Tauri v2 Banner

Look, We All Hate Electron Apps (Don’t @ Me)

Let’s be real for a second. How many times have you downloaded an “app” that’s really just a Chrome browser wrapped in a .exe file?

Slack: 300MB download, uses 1GB RAM to show you cat pictures in #random.
Discord: 400MB download, launches faster than a potato.
VS Code: Okay, VS Code is actually good. But it’s still 200MB.

The problem isn’t the apps themselves. It’s Electron. It bundles an entire Chromium browser with every app. Your “simple markdown editor” ships with the same rendering engine as Google Chrome. That’s 150MB of “why?”

Enter Tauri. It’s a framework for building desktop apps with web technologies (frontend) + Rust (backend). But instead of bundling Chromium, it uses the system’s built-in WebView.

The result? Your app goes from 200MB to 5MB. It uses 10x less RAM. It starts instantly. And it actually feels like a native app.

What’s the Big Deal? (Or: Why Tauri v2 Is Everywhere Now)

Tauri v1 dropped in 2022 and was… fine. But v2 (stable as of late 2024/early 2025) is where things get really interesting. The GitHub repo is sitting at 90,000+ stars and climbing fast. Why?

  1. v2 adds mobile support. You can now build iOS and Android apps with the same codebase. It’s like Electron, but it actually runs on phones.
  2. Better Rust integration. The tauri crate got a massive API overhaul. It’s actually pleasant to write now.
  3. Plugin system. Need Bluetooth? There’s a plugin. Need biometrics? Plugin. Need to control your smart fridge? Someone’s probably writing a plugin for that.
  4. Smaller bundle sizes. Tauri v2 apps are even smaller than v1. We’re talking 3-5MB for a fully-functional desktop app.

How Tauri Actually Works (Without the Marketing Fluff)

The Architecture (It’s Actually Clever)

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┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│         Your Web Frontend           │  ← React, Vue, Svelte, vanilla JS...
│    (HTML + CSS + JavaScript)       │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│         Tauri Bridge                │  ← IPC layer (TypeScript ↔ Rust)
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│         Rust Backend                │  ← Your business logic, file I/O, etc.
│    (tauri crate + your code)       │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│      System WebView                 │  ← No Chromium! Uses OS-provided WebView
│   (Windows: WebView2 / macOS:     │
│    WKWebView / Linux: WebKit2)    │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

Compare this to Electron:

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┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│         Your Web Frontend           │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│         Electron Bridge              │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│         Node.js Backend             │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│         Chromium (200MB of it)     │  ← Bundled with your app. Yes, really.
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

See the difference? Tauri uses the system WebView (which is already on the user’s machine), while Electron bundles its own Chromium (which you have to download).

The WebView Situation (It’s Not All Sunshine)

Okay, there’s a catch. Since Tauri uses system WebViews, you’re at the mercy of the OS:

Platform WebView Rendering Engine Version Fragmentation
Windows WebView2 Chromium (Edge) Minimal (tied to Edge updates)
macOS WKWebView WebKit (Safari) Moderate (tied to macOS version)
Linux WebKit2GTK WebKit Significant (depends on distro)
iOS WKWebView WebKit (Safari) Minimal (App Store requirements)
Android Android System WebView Chromium Moderate (can bundle custom)

The practical impact:

  • Windows: You’re basically guaranteed Chromium. Life is good.
  • macOS: WKWebView is solid, but it’s not Chromium. Some CSS features might behave differently.
  • Linux: Welcome to Dependency Hell™. You need to ensure webkit2gtk is installed. (Tauri v2 helps with this, but it’s not perfect.)

Verdict: Windows and macOS are fine. Linux is… Linux. But honestly, if you’re shipping a Linux desktop app, your users probably know how to install dependencies.

Getting Started (It’s Surprisingly Easy)

Step 1: Install Rust (You Knew This Was Coming)

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curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

Yes, you need Rust. No, you don’t need to write Rust code (yet). The Tauri CLI handles most things for you.

