Wails: Build desktop applications using Go & Web Technologies (37k stars)
What it does
All text below is quoted directly from the project README.
>Create beautiful applications using Go
Features:
- Use standard Go for the backend
- Use any frontend technology you are already familiar with to build your UI
- Quickly create rich frontends for your Go programs using pre-built templates
- Easily call Go methods from Javascript
- Auto-generated Typescript definitions for your Go structs and methods
- Native Dialogs & Menus
- Unified eventing system between Go and Javascript
- Uses native rendering engines - no embedded browser!
>Wails offers a different approach: it provides the ability to wrap both Go code and a web frontend into a single binary.
Repository
wailsapp/wails
Repository stats
|Metric|Value|
|:-|:-|
|Stars|36,782|
|Forks|1.9k|
|Last release|v3.0.0 (2026-10-26)|
|Languages|Go 54.8%, HTML 28.5%, TypeScript 3.3%|
|Contributors|462|
|AI contributor accounts (Claude / Codex / Cursor / Copilot)|@claude (260 commits), @Copilot (27 commits)|
|AI co-authored commits|Claude: 265, Cursor: 5, Copilot: 35|
Main contributor
|Field|Value|
|:-|:-|
|Name|Lea Anthony|
|GitHub|@leaanthony|
|Commits to this repo|4,490 (top contributor)|
|Bio|Creator of Wails. Co-creator of xbar.|
|Company / Location|Sydney, Australia|
|Followers|821|
──────────────────────────────
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3 points
XÂY DỰNG ỨNG DỤNG MÁY TRẠM ĐA NỀN TẢNG BẰNG GO VÀ WEB: WAILS MANG LẠI TRẢI NGHIỆM PHÁT TRIỂN APP DESKTOP SIÊU NHẸ
Nếu bạn yêu thích sự đơn giản và tốc độ biên dịch thần tốc của ngôn ngữ Golang ở backend nhưng muốn tận dụng vẻ đẹp và hệ sinh thái phong phú của các framework web (React, Vue, Svelte) ở frontend để làm app máy tính, Wails chính là câu trả lời hoàn hảo.
Wails là framework mã nguồn mở cho phép bạn tạo ra các ứng dụng máy trạm (Desktop Applications) siêu nhẹ cho Windows, macOS và Linux bằng cách kết hợp backend viết bằng Go và frontend bằng công nghệ web tiêu chuẩn.
Tech Stack:
Tầng backend sử dụng Golang thuần túy, biên dịch thành một file binary độc lập duy nhất. Tầng frontend sử dụng WebView có sẵn của hệ điều hành, tự động sinh mã TypeScript bindings để gọi các hàm Go.
Tại sao nên dùng?
- Tự động sinh TypeScript Bindings hai chiều: Mỗi hàm bạn viết bằng Go ở backend được Wails tự động phân tích và sinh ra các hàm TypeScript tương ứng ở frontend, mang lại trải nghiệm gọi hàm mượt mà và an toàn kiểu dữ liệu 100%.
- Kích thước ứng dụng siêu gọn nhẹ: Ứng dụng Wails sau khi build thường chỉ có dung lượng khoảng 10-15MB và tiêu thụ RAM chưa tới 50MB, nhẹ hơn rất nhiều so với các ứng dụng cồng kềnh xây dựng bằng Electron.
- Tự do sử dụng bất kỳ frontend framework nào: Bạn có thể sử dụng React, Vue, Svelte, SolidJS hoặc thậm chí là HTML/JS thuần túy mà không bị ép buộc vào bất kỳ cấu trúc gò bó nào.
Dự án sở hữu hơn 24.000 stars trên GitHub và là sự lựa chọn số một cho các lập trình viên Golang muốn bước chân vào thế giới phát triển ứng dụng desktop.
