)	Standard node.js tests (back-end) or Webdriver(UI)	Cargo (back-end) or Webdriver (UI)	?	?	?	Integrated	Standard C# tests (back-end), no official solution for UI

Operating systems support

		Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI
Developement Environment	Windows	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
	MacOS	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
	Linux	✔️¹	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
Target Environment	Windows	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
	MacOS	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️
	Linux	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	Soon
	Android	❌	Requested	Soon²	❌	❌	Requested	✔️	✔️
	iOS	❌	❌	In progress²	❌	❌	Requested	✔️	✔️
	tvOS	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	✔️
	Web	❌	❌	❌	❌	✔️³	❌	✔️	❌

¹: Linux 32 Bit support dropped
²: https://github.com/tauri-apps/tauri#platforms
³: Uses modes to generate web apps

Benchmarks

See benchmarks.json to get more informations about following data.

Note: These benchmarks are done on Github CI, there are measures to have measurements more accurates (e.g. multiple runs), but it will never exactly be accurate, as it totally depends on system load and resources. You should read these tables as comparision between frameworks on a same OS/Arch/App with a margin of error.

01-empty-app

See source in benchmark/01-empty-app folder.

Build size

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI	.Net MAUI w/ Vue
Windows (x64)	≈248MB	≈354MB	≈1MB	≈171MB	≈2MB	≈8MB	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Windows (x86)	≈220MB	≈318MB	?	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Windows (ARM64)	≈257MB	Requested	?	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²
MacOS (x64)	≈386MB	≈531MB	≈3MB	?	≈1MB	≈7MB	?	N/A¹	N/A²
MacOS (arm64)	≈369MB	?	?	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Linux (x64)	≈251MB	≈474MB	≈4MB	≈75MB	≈1MB	≈6MB	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Linux (x86)	?	≈473MB	?	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Linux (ARMv7l)	≈188MB	Requested	?	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Linux (ARM64)	≈258MB	Requested	?	?	≈1MB	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²

Build time

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI	.Net MAUI w/ Vue
Windows (x64)	≈4139ms	≈29100ms	≈274447ms	≈11509ms	≈866ms	≈9403ms	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Windows (x86)	≈4139ms	≈29100ms	?	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Windows (ARM64)	≈4139ms	Requested	?	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²
MacOS (x64)	≈5983ms	≈29100ms	≈207511ms	?	≈875ms	≈70980ms	?	N/A¹	N/A²
MacOS (arm64)	≈5983ms	?	?	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Linux (x64)	≈2218ms	≈29100ms	≈305380ms	≈9474ms	≈875ms	≈40059ms	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Linux (x86)	?	≈29100ms	?	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Linux (ARMv7l)	≈2218ms	Requested	?	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Linux (ARM64)	≈2218ms	Requested	?	?	≈875ms	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²

Memory Usage - (Average of runs) Median of used memory for main process and children ones)

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI	.Net MAUI w/ Vue
Windows (x64)	≈382MB (Debug) => ≈242MB (Release)	≈403MB (Debug) => ≈286MB (Release)	≈144MB (Debug) => ≈29MB (Release)	≈221MB (Debug)	≈84MB (Debug)	≈196MB (Debug) => ≈33MB (Release)	≈840MB (Debug)	N/A¹	N/A²
MacOS (x64)	≈298MB (Debug) => ≈201MB (Release)	≈390MB (Debug) => ≈280MB (Release)	≈150MB (Debug) => ≈31MB (Release)	≈152MB (Debug)	≈187MB (Debug) => ≈30MB (Release)	≈208MB (Debug) => ≈34MB (Release)	≈193MB (Debug)	N/A¹	N/A²
Linux (x64)	≈666MB (Debug) => ≈544MB (Release)	≈205MB (Debug)	≈302MB (Debug) => ≈92MB (Release)	≈295MB (Debug)	≈854MB (Debug) => ≈742MB (Release)	≈663MB (Debug) => ≈431MB (Release)	≈21MB (Debug)	N/A¹	N/A²

