Custom Desktop Apps: Windows, macOS, Linux

Both let you build cross-platform desktop apps from web technologies, but their philosophies differ. Electron bundles Chromium and Node.js inside the binary, it's mature, very well documented, and backed by a vast ecosystem (VS Code, Slack, and Figma all run on it), but binaries weigh 80–150 MB and memory usage is significant. Tauri (Rust + the system's native WebView) produces binaries 5–10x lighter, with lower memory overhead and a smaller attack surface, ideal when performance or distribution on low-spec machines is critical. For an internal tool with no size constraints, Electron speeds up development. For a public release or embedded software, Tauri is often the right call. We help you decide during the scoping phase.

Budget depends on the functional scope and integrations: a simple internal tool, a full business app with local database and hardware access, and a legacy Windows migration are very different projects. Publishing to the Apple Developer Program and Microsoft Store also involves procedural fees specific to each store. Every quote follows a detailed brief, contact us for an estimate within 12 hours.

Silent updates are built in from day one. With Electron, we use electron-updater (Squirrel-based): the app checks for a new version on startup from your server or an S3 bucket, downloads it in the background, and prompts a restart without interrupting the user's work. Tauri ships its own updater with cryptographic signature verification to guarantee update integrity. For tools deployed in corporate environments without direct internet access, we set up an internal update server. Either way, you stay in control: staged rollouts by user group, rollback on failure, and centralised update logs.

Yes, that's precisely one of the key advantages of a native desktop application over a web solution. With Electron or Tauri, we can access serial ports (RS-232, USB-to-serial) via node-serialport, drive thermal and label printers (Zebra, Brother, Dymo), capture an industrial camera feed via DirectShow or AVFoundation, and interface barcode scanners and RFID readers. For very specific requirements (industrial PLCs, Modbus protocol, proprietary vendor drivers), we assess feasibility during scoping. Applications requiring low-level driver access can combine a native Rust module (via Tauri) or a compiled Node.js addon to guarantee the performance needed.

Yes, we manage the full publishing process. For the Mac App Store, that includes enrolling in the Apple Developer Program ($99/year), configuring entitlements, signing with a distribution certificate, sandboxing for Apple's requirements, and submitting through App Store Connect. For the Microsoft Store, we handle developer account creation, MSIX packaging, signing, and submission. Review timelines are 24–72 hours at Microsoft and 1–7 days at Apple depending on review cycles. Direct distribution (signed installer outside the store) is also an option, often faster for internal or professional tools. We recommend a polished user interface before any submission, as both stores have strict UI guidelines.