Web to Desktop framework comparison

This repository has been made to create an objective comparison of multiple frameworks that allow us to "transform" our web apps to desktop applications.

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	112.1k	40.1k	77.7k	8.7k	7.3k	22.4k	162k	21.6k
Forks	14.9k	3.9k	2.3k	0.3k	0.4k	1.1k	26.6k	1.6k
Creation date	2013	2011	2019	2019	2018	2019	2018	2020
Last Update	5/2024	5/2024	5/2024	3/2024	5/2024	5/2024	5/2024	5/2024
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+	WebKit2gtk on Linux, Webview2 on Windows and WkWebview on Mac	Flutter engine	.NET MAUI

See GRAPHS.md for stars/forks visualization.

Features

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.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
WebGL Support	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, but not on all flavors

Front-end frameworks/technologies

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI
Angular	Yes	Yes	Yes, official via Vite	Yes, community	Yes	Yes	No	No
NextJS	?	?	Yes, official	?	?	Yes	No	No
Preact	Yes	Yes	Yes, official via Vite	?	Yes	Yes	No	No
Qwik	Yes	Yes	Yes, official	?	Yes	Yes	No	No
React	Yes	Yes	Yes, official via Vite	Yes, official but EOL	Yes	Yes	No	No
Svelte	Yes	Yes	Yes, official via sveltekit or Vite	Yes, official	Yes	Yes	No	No
Vue	Yes	Yes	Yes, official via Vite	Yes, official	Yes	Yes	No	No
Vite	Yes	Yes	Yes, official	?	Yes	Yes	No	No

Operating systems support

		Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI
Development 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 information about the following data.

Note: These benchmarks are done on GitHub CI. There are ways to make measurements more accurate (e.g., multiple runs), but they will never be perfectly accurate, as they totally depend on system load and resources. You should read these tables as a comparison between frameworks for the same OS, architecture, and 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)	≈266MB	≈400MB	≈1MB	≈171MB	?	≈8MB	?	N/A1	N/A2
Windows (x86)	≈238MB	≈367MB	?	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2
Windows (ARM64)	≈273MB	Requested	?	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2
MacOS (x64)	≈420MB	≈564MB	?	?	≈1MB	?	?	N/A1	N/A2
MacOS (arm64)	≈396MB	≈518MB	?	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2
Linux (x64)	≈268MB	≈500MB	≈2MB	≈75MB	≈1MB	≈7MB	?	N/A1	N/A2
Linux (x86)	?	≈505MB	?	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2
Linux (ARMv7l)	≈203MB	Requested	?	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2
Linux (ARM64)	≈274MB	Requested	?	?	≈1MB	?	?	N/A1	N/A2

Build time

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI	.Net MAUI w/ Vue
Windows (x64)	≈3160ms	≈26508ms	≈191049ms	≈9886ms	?	≈6735ms	?	N/A1	N/A2
Windows (x86)	≈3160ms	≈26508ms	?	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2
Windows (ARM64)	≈3160ms	Requested	?	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2
MacOS (x64)	≈2311ms	≈6262ms	?	?	≈408ms	?	?	N/A1	N/A2
MacOS (arm64)	≈2311ms	≈6262ms	?	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2
Linux (x64)	≈1778ms	≈24354ms	≈208239ms	≈6928ms	≈408ms	≈29445ms	?	N/A1	N/A2
Linux (x86)	?	≈24354ms	?	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2
Linux (ARMv7l)	≈1778ms	Requested	?	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2
Linux (ARM64)	≈1778ms	Requested	?	?	≈408ms	?	?	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)	≈353MB (Debug) => ≈237MB (Release)	≈121MB (Debug) => ≈264MB (Release)	≈359MB (Debug) => ≈255MB (Release)	≈180MB (Debug)	≈98MB (Debug)	≈413MB (Debug) => ≈259MB (Release)	≈759MB (Debug)	N/A1	N/A2
MacOS (arm64)	≈424MB (Debug) => ≈307MB (Release)	≈630MB (Debug)	≈200MB (Debug)	≈174MB (Debug)	≈42MB (Debug)	≈269MB (Debug)	≈197MB (Debug)	N/A1	N/A2
Linux (x64)	≈712MB (Debug) => ≈579MB (Release)	≈164MB (Debug) => ≈825MB (Release)	≈320MB (Debug) => ≈93MB (Release)	≈330MB (Debug)	≈1GB (Debug) => ≈921MB (Release)	≈658MB (Debug) => ≈431MB (Release)	≈668MB (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)	≈175MB (Debug) => ≈86MB (Release)	≈81MB (Debug) => ≈115MB (Release)	≈250MB (Debug) => ≈155MB (Release)	≈140MB (Debug)	≈84MB (Debug)	≈277MB (Debug) => ≈162MB (Release)	≈657MB (Debug)	N/A1	N/A2
MacOS (arm64)	≈209MB (Debug) => ≈114MB (Release)	≈271MB (Debug)	≈165MB (Debug)	≈104MB (Debug)	≈36MB (Debug)	≈264MB (Debug)	≈250MB (Debug)	N/A1	N/A2
Linux (x64)	≈151MB (Debug) => ≈101MB (Release)	≈68MB (Debug) => ≈198MB (Release)	≈123MB (Debug) => ≈18MB (Release)	≈237MB (Debug)	≈549MB (Debug) => ≈475MB (Release)	≈273MB (Debug) => ≈164MB (Release)	≈555MB (Debug)	N/A1	N/A2

