web-desktop-frameworks-js-tldr.md

Javascript Desktop framework comparison

TLDR of web-to-desktop-framework-comparison, 2024-12-03.

Major characteristics

	Electron	nw.js	NodeGui	Neutralino
Stars	115k	40.4k	8.9k	7.5k
Forks	15.4k	3.9k	0.3k	0.4k
Created	2013	2011	2019	2018
Updated	1h ago	2w ago	3d ago	5d ago
Framework Lang	C++, JS, ObjC, Py	C++	C++	C++
Backend Lang	JS, C++	JS, C++	JS, C++	JS, C++
Frontend Lang	HTML/CSS/JS	HTML/CSS/JS	HTML/CSS/JS	HTML/CSS/JS
License	MIT	MIT	MIT	MIT
Dev Deps	Node	Node, NW.js binary	Node	Node
User Deps	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Deps/modules?	npm, node native addons	npm, node native addons	npm, node native addons	❌
Engine	Chromium	Webkit, Chromium	Qt	WebkitGTK+

Features

	Electron	NW.JS	NodeGui	Neutralino
Integrated updater?	✅	Community	❌	✅
Backend Tests	Standard node tests	Standard node tests	?	?
Frontend Tests	Webdriver/Playwright	Webdriver	?	?
WebGL Support	✅	✅	?	✅

Frontend frameworks

	Electron	NW.JS	NodeGui	Neutralino
NextJS	?	?	?	?
Preact	✅	✅	?	✅
Qwik	✅	✅	?	✅
React	✅	✅	? Old	✅
Svelte	✅	✅	✅	✅
Vue	✅	✅	✅	✅
Vite	✅	✅	?	✅

OS support

	Electron	NW.JS	NodeGui	Neutralino
(Dev) Windows	✅	✅	✅	✅
(Dev) Mac	✅	✅	✅	✅
(Dev) Linux	✅	✅	✅	✅
(Target) Windows	✅	✅	✅	✅
(Target) Mac	✅	✅	✅	✅
(Target) Linux	✅	✅	✅	✅
(Target) Web	x	x	x	✅
(Target) Android	x	x Issue	x	x
(Target) iOS	x	x	x	x
(Target) tvOS	x	x	x	x

01-empty-app

	Electron	NW.JS	NodeGui	Neutralino
Build size (MB)	410	540	170	2
Build time (s)	4.3	7.1	8.3	0.2
Memory — process (MB)	320	510	?	?
Memory — system (MB)	110	170	?	?
Start time (s)	0.2	0.7	?	?

02-empty-app-frameless

	Electron	NW.JS	NodeGui	Neutralino
Build size (MB)	410	540	170	2
Build time (s)	1.9	6.2	8.8	0.2
Process Memory (MB)	320	510	?	?
System Memory (MB)	120	170	?	?
Start time (s)	0.2	0.7	?	?