Link tham khảo: wailsapp/wails
#OpenSourceVN #VNOSS #opensourcevn #vnoss #DevCommunity #Wails #Golang #TauriAlternative #DesktopApp #WebDev #TypeScript
1 point
Goでbackendを書く。web frontendを組む。single binaryにbundleする。
WailsはGo codeとweb frontendをdesktop applicationとしてまとめるframework。project creation、compile、bundleを支援します。
wailsapp/wails
40 views
あ…ありのまま 今 起こった事を話すぜ！
おれはPythonのプロセスを管理するフロントエンドを書いていたと思ったらいつのまにかWailsにバグ報告していた…
な… 何を言ってるのか わからねーと思うがおれも何をされたのかわからなかった… 頭がどうにかなりそうだった…
wails#6368
45 views
Wails v3.0.0 released: Go applications for desktop, server and mobile
Hello fellow gophers! I maintain Wails, an open-source framework for building applications with Go and a web frontend. Today we released v3.0.0, including experimental support for iOS and Android alongside Windows, macOS and Linux.
Wails uses the platform’s WebView rather than bundling a browser. Your backend is Go, and your frontend can use plain JavaScript or a framework such as React, Vue or Svelte.
Some highlights of v3:
- Modular Go services with startup and shutdown hooks. Public service methods are exposed through generated JavaScript/TypeScript bindings.
- Multiple windows, native menus and system tray integration on desktop.
- An in-app updater.
- Taskfile-based builds you can inspect and customise.
- A guided setup flow and new documentation.
Mobile support is experimental, and platform capabilities differ; desktop features such as system tray integration don’t apply everywhere. You can also compile a server build. None of these platforms require a change in code.
To get started:
go install github.com/wailsapp/wails/v3/cmd/wails3@v3.0.0
wails3 setup
Release post, launch film and migration guide:
v3.wails.io
Source:
wailsapp/wails
Moving from v2 requires porting your application; the migration guide covers the changes.
Thanks to everyone who contributed and tested throughout the alphas and betas.
350 points · 38 comments
Wails v3.0.0 is released!
Wails v3.0.0 is here. Thank you to everyone who tested the alphas and betas, reported bugs, contributed code and documentation, answered questions, or supported the project.
Wails lets you build desktop applications with Go and your favourite web frontend, using the platform’s WebView without bundling a browser with every application.
Some highlights of v3:
- Multiple windows, each with independent content and configuration.
- Native menus and system tray applications.
- Modular Go services with startup and shutdown hooks, exposed to your frontend through generated JavaScript and TypeScript bindings.
- An in-app updater.
- Customisable Taskfile builds, guided setup and new documentation.
- Experimental iOS and Android support.
Release post and launch film
v3.wails.io
Get started
go install github.com/wailsapp/wails/v3/cmd/wails3@v3.0.0
wails3 setup
If you’re moving from v2, the release post links to the migration guide. The v2 documentation remains available at v2.wails.io.
We’ve also opened the official Wails shop!
T-shirts, hoodies, caps, mugs and more: shop.wails.io
Thanks again for helping get Wails v3 here.
23 points · 4 comments
AIさんが、「WailsはmacOSだと、 `app.run()` の呼び出し元には二度と返ってきませんよ」って教えてくれて、そんなバカなって思ったら、マジやんけ……
github.com/wailsapp/wails/blob/473da0a08cb2d7c557…
1 like · 124 views
Know Go and want to build desktop apps? 🖥️
Wails pairs a Go backend with a web-based UI to create native desktop applications. Turn utilities into real apps. 🔧
wailsapp/wails
#Golang #浇朋友 #蓝朋友 #互关 #fo
33 views
会写 Go，也想做带界面的桌面 App？🖥️
Wails 把 Go 后端与 Web 前端组合起来，构建跨平台桌面软件。适合把小工具做成应用。🔧
wailsapp/wails
#Golang #浇朋友 #蓝朋友 #互关 #fo
29 views
Wails vs Electron: Wails Wins Size, Electron Wins Ecosystem
Verdict: Wails is the right pick when your backend is Go and installer size and RAM matter: the independent web-to-desktop benchmark measures its empty app at roughly 11 MB on Windows against roughly 384 MB for Electron, and 53 MB against 77 MB of RAM on Linux in release builds. Electron is the right pick when your team is 100% JavaScript, you need pixel-identical rendering on every OS, or you depend on the vast npm ecosystem — it bundles its own Chromium 152 (Electron 44.6.0, released 2026-10-06), so rendering never varies with the host webview. Wails is also the younger bet: its v3 is still in beta (v3.0.0-beta.28, published 2026-10-05), while Electron has shipped stable majors on a fixed 8-week cadence for years.