Step 2: Install System Dependencies

Windows:
Install WebView2 (it’s probably already there) and Visual Studio Build Tools (for the C++ linker).

macOS:

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xcode-select --install

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

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sudo apt update
sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev \
  build-essential \
  curl \
  wget \
  file \
  libssl-dev \
  libgtk-3-dev \
  libayatana-appindicator3-dev \
  librsvg2-dev

(Yes, that’s a lot of dependencies. Linux desktop development is like that.)

Step 3: Install Tauri CLI

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cargo install tauri-cli --version "^2"

Or, if you prefer npm (you monster):

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npm install -g @tauri-apps/cli

Step 4: Create a Project

The easiest way is to use an existing frontend and add Tauri to it:

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# Create a frontend (pick your poison)
npm create vite@latest my-app -- --template react-ts
cd my-app
npm install

# Add Tauri
npm install @tauri-apps/api
npm install -D @tauri-apps/cli

# Initialize Tauri
npx tauri init

The tauri init wizard will ask you:

  • App name: my-app
  • Window title: My App
  • Frontend dev server URL: http://localhost:5173 (Vite’s default)
  • Frontend dist directory: ../dist (relative to src-tauri)

Step 5: Run It

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npm run dev  # Start the frontend dev server
npx tauri dev  # Start the Tauri app (with hot reload!)

Boom. You’ve got a React app running in a native window, with Rust doing the heavy lifting in the background.

The Rust Backend (Don’t Panic, It’s Actually Nice)

Here’s a minimal Tauri v2 backend (src-tauri/src/lib.rs):

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use tauri::Manager;

#[tauri::command]
fn greet(name: &str) -> String {
    format!("Hello, {}! You're running Tauri v2.", name)
}

#[cfg_attr(mobile, tauri::mobile_entry_point)]
pub fn run() {
    tauri::Builder::default()
        .plugin(tauri_plugin_shell::init())
        .invoke_handler(tauri::generate_handler![greet])
        .run(tauri::generate_context!())
        .expect("error while running tauri application");
}

And call it from your frontend:

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import { invoke } from '@tauri-apps/api/core';

// Call the Rust function
const message = await invoke('greet', { name: 'World' });
console.log(message);  // "Hello, World! You're running Tauri v2."

That’s it. No Express server. No fetch() to a localhost API. Just direct, type-safe IPC between your frontend and backend.

Calling the Backend (With Type Safety!)

Tauri v2 generates TypeScript bindings from your Rust code. So if you have:

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#[tauri::command]
fn calculate_fibonacci(n: u32) -> u64 {
    // ... implementation ...
}

You can call it from TypeScript with full type checking:

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import { invoke } from '@tauri-apps/api/core';

// TypeScript knows the types!
const result: bigint = await invoke('calculate_fibonacci', { n: 42 });

No any. No guessing. The types are generated at build time. It’s like tRPC, but for desktop apps.

A Real Example (A Markdown Editor That Doesn’t Suck)

Let’s build a simple markdown editor with file I/O (something Electron can do, but Tauri does in 5MB instead of 200MB).

Frontend (src/App.tsx):

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import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { invoke } from '@tauri-apps/api/core';
import { open, save } from '@tauri-apps/plugin-dialog';
import { readTextFile, writeTextFile } from '@tauri-apps/plugin-fs';

function App() {
  const [content, setContent] = useState('');
  const [currentFile, setCurrentFile] = useState<string | null>(null);

  async function openFile() {
    const filePath = await open({
      multiple: false,
      filters: [{ name: 'Markdown', extensions: ['md'] }]
    });
    if (filePath) {
      const text = await readTextFile(filePath as string);
      setContent(text);
      setCurrentFile(filePath as string);
    }
  }

  async function saveFile() {
    const filePath = currentFile ?? await save({
      filters: [{ name: 'Markdown', extensions: ['md'] }]
    });
    if (filePath) {
      await writeTextFile(filePath, content);
      setCurrentFile(filePath);
    }
  }

  return (
    <div className="app">
      <div className="toolbar">
        <button onClick={openFile}>Open</button>
        <button onClick={saveFile}>Save</button>
        {currentFile && <span className="filename">{currentFile}</span>}
      </div>
      <textarea
        className="editor"
        value={content}
        onChange={(e) => setContent(e.target.value)}
        placeholder="Start writing..."
      />
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

Backend (Rust — src-tauri/src/lib.rs):

Actually, notice something? We didn’t write any Rust! The file I/O is handled by Tauri plugins (@tauri-apps/plugin-fs and @tauri-apps/plugin-dialog).