Start duration

	Electron	NW.JS	Tauri	NodeGui	Neutralino	Wails	Flutter	.Net MAUI	.Net MAUI w/ Vue
Windows (x64)	≈1182ms (Debug) => ≈255ms (Release)	≈561ms (Release)	≈2882ms (Debug) => ≈413ms (Release)	?	?	≈8358ms (Debug) => ≈406ms (Release)	?	N/A1	N/A2
MacOS (arm64)	≈583ms (Debug) => ≈239ms (Release)	?	≈4091ms (Debug)	?	?	≈6083ms (Debug)	?	N/A1	N/A2
Linux (x64)	≈617ms (Debug) => ≈313ms (Release)	≈422ms (Release)	≈34694ms (Debug)	?	≈1256ms (Debug) => ≈341ms (Release)	≈3236ms (Debug) => ≈244ms (Release)	≈10917ms (Debug)	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)	≈266MB	≈400MB	≈1MB	≈171MB	?	≈8MB	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Windows (x86)	≈238MB	≈367MB	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Windows (ARM64)	≈273MB	Requested	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
MacOS (x64)	≈420MB	≈564MB	?	?	≈1MB	?	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
MacOS (arm64)	≈396MB	≈518MB	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Linux (x64)	≈268MB	≈500MB	≈2MB	≈75MB	≈1MB	≈7MB	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Linux (x86)	?	≈505MB	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Linux (ARMv7l)	≈203MB	Requested	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Linux (ARM64)	≈274MB	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)	≈3295ms	≈21809ms	≈190493ms	≈9781ms	?	≈6813ms	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Windows (x86)	≈3295ms	≈21809ms	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Windows (ARM64)	≈3295ms	Requested	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
MacOS (x64)	≈1981ms	≈5712ms	?	?	≈349ms	?	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
MacOS (arm64)	≈1981ms	≈5712ms	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Linux (x64)	≈1905ms	≈6261ms	≈183774ms	≈6812ms	≈349ms	≈28987ms	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Linux (x86)	?	≈6261ms	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Linux (ARMv7l)	≈1905ms	Requested	?	?	?	?	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Linux (ARM64)	≈1905ms	Requested	?	?	≈349ms	?	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)	≈350MB (Debug) => ≈234MB (Release)	≈155MB (Debug) => ≈261MB (Release)	≈355MB (Debug) => ≈253MB (Release)	≈179MB (Debug)	≈81MB (Debug)	≈415MB (Debug) => ≈262MB (Release)	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
MacOS (arm64)	≈425MB (Debug) => ≈308MB (Release)	≈621MB (Debug)	≈198MB (Debug)	≈173MB (Debug)	≈24MB (Debug)	≈268MB (Debug)	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Linux (x64)	≈709MB (Debug) => ≈576MB (Release)	≈1GB (Debug) => ≈823MB (Release)	≈323MB (Debug) => ≈93MB (Release)	≈334MB (Debug)	≈1GB (Debug) => ≈928MB (Release)	≈661MB (Debug) => ≈431MB (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)	≈160MB (Debug) => ≈88MB (Release)	≈253MB (Debug) => ≈120MB (Release)	≈244MB (Debug) => ≈152MB (Release)	≈130MB (Debug)	≈66MB (Debug)	≈276MB (Debug) => ≈163MB (Release)	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
MacOS (arm64)	≈176MB (Debug) => ≈118MB (Release)	≈260MB (Debug)	≈172MB (Debug)	≈111MB (Debug)	≈13MB (Debug)	≈267MB (Debug)	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Linux (x64)	≈159MB (Debug) => ≈95MB (Release)	≈446MB (Debug) => ≈192MB (Release)	≈123MB (Debug) => ≈17MB (Release)	≈231MB (Debug)	≈582MB (Debug) => ≈479MB (Release)	≈273MB (Debug) => ≈165MB (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)	≈1219ms (Debug) => ≈264ms (Release)	≈580ms (Release)	≈2920ms (Debug) => ≈431ms (Release)	≈5090ms (Debug)	?	≈8471ms (Debug) => ≈409ms (Release)	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
MacOS (arm64)	≈486ms (Debug) => ≈277ms (Release)	?	≈4563ms (Debug)	?	?	≈5074ms (Debug)	N/A1	N/A2	N/A3
Linux (x64)	≈609ms (Debug) => ≈296ms (Release)	≈413ms (Release)	≈34109ms (Debug)	?	≈1218ms (Debug) => ≈323ms (Release)	≈3192ms (Debug) => ≈242ms (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, or by filling them!

Contributors

List of contributors to this repository