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Ask HN: What is the best way to build a multi-platform desktop app?

by milanspeaks on 12/29/20, 12:12 PM with 3 comments

I have an old desktop app build years ago on VB.NET platform. The desktop app sells nice and it has its set of users.

I am planning to re-develop the application from scratch to cover more use-cases and functionality.

I want to build a desktop app that works seamlessly on both Mac as well as Windows. It should be multi-lingual and should be easy to update.

What technology stack should I go with? I have heard about electron.js but I have also heard about it being extremely CPU & memory heavy.

  • by mimixco on 12/29/20, 1:29 PM

    We use electron and the complaints about CPU or memory are more theoretical than practical problems. It's not easy to package electron for each desktop but it does work!

  • by maverick74 on 12/29/20, 12:18 PM

    How about Qt: https://www.qt.io/

  • by detaro on 12/29/20, 12:20 PM

    That's pretty much what Qt is made for. (And before the "but it's expensive!" starts, desktop apps can usually just use the LGPL version if commercial is not viable)