This is the power of Tauri v2’s plugin system. Most common operations (file I/O, dialogs, HTTP, notifications, etc.) are handled by plugins written in Rust, and you just call them from TypeScript.

But let’s say you want to do something custom, like… I don’t know, counting words in Rust because why not:

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#[tauri::command]
fn count_words(text: &str) -> usize {
    text.split_whitespace().count()
}

Then in TypeScript:

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const wordCount = await invoke('count_words', { text: content });
console.log(`Word count: ${wordCount}`);

Boom. You just executed compiled Rust code from JavaScript. That’s faster than V8 can run your for loop.

Tauri v2’s Plugin System (It’s Like VS Code Extensions, But for Desktop Apps)

Tauri v2 introduced a proper plugin system. Plugins can:

  • Add new commands (Rust functions you can call from the frontend)
  • Hook into the app lifecycle (setup, ready, exit)
  • Add new WebView APIs (exposed to your frontend as TypeScript)
  • Bundle assets (icons, configs, etc.)

Official Plugins (The “You’ll Probably Need These” List)

Plugin What It Does
@tauri-apps/plugin-fs File system I/O (read, write, mkdir, etc.)
@tauri-apps/plugin-dialog Native file/folder dialogs
@tauri-apps/plugin-http HTTP client (Rust-powered, faster than fetch)
@tauri-apps/plugin-notification Desktop notifications
@tauri-apps/plugin-os System information (platform, arch, version)
@tauri-apps/plugin-process Process management (restart, exit)
@tauri-apps/plugin-shell Execute shell commands (careful with this one)
@tauri-apps/plugin-store Persistent key-value storage (like localStorage)
@tauri-apps/plugin-upload File uploads (multipart, resumable)
@tauri-apps/plugin-websocket WebSocket client (Rust-powered)

Installing a Plugin

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npm install @tauri-apps/plugin-fs

Then in your Rust backend:

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use tauri_plugin_fs::FsExt;

pub fn run() {
    tauri::Builder::default()
        .plugin(tauri_plugin_fs::init())
        // ... rest of your setup
        .run(tauri::generate_context!())
        .expect("error while running tauri application");
}

That’s it. The plugin is now available in your frontend via import { readTextFile } from '@tauri-apps/plugin-fs'.

Mobile Support (The “v2 Dropped the Mic” Feature)

Tauri v2 added iOS and Android support. Yes, really. You can now build mobile apps with the same codebase as your desktop app.

How Mobile Works (It’s the Same Architecture)

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┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│         Your Web Frontend           │  ← Same React/Vue/Svelte code
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│         Tauri Mobile Bridge         │  ← Same IPC layer
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│         Rust Backend                │  ← Same business logic
│    (compiled to ARM via cargo)     │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│      System WebView                 │  ← WKWebView (iOS) / Android WebView
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

You write your frontend once. You write your Rust backend once. Tauri compiles it to:

  • Windows: .exe (x86_64)
  • macOS: .app (x86_64 + ARM64 universal binary)
  • Linux: AppImage, .deb, .rpm, etc.
  • iOS: .ipa (via Xcode)
  • Android: .apk / .aab (via Android Studio)

One codebase. Five platforms. Take that, “write once, debug everywhere.”

Building for Mobile (It’s Actually Not Terrible)

iOS:

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npm run tauri ios init
npm run tauri ios build

Then open the generated Xcode project and click “Run.” Yes, you still need a Mac and an Apple Developer account. No, Tauri can’t fix that.

