From Web to Desktop: Our Journey with Tauri
Challenge: One Code Base, Two Platforms
As a small team at Zaantu Technologies, our resources are always stretched thin. Managing multiple codebases for different platforms isn’t feasible for us. We had a robust React app that worked beautifully on the web, but the demand for a desktop version was growing. The challenge was clear: how do we efficiently create a desktop application without duplicating effort and resources?
Initially, we considered Electron, a popular framework for building cross-platform desktop apps using web technologies. While Electron is powerful, it comes with a significant drawback: the apps it creates are often large and resource-heavy. Our tests showed that the desktop app’s size and performance weren’t up to our standards. We needed a lightweight alternative that would allow us to leverage our existing web codebase.
Research: Discovering Tauri
Our search for a solution led us to Tauri, a relatively new framework built on Rust. Tauri promised to solve our primary concerns by allowing us to build desktop applications that are significantly smaller in size compared to Electron. With Tauri, we saw the potential to create apps that were fast, secure, and had a minimal footprint.
We dove into researching Tauri’s capabilities. Here are a few key points that stood out:
Small Bundle Size: Tauri applications are remarkably compact. Where Electron might produce an app upwards of 100MB, Tauri’s output was around 25MB. This was a game-changer for us, ensuring a quicker download and installation experience for users.
Performance: Leveraging Rust’s performance and safety, Tauri promised smooth and responsive applications.
Security: Tauri offers better security practices out of the box, thanks to its reliance on Rust’s strong safety guarantees.
Solution: Building with Tauri
Excited by the possibilities, we began experimenting with Tauri. The initial setup was straightforward, and we were able to integrate it with our existing React codebase without much hassle. Here’s a glimpse of our process:
Setup: We installed Tauri and configured it to work with our React project. The documentation was clear and comprehensive, guiding us through the necessary steps.
Development: Transitioning our web app to a desktop application was surprisingly smooth. Tauri’s API allowed us to handle native functionalities like file system access and window management with ease.
Testing: We rigorously tested our Tauri-based desktop app on various platforms, including Windows and macOS. The performance was impressive, and the app’s size remained under 25MB, as promised.
The real testament to Tauri’s efficiency came when we distributed the app to our team and a few beta testers. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, particularly regarding the app’s speed and small download size.
Looking Forward: Tauri 2.0
Our journey with Tauri doesn’t stop here. The recent release of Tauri 2.0 release candidate has brought even more features and improvements. With enhanced performance and additional functionalities, we’re excited to see how Tauri continues to evolve and support our development needs.
In conclusion, Tauri has enabled us to efficiently create a desktop version of our React app without the overhead and complexity we initially feared. It’s a testament to how innovative tools can transform the development process, making it easier for small teams like ours to deliver high-quality applications across multiple platforms.
As a small team at Zaantu Technologies, our resources are always stretched thin. Managing multiple codebases for different platforms isn’t feasible for us. We had a robust React app that worked beautifully on the web, but the demand for a desktop version was growing. The challenge was clear: how do we efficiently create a desktop application without duplicating effort and resources?
Initially, we considered Electron, a popular framework for building cross-platform desktop apps using web technologies. While Electron is powerful, it comes with a significant drawback: the apps it creates are often large and resource-heavy. Our tests showed that the desktop app’s size and performance weren’t up to our standards. We needed a lightweight alternative that would allow us to leverage our existing web codebase.
Research: Discovering Tauri
Our search for a solution led us to Tauri, a relatively new framework built on Rust. Tauri promised to solve our primary concerns by allowing us to build desktop applications that are significantly smaller in size compared to Electron. With Tauri, we saw the potential to create apps that were fast, secure, and had a minimal footprint.
We dove into researching Tauri’s capabilities. Here are a few key points that stood out:
Small Bundle Size: Tauri applications are remarkably compact. Where Electron might produce an app upwards of 100MB, Tauri’s output was around 25MB. This was a game-changer for us, ensuring a quicker download and installation experience for users.
Performance: Leveraging Rust’s performance and safety, Tauri promised smooth and responsive applications.
Security: Tauri offers better security practices out of the box, thanks to its reliance on Rust’s strong safety guarantees.
Solution: Building with Tauri
Excited by the possibilities, we began experimenting with Tauri. The initial setup was straightforward, and we were able to integrate it with our existing React codebase without much hassle. Here’s a glimpse of our process:
Setup: We installed Tauri and configured it to work with our React project. The documentation was clear and comprehensive, guiding us through the necessary steps.
Development: Transitioning our web app to a desktop application was surprisingly smooth. Tauri’s API allowed us to handle native functionalities like file system access and window management with ease.
Testing: We rigorously tested our Tauri-based desktop app on various platforms, including Windows and macOS. The performance was impressive, and the app’s size remained under 25MB, as promised.
The real testament to Tauri’s efficiency came when we distributed the app to our team and a few beta testers. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, particularly regarding the app’s speed and small download size.
Looking Forward: Tauri 2.0
Our journey with Tauri doesn’t stop here. The recent release of Tauri 2.0 release candidate has brought even more features and improvements. With enhanced performance and additional functionalities, we’re excited to see how Tauri continues to evolve and support our development needs.
In conclusion, Tauri has enabled us to efficiently create a desktop version of our React app without the overhead and complexity we initially feared. It’s a testament to how innovative tools can transform the development process, making it easier for small teams like ours to deliver high-quality applications across multiple platforms.
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