Memory Usage - (Average of runs) Median of difference between system measured free memory before execution and during execution)

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI	.Net MAUI w/ Vue
Windows (x64)	≈182MB (Debug) => ≈84MB (Release)	≈275MB (Debug) => ≈140MB (Release)	≈211MB (Debug) => ≈134MB (Release)	≈189MB (Debug)	≈64MB (Debug)	≈266MB (Debug) => ≈143MB (Release)	≈787MB (Debug)	N/A¹	N/A²
MacOS (x64)	≈153MB (Debug) => ≈92MB (Release)	≈237MB (Debug) => ≈159MB (Release)	≈154MB (Debug) => ≈33MB (Release)	≈93MB (Debug)	≈131MB (Debug) => ≈31MB (Release)	≈204MB (Debug) => ≈36MB (Release)	≈150MB (Debug)	N/A¹	N/A²
Linux (x64)	≈107MB (Debug) => ≈51MB (Release)	≈70MB (Debug)	≈80MB (Debug) => ≈11MB (Release)	≈67MB (Debug)	≈416MB (Debug) => ≈345MB (Release)	≈277MB (Debug) => ≈135MB (Release)	≈12MB (Debug)	N/A¹	N/A²

Start duration

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI	.Net MAUI w/ Vue
Windows (x64)	≈1290ms (Debug) => ≈306ms (Release)	≈741ms (Release)	≈3348ms (Debug) => ≈563ms (Release)	?	?	≈11283ms (Debug) => ≈604ms (Release)	?	N/A¹	N/A²
MacOS (x64)	≈1923ms (Debug) => ≈704ms (Release)	≈1730ms (Release)	≈4977ms (Debug) => ≈743ms (Release)	?	≈2305ms (Debug) => ≈720ms (Release)	≈8980ms (Debug) => ≈802ms (Release)	?	N/A¹	N/A²
Linux (x64)	≈693ms (Debug) => ≈362ms (Release)	?	≈210536ms (Debug)	?	≈1779ms (Debug) => ≈449ms (Release)	≈4490ms (Debug) => ≈345ms (Release)	?	N/A¹	N/A²

¹: Benchmark WIP
²: Benchmark WIP

02-empty-app-frameless

See source in benchmark/02-empty-app-frameless folder.

Build size

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI	.Net MAUI w/ Vue
Windows (x64)	≈248MB	≈366MB	≈1MB	≈171MB	≈2MB	≈8MB	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Windows (x86)	≈220MB	≈330MB	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Windows (ARM64)	≈257MB	Requested	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
MacOS (x64)	≈378MB	≈329MB	≈3MB	?	≈1MB	≈7MB	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
MacOS (arm64)	≈359MB	?	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Linux (x64)	≈251MB	≈474MB	≈4MB	≈75MB	≈1MB	≈6MB	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Linux (x86)	?	≈473MB	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Linux (ARMv7l)	≈188MB	Requested	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Linux (ARM64)	≈258MB	Requested	?	?	≈1MB	?	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³

Build time

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI	.Net MAUI w/ Vue
Windows (x64)	≈5760ms	≈35368ms	≈389844ms	≈16621ms	≈643ms	≈16151ms	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Windows (x86)	≈5760ms	≈35368ms	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Windows (ARM64)	≈5760ms	Requested	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
MacOS (x64)	≈7106ms	≈35368ms	≈219046ms	?	≈1139ms	≈72115ms	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
MacOS (arm64)	≈7106ms	?	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Linux (x64)	≈2904ms	≈35368ms	≈380472ms	≈12681ms	≈1139ms	≈53279ms	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Linux (x86)	?	≈35368ms	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Linux (ARMv7l)	≈2904ms	Requested	?	?	?	?	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Linux (ARM64)	≈2904ms	Requested	?	?	≈1139ms	?	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³

