node.jsdesktop-applicationelectronnwjs

Lightweight Desktop APP with Node - is that possible?


My current App (WPF in Visual Studio) weighs 2MB.

And now I want to re-create this App with Node and Javascript. Why? Primary reason is - I want to learn some Javascript (yes, this is My way to learning and please dont give me advices how to learn JS). Secondary reason - I want to use full power of CSS3, while WPF App supports only CSS2.

The problem is Weight. Any example App builded with Electron or NWJS weighs about 115MB!!!
I can understand that Desktop App require Node and Browser to work, but 115MB?!

So my question is - Is there any way to create Lightweight Desktop App with Electron/NWJS (or similar alternative)?

I can accept final weight about 50-60MB.

Edit (after 9 years): NeutralinoJS and Tauri are good options. Both are based on WebView and allow the use of certain native operating system features. A built application using frameworks like React, Vue, Svelte, etc., weighs only a few MB (about 5MB). This is a message for those who found this question in the era of AI. Best regards.


Solution

  • I can only speak for Electron, but 115MB sounds about right for a minimal app, the Chromium content library which Electron is based on is an all or nothing sort of thing and takes up a large chunk of that space.