Tauri DesktopLightweight desktop apps with a web frontend
Tauri lets us build native desktop apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux using a Rust backend and any web frontend — React, Vue, Svelte. Smaller and faster than Electron, with full OS API access.
Tauri is a framework for building lightweight, secure desktop applications using a Rust backend and any web frontend (React, Vue, Svelte, Solid). Unlike Electron, Tauri uses the operating system's native webview instead of bundling Chromium, resulting in app bundles under 10MB and significantly lower memory usage. Tauri 2.0 adds iOS and Android support, making it a true cross-platform solution. The Rust backend provides typed IPC commands, OS API access (filesystem, shell, notifications), auto-updating, and a plugin system — all while keeping the web frontend you're already familiar with.
Quick start
# Install Tauri CLI
cargo install tauri-cli
# Create a new Tauri project
npm create tauri-app@latest
# Or add Tauri to an existing web project
npm install @tauri-apps/cli @tauri-apps/api
npx tauri init
# Run in development
npx tauri devRead the full documentation at v2.tauri.app/
Rust backend + typed IPC
Rust commands exposed to the frontend via typed IPC — type-safe bridge between web UI and native code.
Under 10MB bundles
Ship desktop apps under 10MB by leveraging the OS webview — no bundled Chromium, no bloat.
Full OS API access
File system, shell commands, system tray, notifications, and clipboard — native capabilities from your web frontend.
Auto-updater
Built-in update mechanism with delta updates and signature verification — seamless version rollouts.
Cross-platform targets
Build for Windows, macOS, and Linux from a single codebase — platform-specific packaging handled by Tauri.
OS webview rendering
Uses the OS native webview (WebView2, WebKit) — no Chromium overhead, consistent with user's system.
Why it's hard
Rust learning curve
Tauri's backend is written in Rust, which has a steep learning curve. For simple IPC commands, the Rust code is straightforward, but complex backend logic requires Rust proficiency.
WebView rendering differences
Since Tauri uses the OS webview (WebView2 on Windows, WebKit on macOS/Linux), rendering can differ between platforms. Testing on all target OSes is essential.
Smaller ecosystem than Electron
Tauri's plugin ecosystem is growing but smaller than Electron's. Some features may require writing custom Rust plugins rather than using existing npm packages.
Best practices
Use Tauri's IPC for typed commands
Define Rust commands with #[tauri::command] and call them from your frontend with invoke() — type-safe communication between frontend and backend.
Configure security allowlists
Tauri's allowlist system restricts which OS APIs your app can access — enable only what you need for defense-in-depth security.
Use multi-stage builds for CI
Build your web frontend first, then compile the Tauri binary. GitHub Actions workflows with caching for Rust compilation dramatically speed up CI.
Frequently asked questions
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