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Discord is ditching Electron and its new app uses less RAM

Software1 min read

Discord is moving its desktop app away from Electron and rebuilding it fully in Rust. The new app should use much less computer memory (RAM).

What happened

Discord's chief technology officer, Stanislav Vishnevskiy, said the company is dropping Electron. Electron is a tool that lets developers build desktop apps using web technology. Discord will build its desktop app fully in Rust instead. Mobile apps will keep their native design but will share app code with desktop through Rust. React Native will no longer be used.

Key numbers and facts

  • The Discord Windows app used just 290MB of RAM in a test image shared by Vishnevskiy.
  • With only a few servers joined, the current Windows app can easily use 1GB of RAM or more.
  • Discord has been an early adopter of Rust since 2018.

Why Electron was a problem

Electron apps are known for using a lot of system resources. Rust is a modern programming language built for speed and memory safety. Some parts of Discord, like its servers and voice technology, were already written in Rust. Moving the whole app there was what the team called the 'holy grail'.

Why it matters

Apps that use less memory can run better, especially on older or slower computers. If the switch works, Discord users could get a faster and lighter app. It also shows that big apps are looking for ways to cut down on heavy frameworks.

What to watch

  • Discord has not said when the full switch to Rust will happen.
  • Vishnevskiy says the company hopes to start testing with users soon.
  • Watch for news on whether the new app really uses less RAM for everyday users.

Glossary

Electron
A tool that lets developers build desktop apps using web technologies like HTML and JavaScript.
Rust
A modern programming language known for speed and for keeping computer memory safe.
RAM
The short-term memory a computer uses to run apps. More apps means more RAM in use.
React Native
A tool that lets developers build mobile apps using JavaScript and React.
Discord
A chat app used for talking with friends, gaming groups, and communities by text and voice.

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