ActiveX Controls vs Electron

Developers should learn ActiveX Controls primarily for maintaining or migrating legacy Windows applications, especially in enterprise settings where older systems still rely on them for embedded functionality meets developers should use electron when they need to create desktop applications that run on multiple operating systems with a consistent user interface and want to reuse web development expertise. Here's our take.

ActiveX Controls

Nice Pick

Developers should learn ActiveX Controls primarily for maintaining or migrating legacy Windows applications, especially in enterprise settings where older systems still rely on them for embedded functionality

Pros

• It's also relevant for understanding COM-based technologies and historical web development practices, but modern alternatives are strongly recommended for new projects due to security and compatibility issues
• Related to: com, ole

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Electron

Developers should use Electron when they need to create desktop applications that run on multiple operating systems with a consistent user interface and want to reuse web development expertise

Pros

• It's ideal for building productivity tools, communication apps, and development environments where rapid prototyping and cross-platform deployment are priorities, such as in applications like Visual Studio Code, Slack, and Discord
• Related to: javascript, node-js

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. ActiveX Controls is a technology while Electron is a framework. We picked ActiveX Controls based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

ActiveX Controls wins

Based on overall popularity. ActiveX Controls is more widely used, but Electron excels in its own space.