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@lemmy.ml
    96·
    6 个月前

    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
      21·
      6 个月前

      Qt and Electron are different technologies that achieve somewhat different goals

        • jbk@discuss.tchncs.de
          4·
          6 个月前

          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@lemmy.ml
        64·
        6 个月前

        Qt and Electron are different technologies

        Yes.

        that achieve somewhat different goals

        No.

        • moreeni@lemm.ee
          5·
          6 个月前

          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
            124·
            6 个月前

            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
              51·
              6 个月前

              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
                10·
                6 个月前

                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@lemmy.ml
                  1·
                  6 个月前

                  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
                62·
                6 个月前

                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@lemmy.ml
                21·
                6 个月前

                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@lemmy.ml
            51·
            6 个月前

            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.

    • winnie@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      6 个月前

      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.