Microsoft Encourages Developers to Create Electron AI Applications for Windows 11 Without Native Code, Addresses RAM Concerns

Electron applications are increasingly seen as problematic for users of Windows 11. Notably, Brendan Eich, the creator of JavaScript, has expressed strong concerns regarding the trend of prioritizing “rushed web UX over native applications.”Despite this criticism, Microsoft remains steadfast in its strategy, promoting the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within Electron applications. Recently, the company reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing Windows 11 with AI capabilities, inviting Electron developers to innovate using these technologies.

In a message on X, Microsoft urged, “Calling all Electron developers: ready to bring on-device AI experiences into your Electron apps.” The company also highlighted its initiative to train developers in creating experiences that leverage Windows 11’s on-device AI functions.

It seems clear that Electron is here to stay within the Windows 11 ecosystem, with popular applications like Discord relying on it, despite the high memory consumption typically associated with these frameworks. This is primarily due to Electron applications bundling an instance of Chromium, which is notorious for its RAM usage.

Microsoft positions Windows 11 as the ultimate operating system for AI applications, striving to make it the best environment for running AI-driven solutions. Acknowledging Electron’s prevalence, Microsoft is not distancing itself from the framework but rather encouraging developers to integrate AI features into their applications instead of moving away from Electron altogether.

Empowering AI Development with Electron

In a recent support document, Microsoft announced that Electron applications can now utilize significant built-in AI capabilities found in Windows 11, such as text generation, summarization, optical character recognition (OCR), and image descriptions. Notably, these features will primarily benefit newer PCs equipped with Copilot+ branding or neural processing unit (NPU) chips. The goal is to provide developers with resources for innovative sample projects and tools.

Many Electron developers have expressed interest in creating on-device AI experiences, prompting Microsoft to reassure them that they do not need to abandon Electron for native solutions. The support document emphasizes this point, with multiple references to leveraging Windows 11 features without the necessity to write any native code.

Addressing the Challenges of Electron in Windows 11

It appears that the negative impacts caused by the extensive reliance on Electron applications are becoming increasingly acknowledged, even if Microsoft is hesitant to confront this issue directly. For instance, comparisons highlight how a new Chromium-based version of WhatsApp consumes significantly more RAM than its Universal Windows Platform (UWP) counterpart.

New Chromium based WhatsApp consumes more RAM than UWP WhatsApp — Comparison of RAM usage between WhatsApp versions

While macOS benefits from a native version of WhatsApp, Meta has opted to transition to Electron for its Windows 11 application, citing a lack of incentive to maintain native code. Likewise, Discord has publicly acknowledged the resource-intensive nature of its Windows client, implementing a feature that allows the app to restart whenever its RAM usage exceeds 4GB.

Concerns from the Creator of JavaScript

Brendan Eich, an influential figure in the development of JavaScript and current CEO of Brave, voiced his concerns over the excessive use of web applications, including Electron, contributing to system bloat. He remarked on the urgency for Microsoft to address the performance trade-offs associated with these rushed adoptions.

Previously, Eich stated, “Windows 11 has a bigger problem, and it’s WebView2 or Electron, ” emphasizing the risks of prioritizing web UX at the cost of efficiency and performance. He advocates for a more thoughtful development approach to avoid unnecessary bloat.

JavaScript creator response on Windows web apps problem

While web applications are not inherently flawed, it is crucial that they are developed with optimization and performance in mind, especially when they become the standard for users. The ongoing dialogue surrounding this issue highlights a pressing need for a balanced approach to application development on Windows 11.

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