Building cross-platform desktop software is hard!

[coady]

Hi r/startup,

If you've ever tried to build a desktop app, you probably understand our frustrations with how challenging it is to build one and make it available on Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Even with Electron, you still have to set up your own build pipelines, updating mechanisms, code-signing, deployments, and deal with cross-platform compatibility issues.

We built EXT to make building cross-platform desktop software easier and today we launched on Product Hunt!

Dog-fooding our own APIs, we created 36 initial games and utilities for the EXT store (all free), and we’ve open-sourced all of them.

If you’re into casual web games or want to check out some fun and useful utilities like JS Paint (inspired by ‘95 MS Paint), check out EXT!

We'd love to know what you think!

 

[jeffdo]

@coady I was under the impression that Progressive Web Apps solved the issue years ago.

 

[realdocphil]

@jeffdo They didn’t

 

[daisendoh2008]

@realdocphil In what way did they not?

 

[ylime]

@daisendoh2008 In the way noone adapted them even if companies did most of your customers wont know what it is and will lack trust

 

[menimi]

@coady Sadly I know this problem a little too well. I'll check it out

 

[coady]

@menimi Let us know what you think!

 

[endquote]

@coady Why desktop apps tho? Why not make it browser-based

 

[jesuslovespizza]

@endquote Possibly due to efficiency. Network services aren't as popular as webservices, but they are helpful/useful in some cases. I have a code generator that's implemented as a network service. I support multiple platforms including Mac, Windows and Linux in part by using a command line interface.

 

[syntychie]

@coady Flutter?? Tauri??

 

[astrocol]

@syntychie Tauri is also just Electron, isn't it?

 

[syntychie]

@astrocol No, it does not include browser runtime and powered by rust.

 

[astrocol]

@syntychie I recently tried Dioxus desktop and I run into errors about Electron dependencies. So I assumed it's Electron behind the scenes.

 

[picox25]

@astrocol The default dioxus desktop renderer uses wry under the hood which uses the system webview, not an embedded webview like electron

 

[astrocol]

@picox25 I searched for Electron in the Dioxus GitHub repo and it turned up with results. Perhaps outdated. I didn't check that closely - and also some error messages I ran into as mentioned above that made me assume it used Electron. I'll have a closer look again.

 

[picox25]

@astrocol All of the mentions of electron are about how it is similar to electron but not electron. Dioxus uses wry: https://github.com/DioxusLabs/dioxus/blob/0feca31a4ac15eb0253cca32a94aea4403227299/packages/desktop/Cargo.toml#L28

 

[astrocol]

@picox25 I believe you

 

[hrosec]

@coady Good for you guys!
How common its today for desktop apps?

 

[cgdtaylor]

@coady Why not just use a PWA? The api looks more limiting and also bloated at the same time.

 

[coady]

@cgdtaylor Hey @cgdtaylor, thanks for the question! We've found that desktop PWAs don't let you leverage desktop features (like being able to customize window designs, use system tray icons, etc.). We're building more of a tightly-integrated browser/desktop fusion.