Electron Migration Decision Framework: AI-Optimized Reference

Critical Decision Matrix

Framework Success Probability by Team Profile

Team Background	Electron (Stay)	Tauri	Wails	Flutter Desktop	PWA
JavaScript-only	95%	15%	60%	25%	90%
Backend experience	85%	30%	85%	40%	80%
Rust experience	70%	80%	70%	30%	60%
Mobile Flutter team	60%	40%	50%	90%	70%

Performance vs Complexity Trade-offs

Resource Usage (Production Averages)

• Electron: 200-400MB RAM, 150MB+ bundle, 3-8s startup
• Tauri: 50-80MB RAM, 15MB bundle, 1-2s startup
• Wails: 80MB RAM, 25MB bundle, 1-3s startup
• Flutter: 120MB RAM, 30MB bundle, 2-4s startup
• PWA: 20MB RAM, 0MB bundle, <1s startup

Implementation Complexity (Developer-months)

• Electron optimization: 1-2 months
• Tauri migration: 6-12 months (3-6 months learning Rust)
• Wails migration: 3-6 months (2 weeks learning Go)
• Flutter migration: 4-8 months (1-3 months learning Dart/widgets)
• PWA conversion: 1-3 months

Critical Failure Modes

Tauri Migration Killers

• Learning curve: 60-80% velocity drop for 3-4 months
• Common errors:
  • error: failed to run custom build command for 'windows-sys'
  • fatal error: 'CoreFoundation/CoreFoundation.h' file not found
• Team burnout: Rust ownership model causes frustration for JS teams
• Time investment: 6+ months before productivity matches Electron

Wails Migration Risks

• Go learning: 2-3 weeks for backend developers, 2+ months for frontend-only
• Platform quirks: Cross-compilation issues on Windows/macOS
• Ecosystem maturity: Smaller community, fewer Stack Overflow answers

Flutter Desktop Limitations

• Widget paradigm: Complex UIs require deep composition understanding
• Platform integration: Limited system-level access compared to native frameworks
• Desktop maturity: Mobile-first design patterns don't translate well

Migration Timeline Reality

Phase 1: Prototype (2-3 weeks)

• Build identical functionality in 2-3 frameworks
• Measure actual implementation time vs estimates
• Document "what the fuck" moments and learning obstacles
• Test entire team on adding same feature

Phase 2: Migration (6-12 months typical)

• Month 1-2: Everything broken, 70% velocity drop, team morale issues
• Month 3-4: Basic functionality works, advanced features 3x slower
• Month 5-6: Team stops fighting framework, still slower than Electron
• Month 7+: Finally productive, often faster than original setup

Success Signals vs Warning Signs

Success Indicators:

• Team stops saying "this would be easier in Electron" after month 3
• Basic CRUD operations feel natural, not like fighting the framework
• Build process works consistently across development machines

Failure Warnings:

• Still getting compilation errors after month 3
• Simple features consistently take 2x longer than Electron
• Team threatens to quit weekly due to framework frustration

Business Impact Assessment

When Migration Makes Sense

• User complaints: Active support tickets about crashes or performance
• Competitive pressure: Users switching to faster alternatives
• Resource constraints: RAM usage causing actual OOM crashes
• Developer productivity: Electron quirks slowing feature development

When to Stay with Electron

• Users satisfied: No performance-related complaints or support tickets
• Feature pressure: Critical deliverables in next 6 months
• Team capacity: No bandwidth for 6+ month productivity hit
• Integration complexity: Heavy Node.js ecosystem dependencies

Framework-Specific Configuration Requirements

Tauri Production Setup

• Code signing: More complex than Electron due to Rust toolchain
• Auto-updater: Rarely documented, implementation varies by platform
• Database integration: Multiple ORM options, none as intuitive as web frameworks
• Testing: Requires understanding Rust traits, lifetimes, mocking patterns

Wails Practical Considerations

• Go learning curve: 2 weeks for backend developers, manageable syntax
• GORM familiarity: Similar to ActiveRecord/Eloquent patterns
• Cross-compilation: Generally works but platform-specific edge cases
• Community size: Smaller than Tauri/Electron, but maintainers responsive

Flutter Desktop Realities

• Widget composition: Complex UIs require deep framework understanding
• Platform behavior: Pixel-perfect consistency vs native feel trade-off
• Mobile team advantage: Existing Dart knowledge makes migration viable
• System integration: Limited compared to Electron/Tauri capabilities

Real-World Migration Examples

MoonGuard Case Study (Failure → Success)

• Tauri attempt: 3 months, $50k+ developer cost, 65% complete, abandoned
• Wails rebuild: Same functionality in 1 weekend
• Key insight: Team expertise matters more than framework benchmarks
• Lesson: Rust ownership model incompatible with web development mindset

Aptabase Success Factors

• Solo developer: No team coordination or knowledge transfer overhead
• Systems background: Existing Rust experience, no learning curve
• Performance-critical: Analytics tools where speed = competitive advantage
• Full-time focus: Could dedicate months to framework learning

Decision Framework Implementation

Phase 1: Reality Assessment (1 week)

1. Measure actual problems: Use Electron built-in metrics, not assumptions
2. Track startup times: Cold boot performance, not hot-reload development
3. Survey real users: Performance complaints vs developer preferences
4. Audit team skills: Anonymous survey on comfort with alternative languages

Phase 2: Prototype Testing (2-3 weeks)

1. Build same app 3 times: Electron baseline + 2 alternatives
2. Time everything: Including setup, documentation research, debugging
3. Test integrations: File system, clipboard, notifications, build process
4. Evaluate team experience: Who struggles where, knowledge transfer difficulty

Phase 3: Migration Strategy Selection

• Incremental: New features in alternative framework, maintain existing Electron
• Complete rewrite: 6-12 month timeline, feature parity maintenance
• Hybrid approach: Core stays Electron, performance-critical components migrate

Resource Requirements and Constraints

Team Skill Prerequisites

• Tauri: Systems programming experience, comfort with compilation errors
• Wails: Any backend language experience, Go syntax learning
• Flutter: Mobile development background or widget paradigm acceptance
• PWA: Strong web development, acceptance of browser limitations

Timeline and Budget Planning

• Development velocity: Plan for 60-80% drop in first 3-4 months
• Training investment: Factor language learning time into project estimates
• Rollback planning: Maintain Electron capability if migration stalls
• Management buy-in: Communicate reduced feature delivery during transition

Platform Distribution Complexity

• Code signing: Varies significantly by framework and target platform
• Auto-updates: Implementation difficulty and reliability varies
• Cross-compilation: Build process complexity for multi-platform releases
• Deployment pipelines: CI/CD modifications required for new build systems

Critical Success Factors

1. Team capability match: Choose framework your team can actually implement
2. Business impact justification: User problems worth 6+ month investment
3. Management commitment: Realistic expectations for productivity impact
4. Incremental approach: Gradual migration reduces big-bang rewrite risks
5. Failure recognition: Cut losses and switch if framework doesn't fit after 3 months