Every Windows 11 app should kill Electron, and Discord just showed why

Discord is replacing its Electron-based desktop client with a Rust application built on GPUI, a GPU-accelerated interface framework that draws the app without HTML. In a cold-start comparison shared by Discord’s co-founder, the new client loaded its friends list before the existing app finished opening. It also avoids the familiar “Starting” screen by updating in the background. Discord says the early build used about 290MB of RAM while running two accounts at once - roughly 70% below a 1GB comparison point, though no controlled, like-for-like benchmark has been published. The current Electron app can idle at 1-2GB on some PCs, and past attempts to optimize it have delivered more modest gains.

The redesign reflects a broader shift away from bundled browser runtimes: Rust will power the desktop client and shared app logic, while GPUI handles its interface; the web app will use Rust compiled to WebAssembly, and mobile apps will move away from React Native. Web content such as embeds and Activities will still use the system webview. Discord says the interface will remain familiar, with accessibility, security, and stability considered before private testing begins; log-in tokens will be stored in the operating system’s credential manager. The client is intended for Windows, macOS, and Linux, but has no public release date. Its early performance has renewed criticism of memory-heavy messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Teams.