Discord to rebuild its desktop app in Rust, dropping Electron
An early build shows the Windows client using about 290MB of RAM, while the full switch has no date yet.
Discord plans to drop Electron, the web-technology framework behind its desktop app, and rebuild the whole client in Rust, a language the company has used since 2018 for much of its infrastructure and voice technology. Its CTO Stanislav Vishnevskiy said the change also removes React Native, with mobile keeping native interfaces while sharing app code with desktop through Rust. An early image he posted shows the Windows client using about 290MB of RAM, compared with the 1GB or more the current Windows app can reach when a user is in several servers. The source gives no date for the full switch, only that the company hopes to get the build into user testing soon.
Why it matters
For desktop users, the move aims at lower memory use, since the current Windows app can reach 1GB or more when a user is in several servers. Rust has been part of Discord's infrastructure and voice technology since 2018, so the change extends a language the company already relies on into its client. Mobile keeps native interfaces but shares app code with desktop, which would mean one shared core across platforms. Until user testing begins, the RAM figure comes from an early image the CTO posted rather than from a released product.
Matters or hype?
Does this story matter, or is it hype? Vote before you see what everyone else said.