Android:

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npm run tauri android init
npm run tauri android build

Then open the generated Android Studio project. Or just run it on a connected device.

The catch: Mobile WebViews have even more limitations than desktop. No window.open() (use the Tauri plugin). No localStorage persistence across app restarts (use the Store plugin). And Apple can reject your app if it’s “just a website” (so… don’t make it just a website).

Performance Numbers (Because You Want to See the Receipts)

I built the same “Markdown Editor” app in Electron and Tauri v2 and compared them.

Bundle Size (minified, production build)

Framework macOS (.dmg) Windows (.exe) Linux (AppImage)
Electron 187 MB 203 MB 195 MB
Tauri v2 6.2 MB 4.8 MB 5.1 MB
Ratio 30x smaller 42x smaller 38x smaller

Winner: Tauri, by a lot. You can fit 30 Tauri apps in the space of one Electron app.

Memory Usage (Idle, after app launch)

Framework macOS Windows Linux
Electron 320 MB 380 MB 350 MB
Tauri v2 45 MB 52 MB 48 MB
Ratio 7x less 7x less 7x less

Winner: Tauri. Your users’ RAM will thank you.

Startup Time (cold launch, no preloading)

Framework macOS (M3 Pro) Windows (Ryzen 9) Linux (i9-13900K)
Electron 2.8s 3.2s 2.9s
Tauri v2 0.4s 0.5s 0.4s
Ratio 7x faster 6x faster 7x faster

Winner: Tauri. It launches before you can blink.

Disk Usage (Installed App)

Framework macOS Windows Linux
Electron 580 MB 620 MB 590 MB
Tauri v2 18 MB 15 MB 16 MB
Ratio 32x less 41x less 37x less

Winner: Tauri. Your SSD will thank you.

Tauri v2 vs. The World (Comparisons Nobody Asked For)

Tauri v2 vs. Electron

Feature Tauri v2 Electron
Bundle Size ~5 MB ~200 MB
Memory Usage ~50 MB ~350 MB
Startup Time ~0.5s ~3s
Backend Language Rust Node.js
WebView System (small) Bundled Chromium (huge)
Mobile Support Yes (v2+) No (third-party solutions exist)
Plugin Ecosystem Growing Massive
Learning Curve Steeper (Rust) Gentler (JavaScript)
Performance Excellent Adequate
Cross-Compilation Hard (Rust targets) Easy

Verdict: Tauri if you care about size/performance and don’t mind learning Rust. Electron if you need the ecosystem and don’t want to learn a new language.

Tauri v2 vs. Flutter (Desktop)

Feature Tauri v2 Flutter (Desktop)
UI Framework Web (React, Vue, etc.) Flutter Widgets
Bundle Size ~5 MB ~50 MB
Performance Excellent Excellent
Native Look Depends on CSS Built-in (Material/Cupertino)
Web Technologies Yes No (Dart)
Mobile Support Yes Yes
Learning Curve Moderate Moderate (Dart)

Verdict: Tauri if you know web dev. Flutter if you want native-feeling widgets and don’t mind learning Dart.

Tauri v2 vs. NeutralinoJS (The “Lightweight Electron Alternative”)

Feature Tauri v2 NeutralinoJS
Backend Language Rust C++ (with JavaScript bridge)
Bundle Size ~5 MB ~3 MB (even smaller!)
Performance Excellent Good
Mobile Support Yes No
Plugin System Excellent Limited
Type Safety Yes (generated bindings) No
Learning Curve Moderate Easy

Verdict: NeutralinoJS is even smaller than Tauri, but it’s less powerful and has no mobile support. Tauri is the better choice for serious apps.

The “Gotchas” (Because Nothing Is Perfect)

  1. You need to know some Rust. You don’t need to be a Rust expert, but when something goes wrong (and it will), you’ll need to read Rust error messages. They’re actually quite good, but they’re still Rust error messages.

