- Lets you write cross-platform desktop applications using JavaScript, HTML and CSS.
- It is based on Node.js & Chromium.
- Large size
- Resource (RAM) hogging
- Source code protection (https://www.contextis.com/en/blog/basic-electron-framework-exploitation)
- We would already have a web component in the system that can be used.
- Electron apps cannot be submitted to the Apple store (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21437255)
List of alternatives to electron
Consider Progressive Web Apps (PWA), if your app doesn't require any platform interactions.
"Progressive Web Apps might not be able to replace every kind of native application, but they can be viable replacements for some apps written with the Electron web wrapper technology". For more info https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/05/27/google-chats-desktop-application-is-now-a-progressive-web-app/
- NW.js (Similar to electron, provides Source code protection)
- DeskGap (bundles a Node.js runtime and leaves the HTML rendering to the operating system‘s webview)
- Neutralinojs (chromium module is replaced with either user’s web browser or built-in browser component. Node run-time is replaced with a lightweight web server which exposes native OS functionality)
- Proton Native (does the same to desktop that React Native did to mobile, based on https://github.com/parro-it/libui-node)
- React Native Desktop (Cross-platform React Native Desktop port based on Qt framework)
- Vuido (creating native desktop applications based on Vue.js, based on https://github.com/parro-it/libui-node)
- NodeGui (powered by Qt5, NodeGui-React, Vue NodeGui)
- tint2
- reactxp (library for cross-platform app development using React and React Native)
- quasar (Vue.js based framework, which lets web developer to quickly create responsive websites/apps)
- nidium
- electrino
- graffiti
- Tauri
- Sciter.JS (Is a 5MB HTML/CSS/JS (ES6) runtime aimed as a direct Electorn replacement)
- Orleans
- Avalonia
- Electron.NET
- Uno (Pixel-Perfect Multi-Platform Applications with C# and WinUI)
- Chromely (Build HTML Desktop Apps on .NET/.NET Core/.NET 5 using native GUI, HTML5, JavaScript, CSS)