WebKitGTK vs Electron

Developers should learn and use WebKitGTK when building desktop applications for Linux or Unix-like systems that require embedded web rendering, such as email clients, help browsers, or custom web-based interfaces 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.

WebKitGTK

Nice Pick

Developers should learn and use WebKitGTK when building desktop applications for Linux or Unix-like systems that require embedded web rendering, such as email clients, help browsers, or custom web-based interfaces

Pros

• It is particularly valuable in GNOME-based projects due to its integration with GTK and the broader GNOME ecosystem, offering a stable and standards-compliant way to handle web content without relying on external browsers
• Related to: gtk, webkit

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. WebKitGTK is a library while Electron is a framework. We picked WebKitGTK based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

WebKitGTK wins

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