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Discord is rebuilding its desktop app in Rust and ditching Electron

Discord is transitioning its applications away from Electron and fully onto Rust, aiming to improve speed, boost memory safety, and reduce RAM consumption.

Discord logo set above a screenshot of the Discord desktop application interface.
Image: @analyticsinme

Discord is moving its applications fully over to the Rust programming language as it leaves the Electron framework behind, according to reporting by Tom Warren of The Verge. The architectural shift is intended to deliver improved speed and memory safety while reducing system resource demands.[1][3][4]

The upcoming desktop client is being rebuilt using Rust alongside the GPUI framework, according to Analytics Insight, promising lower memory consumption and a faster user experience.[2]

Highlighting the performance gains, Discord's chief technology officer shared an image showing the rebuilt Windows application operating while consuming just 290MB of RAM.[3][5]

Key facts

  • Discord is moving its apps fully over to the Rust programming language and ditching Electron, per The Verge's Tom Warren.
  • Discord's next desktop client is being rebuilt using Rust with the GPUI framework, according to Analytics Insight.
  • The move to Rust is aimed at improving speed and memory safety while lowering RAM usage.
  • Discord's CTO shared an image showing the Windows app running on 290MB of RAM.

Sources · 5 sources

  1. TV

    The Verge@vergePost on X ·

    Discord is moving its apps fully over to the Rust programming language. https://t.co/asqkN9tLOk

    Open source
  2. AI

    Analytics Insight@analyticsinmePost on X ·

    𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗸𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗣𝗨𝗜 Discord is ditching Electron. Its next desktop app will be rebuilt in Rust with GPUI, promising lower memory use and a faster experience. #Discord #Rust #GPUI #Electron #TechNews #AnalyticsInsightUAE Read More 👇 https://t.co/NC4XOUGonH

    Open source
  3. TE

    TechmemeArticle ·

    Discord is moving its desktop app from Electron to Rust for improved speed and memory safety; its CTO shares an image of the Windows app using just 290MB of RAM (Tom Warren/The Verge) Tom Warren / The Verge : Discord is moving its desktop app from Electron to Rust for improved speed and memory safety; its CTO shares an image of the Windows app using just 290MB of RAM — Discord is moving its apps fully over to the Rust programming language. … Discord is finally giving up on Electron …

    Open source
  4. TW

    Tom Warren@tomwarrenPost on X ·

    Discord is ditching Electron and its new app uses less RAM 🙏 Discord is moving its apps fully over to the Rust programming language. Details 👇 https://t.co/6NXswSfRnl

    Open source
  5. TE

    Techmeme@TechmemePost on X ·

    Discord is moving its desktop app from Electron to Rust for improved speed and memory safety; its CTO shares an image of the Windows app using just 290MB of RAM (@tomwarren / The Verge) (Visit Techmeme dot com for the link and full context!)

    Open source