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Electron vs Qt: What are the differences?
Introduction
In this article, we will compare Electron and Qt, two popular frameworks for building cross-platform desktop applications. Both Electron and Qt provide the ability to create desktop applications using web technologies, but there are several key differences between the two frameworks.
Architecture: Electron is based on Chromium and Node.js, while Qt is a C++ framework. Electron uses web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build desktop applications, while Qt provides a set of C++ libraries for building cross-platform applications.
Platform Support: Electron supports Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems, making it a truly cross-platform solution. Qt, on the other hand, supports a wide range of platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and even embedded systems.
Performance: Electron applications are known to consume more system resources compared to Qt applications. This is because Electron applications run a full Chromium browser instance in the background. Qt applications, being written in C++, have a smaller memory footprint and are generally more efficient in terms of performance.
UI Customization: In Electron, the user interface is built using web technologies and can be fully customized using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Qt provides a more traditional approach to building user interfaces with its own set of UI components and styling options. While Qt offers more control over the look and feel of the application, Electron allows for more flexibility in terms of design and customization.
Development Workflow: Electron follows a more web-centric development workflow. Developers can use popular web development tools and frameworks such as React or Angular to build the user interface of an Electron application. Qt, being a C++ framework, requires knowledge of C++ and its libraries. It also provides its own set of tools and IDEs for development.
Community and Ecosystem: Electron has a larger and more active community compared to Qt. It has a vibrant ecosystem with many community-maintained packages and libraries available for use. Qt, on the other hand, has a smaller community but is backed by the Qt Company, which provides commercial support and a range of professional services.
In summary, Electron and Qt are both powerful frameworks for building cross-platform desktop applications. Electron, being based on web technologies, offers more flexibility in terms of design and customization. Qt, being a C++ framework, provides better performance and a wider range of platform support. The choice between the two frameworks ultimately depends on the project requirements and the development team's skill set.
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
Pros of Qt
- High Performance17
- Declarative, easy and flexible UI13
- Cross platform12
- Performance12
- Fast prototyping9
- Easiest integration with C++8
- Up to date framework8
- Python7
- Multiple license including Open Source and Commercial6
- Safe 2D Renderer6
- Great Community Support5
- HW Accelerated UI4
- Game Engine like UI system4
- No history of broken compatibility with a major version3
- JIT and QML Compiler3
- True cross-platform framework with native code compile3
- Reliable for industrial use3
- Pure C++3
- Been using it since the 90s - runs anywhere does it all3
- Open source2
- Easy Integrating to DX and OpenGL and Vulkan2
- From high to low level coding2
- Learning Curve1
- Great mobile support with Felgo add-on1
- Native looking GUI1
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Cons of Electron
- Uses a lot of memory18
- 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
Cons of Qt
- Paid5
- C++ is not so productive4
- Lack of community support2
- Lack of libraries1
- Not detailed documentation1
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What is Electron?
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