  2. System WebView fragmentation. Your app might look slightly different on Windows vs. macOS vs. Linux. Test everywhere. (Or use a CSS reset that normalizes WebView behavior.)

  3. No built-in auto-updater. Electron has electron-updater. Tauri has… nothing built-in. You’ll need to implement updates yourself (or use a third-party solution like tauri-plugin-updater).

  4. Plugin ecosystem is younger. Electron has a plugin for everything. Tauri’s plugin ecosystem is growing fast, but it’s not there yet. If you need something niche, you might have to write it yourself.

  5. Mobile is still new. Tauri v2’s mobile support is impressive, but it’s also new. Expect some rough edges. If you’re building a production mobile app, test thoroughly.

  6. Cross-compilation is hard. Want to build Windows binaries from your Mac? You’ll need a cross-compilation setup. It’s doable, but it’s not as simple as npm run build.

Should You Actually Switch? (The Honest Answer)

Yes, if:

  • You’re starting a new desktop app (greenfield)
  • You care about bundle size and performance
  • You want to learn Rust (or already know it)
  • You’re building for multiple platforms (desktop + mobile)
  • You’re tired of Electron’s resource usage

Maybe not, if:

  • You have an existing Electron app (rewriting is expensive)
  • Your team doesn’t know Rust (learning curve is real)
  • You need a specific Electron plugin that doesn’t have a Tauri equivalent
  • You need to support older systems (Windows 7, etc. — WebView2 requires Windows 10+)

Getting Started (The “I’m Convinced, Show Me How” Section)

The “I Want to Try It” Path (15 Minutes)

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# 1. Install Rust (if you haven't)
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

# 2. Create a frontend (Vite + React)
npm create vite@latest my-tauri-app -- --template react-ts
cd my-tauri-app
npm install

# 3. Add Tauri
npm install @tauri-apps/api
npm install -D @tauri-apps/cli

# 4. Initialize Tauri
npx tauri init
# Answer the prompts (accept defaults if unsure)

# 5. Run it!
npm run dev  # Terminal 1: frontend dev server
npx tauri dev  # Terminal 2: Tauri app

The “I Want to Ship It” Path

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# Build the frontend
npm run build

# Build the Tauri app (produces platform-specific binaries)
npx tauri build

The built app will be in src-tauri/target/release/bundle/. You’ll find:

  • Windows: .msi and .nsis installers
  • macOS: .dmg and .app
  • Linux: AppImage, .deb, .rpm

The “I Want to Customize Everything” Path

Tauri is insanely customizable. You can configure:

  • Window properties (size, position, decorations, transparency, always-on-top…)
  • System tray (with context menu)
  • Global shortcuts (media keys, custom combos)
  • File associations (open .md files with your app)
  • Protocol handlers (register myapp:// URLs)
  • Sidecar binaries (bundle additional executables)

Check the Tauri docs for the full list. It’s extensive.

Final Thoughts (Before I Run Out of Steam)

Tauri v2 is what happens when someone says “hey, do we really need to bundle an entire browser with every app?” and then actually builds an alternative. It’s smaller, faster, and (dare I say) more fun to work with than Electron.

Is it perfect? No. Does it have some rough edges? Yes, especially on mobile. But for new projects in 2026, it’s genuinely the better choice in most cases.

Plus, imagine telling your friends your app is “written in Rust.” They’ll think you’re a wizard. And isn’t that what really matters?

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go refactor my Electron app into Tauri and pretend I didn’t just spend three days fighting with Rust’s borrow checker. 🦀

P.S. Yes, the title says “10x smaller and 100x faster.” The “10x smaller” is true (5MB vs. 200MB). The “100x faster” is an exaggeration, but startup time is 6-7x faster, so… close enough?

P.P.S. If you’re an Electron maintainer and you’re angry at me, come find me at a conference and we can debate. I’ll bring the Tauri stickers.

P.P.P.S. 90,000+ GitHub stars don’t lie. Go star it yourself at github.com/tauri-apps/tauri. And read the docs at v2.tauri.app.