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Eel vs Electron: What are the differences?
Introduction
Eel and Electron are both web frameworks that allow developers to build desktop applications using web technologies. While they share a similar goal, there are several key differences between these two frameworks.
Language Support: Eel is primarily designed for Python developers, allowing them to create desktop applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. On the other hand, Electron supports multiple programming languages, including JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and any other language that can compile to JavaScript.
Application Size: Electron-based applications tend to have a larger file size compared to Eel-based applications. This is because Electron packages a full web browser runtime along with the application, while Eel relies on an existing browser engine on the user's machine.
Execution Environment: Eel runs a minimal web server in the background, which communicates with the frontend of the application. This enables Eel to make use of Python libraries and logic on the backend. In contrast, Electron applications run entirely in a Chromium-based web browser environment.
Development Workflow: Eel aims to provide a seamless experience for Python developers by allowing them to use their existing knowledge of web technologies. It offers a simplified development workflow by allowing direct communication between Python and JavaScript. Electron, on the other hand, has a more complex development workflow as it requires separate frontend and backend processes and communication through inter-process communication (IPC).
Platform Support: Electron provides broader platform support, allowing developers to build applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Eel, on the other hand, has limited support and is primarily focused on Windows and Linux.
Community and Ecosystem: Electron has a larger and more mature community compared to Eel. It has been widely adopted and has a vast ecosystem of plugins, libraries, and extensive documentation. While Eel has a growing community, it may not have the same level of support and resources as Electron.
In summary, Eel is a Python-centric framework with a smaller file size, minimal server requirements, and a simplified development workflow. Electron, on the other hand, supports multiple programming languages, has broader platform support, and benefits from a larger community and ecosystem.
Pros of Eel
Pros of Electron
- Easy to make rich cross platform desktop applications69
- Open source53
- Great looking apps such as Slack and Visual Studio Code14
- Because it's cross platform8
- Use Node.js in the Main Process4
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Cons of Eel
Cons of Electron
- Uses a lot of memory19
- User experience never as good as a native app8
- No proper documentation4
- Does not native4
- Each app needs to install a new chromium + nodejs1
- Wrong reference for dom inspection1
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What is Eel?
What is Electron?
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What companies use Eel?
What companies use Electron?
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What tools integrate with Eel?
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