Electron is a widely hated framework on Linux, but what about the alternatives like Neutralinojs?

In their own words: In Electron and NWjs, you have to install Node.js and hundreds of dependency libraries. Embedded Chromium and Node.js make simple apps bloaty — in most scenarios, framework weights more than your app source. Neutralinojs offers a lightweight and portable SDK which is an alternative for Electron and NW.js. Neutralinojs doesn’t bundle Chromium and uses the existing web browser library in the operating system (Eg: gtk-webkit2 on Linux). Neutralinojs implements a secure WebSocket connection for native operations and embeds a static web server to serve the web content. Also, it offers a built-in JavaScript client library for developers.

Do you experience alternatives like Njs to blend more in the desktop layout, install less junk, use less memory, are more compatible with Wayland,…?

  • bizdelnick
    116·
    9 months ago

    Alternative for what? I never used electron apps and I don’t see any reason for that. If you are a developer, try Qt.

    • moreeni@lemm.ee
      211·
      9 months ago

      Qt and Electron are different technologies that achieve somewhat different goals

        • jbk@discuss.tchncs.de
          4·
          9 months ago

          They have like 3 different, official codebases and clients (and so many 3rd party ones) for so many platforms. No other app I know of is like that, not really a great example imo

      • bizdelnick
        74·
        9 months ago

        Qt and Electron are different technologies

        Yes.

        that achieve somewhat different goals

        No.

        • moreeni@lemm.ee
          5·
          9 months ago

          You can’t get a website working as a “native” application with Qt, which is exactly what is Electron’s goal.

          • nyan@sh.itjust.works
            134·
            9 months ago

            Which is why Electron reminds me of a little kid who’s just done some extremely difficult but utterlly pointless thing.

            Websites belong in a browser. If it doesn’t work in any random standards-compliant browser, then you should be delivering it as a true native application, not some horrific fiji-mermaid-esque hybrid.

            • moreeni@lemm.ee
              52·
              9 months ago

              You are talking as if all people can make a native app with the same knowledge and amount of effort as it would take to develop a website.

              Sometimes, web developers would want to go further with their app and deliever “native” functionality. Sometimes, a person wants to build an app but only happens to know how to build a website.

              It’s a much more complicated matter than just some idiots deciding “let’s build an utterly pointless thing and then let other idiots build horrific fiji-mermaid-esque hybrids!!”.

              https://asylum.madhouse-project.org/blog/2018/10/26/Walking-in-my-shoes/

              • wewbull@feddit.ukEnglish
                11·
                9 months ago

                Generally, my view is if it’s an electron app it’s going to be a crap user experience.

                You are talking as if all people can make a native app with the same knowledge and amount of effort as it would take to develop a website.

                No, not all people can’t do that, but I think they should learn. It will lead to better results. Or are you saying that web developers are inherently incapable of developing native applications?

                • mamotromico
                  1·
                  9 months ago

                  Honestly it varies a lot. I’m the kind of user that would rather have self contained apps (even if electron) whenever possible instead of new browser tabs/windows. So unless a electron app is notoriously bad, I’d rather have it avilable than not

              • nyan@sh.itjust.works
                72·
                9 months ago

                Sometimes raising the barrier to entry is a good thing.

                Many Electron applications I’ve run across don’t make even a try at loading system settings. For me, that causes accessibility issues related to photosensitivity. For some reason, feeling like I’ve been stabbed in the eyeball when I try to open a program does not endear me to it or its framework.

                No application at all is actually better than something built on Electron, as far as I’m concerned, because then there’s a chance that someone, somewhere, might fill in the gap with software I can actually use.

                Electron needs to either actually provide the basics of native functionality, or go away.

              • winnie
                21·
                9 months ago

                Then they shouldn’t! Just give users website and be done with it.

                Now you can even allow websites work offline and install them “like” an app with proper manifest.

          • bizdelnick
            61·
            9 months ago

            There is a browser working natively in any system. I don’t see any point in bundling a web app together with a browser and calling it a “native” app. The only difference is that you have no address bar in that case.

    • winnieEnglish
      1·
      9 months ago

      I’ve just tried Qt based matrix client. Compared to Electron based Element.

      It’s nice, snappy, beautiful, and eats WAY less RAM. But it lacks lot of feature. That’s sad.