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Comment by Blaiz0r | Hacker News Reader

It's also incredibly tiring writing programs using Electron and having half the comments you receive saying how you should have used a real programming language.

I think other programmers don't understand that many people get into front end web development because it uses other skills that writing C++ doesn't require.

Learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript doesn't mean you can pick up a systems level programming language and start writing desktop programs.

Not everyone is capable or has time to learn other programming languages, and not everyone should try either.

Electron empowered Web Developers to be able to create cross platform desktop apps in a familiar environment.

It's not about quick or cheap, it's about using what you know to explore your ideas.

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I mean, additionally, the web is a really good multi-OS platform. It's write once run anywhere. No other platform/GUI library is getting anywhere near as much attention, so it makes sense to piggyback off web technologies.

I've written my fair share of low level systems languages but if I needed to write a cross-platform GUI app I would write it in electron no questions asked.

I find it almost comical these days because if this were an app that was a docker container / self hostable, people wouldn't bat an eye or would applaud it for supporting multiple platforms. However, if you wrap it in Electron for ease-of-use + some desktop integration, you get torn a new one.

Sure there's cross-platform UI applications out there like VLC, but like you said web technologies are maintaining attention right now and DO provide a lot of benefits.

I, like you, would not be embarrassed in the slightest to release something in Electron. I know about its bloat. I'm also aware that it means I can create a good looking application without spending a ton of time trying to figure out how to implement it.

Java swing!

But having worked with that for a decade - I have to agree with you. If you work for customers (as opposed to in-house software), it makes much more sense to use the web technologies for that.

We use Go for the backend though, so you can use a "real language" on the backend.

I do have some hopes for Go on the frontend as well with webassembly. :)

You mean Electron is making the Web a good multi-OS platform? You would get all the same bloat of Electron except it would also be on the server side.

You just end up with less-than-optimal solutions when you have an X developer create something for platform Y. People end up writing C++ like C, Python like PHP, and Javascript like BASIC.

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