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To Revive the Mac, Apple Wants to Kill Electron
The dramatic-sounding Project Catalyst promises a new way forward, but the road is uncertain
For millions of businesses around the world, desktop apps are a key way to reach customers. Building them is also an expensive, slow job that requires a team of developers and designers — particularly if they’re building for multiple platforms, like Windows, macOS, and Linux, at the same time.
Or it was, anyway, until a framework called Electron came along and completely changed the business model, disrupting the way modern apps are developed. Electron allows developers to use web-based programming languages and tools to write a single set of code that runs on every operating system, while still allowing for device-specific functionality, like the use of media buttons on your keyboard.
Many of the tools you use every day are based on Electron or similar frameworks, including Slack, Visual Studio Code, Spotify, WhatsApp, Discord, and more. Electron has eaten desktop apps whole, and native apps — like, say, Pages for Mac — have struggled as a result. More macOS apps than ever are based on web technologies, and Apple wants to change that.
