Discord is a free voice, video, and texting application that continues to grow in popularity. Electron is a free open-source software framework created by GitHub for developers to design apps using the Chromium engine. What’s the relationship between the two — is Discord Electron?

Is Discord Electron?

Discord is an app built using the Electron framework. Many popular apps, including Skype and Spotify, also utilize Electron for their apps. Electron is appealing to app developers as it allows them to build cross-platform GUI apps using other available and familiar web technologies.

Throughout this article, we’ll discuss what Electron is and how it relates to Discord. We’ll also closely examine the benefits and drawbacks of using Electron, as well as whether Discord uses HTML.

What Is Electron?

Electron is a framework for creating native applications with web technologies like JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Electron makes creating applications easy as it takes care of much of the hard work and allows you to focus your attention on developing your application. 

Electron is used to build many popular apps you’re likely familiar with, including Twitch and Facebook Messenger.

Electron is packed full of valuable and time-efficient features that can not only get your app up and running but also keep the app functioning effectively.

Electron even takes care of automatic updates as well as crash reports and bug fixes. This can save you a lot of time and effort when it comes to keeping your new applications running smoothly.

Now that we have a better understanding of what Electron is, let’s dive into some of the pros and cons of using it.

Pros and Cons to Using Electron

The pros of using Electron include: The apps are similar to web apps, you may use Chromium for the framework and you can utilize HTML, JS, and CSS. The cons of Electron are that it requires a lot of storage, files are not encrypted, apps can be slow, and cross-platform builds make things complex.

Pros of Using Electron

Here are the advantages of using Electron discussed in more detail: 

Similar to Web Apps

Electron apps are very similar to web apps. The difference between the two is web apps can only download files directly to computer file systems.

In contrast, Electron apps can access the file system and read and write data. As a result, Electron apps are an effective alternative to Web Apps. 

Chromium

Chromium is an open-sourced browser project that aims to create a faster, safer, and more stable way for users to access the web.

Electron allows you to use Chromium for your new app’s framework. The open-sourced browser project is packed full of valuable tools and tips for developers. 

You Can Use HTML, JS, CSS

The most significant advantage to using Electron to develop an app is the fact that you can use the three main coding languages; JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

Therefore, if you have prior experience using these coding languages, you’ll easily be able to develop apps on Electron. 

Now let’s address some of the cons of using Electron.

Cons of Using Electron

Here is the list of cons to using Electron with some added information:

Requires a Lot of Storage Space

One of the most significant drawbacks to Electron apps is the amount of space they take up. Most electron apps take up about as much space as an operating system.

As a result, simplistic apps may be unsuitable for Electron as the same results could be attained with far less space taken up by the app. 

Files Are Not Encrypted

If security is a high priority for your new app, Electron may not be the best tool to use. This is because Electron files are not encrypted.

As a result, keeping sensitive or essential information private may be a challenging task. As the files are not encrypted, people can easily steal working pieces of the code used to develop the app. 

Apps Can Be Slow

One of the most common complaints about Electron apps is the speed. Electron apps can be very slow to run, which is often off-putting to users.

However, in recent years, improvements have been made which allow for faster Electron apps. But Electron apps are still not as fast as some of the alternatives. 

Cross-Platform Builds

While Electron facilitates cross-platform builds, they are not an easy task to perform without the necessary skills and experience.

This can deter some developers as crowd platform builds can be complex and time-consuming.

Cross-platform builds are also off-putting as they are likely to lead to bugs or other issues within the app. Therefore some developers choose alternatives to Electron to avoid cross-platform builds. 

Does Discord Use HTML?

Discord uses HTML and CSS as its executable as both a web app and a standalone application. You can access the HTML and CSS through the Chromium console while using the Discord application. 

Discord is a pure web browsing client using Electrons framework to function. This means that Discord is a standalone application and a web application.

While most users don’t think of the coding involved in creating such a complex web application, Discord uses a variety of codes to operate and function.

You can send samples of HTML codes to other users through Discord. To do this, you must enter three backticks (“`) before and after the code you wish to send.

Then hit send, and the receiver will receive your code. 

Final Thoughts

Discord is an app developed using the Electron framework.

Electron is an excellent tool for developing larger apps with complex functions as it’s inefficient in space.

However, Electron contains numerous valuable tools and resources that can allow developers to create their own apps. Electron is used to develop many iconic apps, including Discord and Facebook Messenger. 

Sources

• Electron JS: Homepage
• Medium: Electron | Pros And Cons