Need advice about which tool to choose?Ask the StackShare community!

Electron

11.2K
9.7K
+ 1
148
Proton Native

22
180
+ 1
10
React Native Desktop

15
205
+ 1
11

Electron vs Proton Native vs React Native Desktop: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this markdown, we will compare the key differences between Electron, Proton Native, and React Native Desktop.

  1. Development Language: Electron: Electron is built using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It uses Chromium and Node.js to create cross-platform desktop applications. Proton Native: Proton Native is also built using web technologies like React, but it uses Native UI components to render the app instead of using a web view like Electron. React Native Desktop: React Native Desktop allows developers to use the same codebase they use for React Native mobile apps, but it provides a desktop-specific runtime on top of React Native.

  2. Platform Support: Electron: Electron supports building desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. Proton Native: Proton Native is primarily focused on providing a native-like experience on Linux, macOS, and Windows. React Native Desktop: React Native Desktop focuses on building applications for macOS and Windows.

  3. Performance: Electron: Electron uses a separate instance of Chromium for each application, which can lead to higher memory usage and slower performance compared to native applications. Proton Native: Proton Native uses Native UI components, which results in faster performance compared to Electron. React Native Desktop: React Native Desktop leverages React Native's performance optimizations for mobile devices, which can result in a faster experience on desktop platforms.

  4. Access to Native APIs: Electron: Electron provides direct access to a wide range of native APIs, allowing developers to build applications with deep system integration. Proton Native: Proton Native also allows access to native APIs, but the number of available APIs may be more limited compared to Electron. React Native Desktop: React Native Desktop provides access to the same set of APIs as React Native for mobile applications, which may not cover every native desktop functionality.

  5. Code Reusability: Electron: With Electron, developers can reuse web development skills and code to create cross-platform desktop applications. Proton Native: Proton Native allows code reusability as it is based on React, providing similar code sharing capabilities with React Native. React Native Desktop: React Native Desktop enables code reusability by utilizing the same codebase used for React Native mobile apps, allowing developers to share code between mobile and desktop applications.

  6. Tooling and Ecosystem: Electron: Electron has a mature and extensive ecosystem with various libraries, frameworks, and development tools available. Proton Native: Proton Native has a smaller ecosystem compared to Electron, but it provides access to the React ecosystem, which includes various libraries and tools. React Native Desktop: React Native Desktop leverages the existing React Native ecosystem, allowing developers to benefit from the wide range of libraries and tools already available.

In summary, Electron allows developers to build cross-platform desktop applications using web technologies, while Proton Native focuses on providing a native-like experience using React and Native UI components. React Native Desktop enables developers to utilize their React Native codebase for creating desktop applications on macOS and Windows.

Get Advice from developers at your company using StackShare Enterprise. Sign up for StackShare Enterprise.
Learn More
Pros of Electron
Pros of Proton Native
Pros of React Native Desktop
  • 69
    Easy to make rich cross platform desktop applications
  • 53
    Open source
  • 14
    Great looking apps such as Slack and Visual Studio Code
  • 8
    Because it's cross platform
  • 4
    Use Node.js in the Main Process
  • 3
    Full cross plataform
  • 3
    Very fast
  • 2
    Lightweight
  • 1
    React style
  • 1
    Is native
  • 0
    Code reuse with react native apps
  • 3
    Pretty awesome
  • 2
    Is native app
  • 2
    Does not include any browser
  • 2
    Memory usage reduced
  • 1
    Quickly convert react.js web app to desktop app
  • 1
    Open source

Sign up to add or upvote prosMake informed product decisions

Cons of Electron
Cons of Proton Native
Cons of React Native Desktop
  • 18
    Uses a lot of memory
  • 8
    User experience never as good as a native app
  • 4
    No proper documentation
  • 4
    Does not native
  • 1
    Each app needs to install a new chromium + nodejs
  • 1
    Wrong reference for dom inspection
  • 1
    Low community for the moment
  • 0
    Memory usage reduced

Sign up to add or upvote consMake informed product decisions

- No public GitHub repository available -
- No public GitHub repository available -

What is Electron?

With Electron, creating a desktop application for your company or idea is easy. Initially developed for GitHub's Atom editor, Electron has since been used to create applications by companies like Microsoft, Facebook, Slack, and Docker. The Electron framework lets you write cross-platform desktop applications using JavaScript, HTML and CSS. It is based on io.js and Chromium and is used in the Atom editor.

What is Proton Native?

Create native desktop applications through a React syntax, on all platforms.

What is React Native Desktop?

Build OS X desktop apps using React Native.

Need advice about which tool to choose?Ask the StackShare community!

What companies use Electron?
What companies use Proton Native?
What companies use React Native Desktop?
    No companies found

    Sign up to get full access to all the companiesMake informed product decisions

    What tools integrate with Electron?
    What tools integrate with Proton Native?
    What tools integrate with React Native Desktop?

    Sign up to get full access to all the tool integrationsMake informed product decisions

    Blog Posts

    What are some alternatives to Electron, Proton Native, and React Native Desktop?
    Photon
    The fastest way to build beautiful Electron apps using simple HTML and CSS. Underneath it all is Electron. Originally built for GitHub's Atom text editor, Electron is the easiest way to build cross-platform desktop applications.
    React Native
    React Native enables you to build world-class application experiences on native platforms using a consistent developer experience based on JavaScript and React. The focus of React Native is on developer efficiency across all the platforms you care about - learn once, write anywhere. Facebook uses React Native in multiple production apps and will continue investing in React Native.
    React
    Lots of people use React as the V in MVC. Since React makes no assumptions about the rest of your technology stack, it's easy to try it out on a small feature in an existing project.
    JavaFX
    It is a set of graphics and media packages that enables developers to design, create, test, debug, and deploy rich client applications that operate consistently across diverse platforms.
    pygame
    It is a cross-platform set of Python modules designed for writing video games. It includes computer graphics and sound libraries designed to be used with the Python programming language.
    See all alternatives