Memory Usage - (Average of runs) Median of used memory for main process and children ones)

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI	.Net MAUI w/ Vue
Windows (x64)	≈374MB (Debug) => ≈241MB (Release)	≈84MB (Debug) => ≈280MB (Release)	≈130MB (Debug) => ≈27MB (Release)	≈168MB (Debug)	≈86MB (Debug)	≈210MB (Debug) => ≈33MB (Release)	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
MacOS (x64)	≈296MB (Debug) => ≈194MB (Release)	≈114MB (Debug) => ≈271MB (Release)	≈149MB (Debug) => ≈29MB (Release)	≈159MB (Debug)	≈190MB (Debug) => ≈29MB (Release)	≈208MB (Debug) => ≈32MB (Release)	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Linux (x64)	≈661MB (Debug) => ≈541MB (Release)	≈167MB (Debug)	≈301MB (Debug) => ≈92MB (Release)	≈294MB (Debug)	≈925MB (Debug) => ≈741MB (Release)	≈653MB (Debug) => ≈429MB (Release)	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³

Memory Usage - (Average of runs) Median of difference between system measured free memory before execution and during execution)

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI	.Net MAUI w/ Vue
Windows (x64)	≈179MB (Debug) => ≈89MB (Release)	≈58MB (Debug) => ≈147MB (Release)	≈199MB (Debug) => ≈134MB (Release)	≈122MB (Debug)	≈70MB (Debug)	≈268MB (Debug) => ≈145MB (Release)	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
MacOS (x64)	≈195MB (Debug) => ≈96MB (Release)	≈73MB (Debug) => ≈132MB (Release)	≈133MB (Debug) => ≈32MB (Release)	≈101MB (Debug)	≈133MB (Debug) => ≈29MB (Release)	≈198MB (Debug) => ≈38MB (Release)	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Linux (x64)	≈102MB (Debug) => ≈57MB (Release)	≈32MB (Debug)	≈76MB (Debug) => ≈10MB (Release)	≈61MB (Debug)	≈437MB (Debug) => ≈337MB (Release)	≈249MB (Debug) => ≈128MB (Release)	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³

Start duration

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI	.Net MAUI w/ Vue
Windows (x64)	≈1795ms (Debug) => ≈402ms (Release)	≈941ms (Release)	≈4230ms (Debug) => ≈767ms (Release)	≈8798ms (Debug)	?	≈19748ms (Debug) => ≈955ms (Release)	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
MacOS (x64)	≈2287ms (Debug) => ≈746ms (Release)	≈1785ms (Release)	≈5479ms (Debug) => ≈721ms (Release)	?	≈2449ms (Debug) => ≈742ms (Release)	≈9391ms (Debug) => ≈782ms (Release)	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³
Linux (x64)	≈867ms (Debug) => ≈419ms (Release)	?	≈42036ms (Debug)	?	≈2152ms (Debug) => ≈590ms (Release)	≈6096ms (Debug) => ≈450ms (Release)	N/A¹	N/A²	N/A³

¹: Frameless mode not supported yet
²: Frameless mode not working
³: Frameless mode not working

Future content

See Issues and Pull requests. You can participate by proposing new issues, of filling them !

Contributors

List of contributors to this repository

Elanis/web-to-desktop-framework-comparison

Elanis

Reviews

Repository Details

Web to Desktop framework comparison

Table Of Content

Major characteristics

Operating systems support

Benchmarks

01-empty-app

Build size

Build time

Memory Usage - (Average of runs) Median of used memory for main process and children ones)

Memory Usage - (Average of runs) Median of difference between system measured free memory before execution and during execution)

Start duration

02-empty-app-frameless

Build size

Build time

Memory Usage - (Average of runs) Median of used memory for main process and children ones)

Memory Usage - (Average of runs) Median of difference between system measured free memory before execution and during execution)

Start duration

Future content

Contributors

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