> Last verified: 2026-10-07 · Best for Go teams / small apps: Wails v2.13 (v3 beta for multi-window) · Best for JS-only teams / maximum ecosystem: Electron 44.6 · Pricing: both MIT-licensed, free, no paid tiers · Sizes and RAM figures change per release — last checked October 2026.
TL;DR
- The Issue: two MIT-licensed ways to ship a web UI as a desktop app — one reuses the OS webview (Wails), one ships a full Chromium inside the installer (Electron).
- The Insight: the size gap is not cosmetic: ~11 MB vs ~384 MB on the same empty-app benchmark is a 35x difference that compounds across every install.
- The Solution: pick by your binding constraint. Go backend or size-critical distribution: Wails. JS-only team, npm dependency, or cross-OS pixel parity: Electron.
The 10-row honest table
| Row | Wails | Electron |
|---|---|---|
| Backend language | Go 1.25+ | Node.js (bundled) |
| Rendering engine | OS webview (WebView2 / WKWebView / WebKitGTK) | Bundled Chromium 152 |
| Empty-app installer, Windows x64 | ≈11 MB | ≈384 MB |
| RAM, empty app (Linux x64, release) | ≈53 MB | ≈77 MB |
| Cold start, empty app (Linux x64, release) | ≈264 ms | ≈208 ms |
| GitHub stars | 36,472 | 123,410 |
| Stable version today | v2.13 (v3 in beta) | 44.6.0, 2026-10-06 |
| Mobile targets | Experimental iOS/Android in v3 beta | none |
| Multi-window | First-class in v3 | First-class since 1.0 |
| License | MIT | MIT |
Sources: sizes/RAM/start from the web-to-desktop-framework-comparison benchmark (GitHub CI, empty app, treat as same-machine relative comparisons); stars from the GitHub API on 2026-10-07.
Where Wails loses
Wails is the smaller project by every ecosystem measure: 36.472 GitHub stars against Electron's 123,410, no integrated auto-updater (the comparison repo lists it as planned), and — the honest asterisk — its current stable v2 is single-window only; first-class multi-window, system tray and services arrive with v3, which is still in beta (first public beta 2026-08-25, v3.0.0-beta.28 published 2026-10-05). The beta's desktop API is stated stable and teams run it in production, but the project itself asks you to test thoroughly before deploying. On the native-webview path, rendering depends on the OS webview (WebView2 on Windows, WebKit on macOS/Linux), so your app inherits that engine's quirks rather than shipping one fixed engine. And v3 is a real port, not a version bump — migration from v2 means rewriting the app lifecycle and regenerating bindings.
Where Electron loses
Electron's cost is the bundle itself: the same benchmark that gives Wails ~11 MB gives Electron ~384 MB on Windows x64 — a ~35x difference driven by the bundled Chromium+Node runtime. RAM on the empty app is 93 MB (release) on Windows against Wails' 199 MB in debug / comparable release figures; on Linux x64 release it's 77 MB vs 53 MB for Wails. Electron has no mobile story at all (no Android/iOS target), and the security surface is famously broader: every app ships a full browser, so Chromium CVEs apply to your app until you upgrade. On the same benchmark, cold start on Windows x64 is ~177 ms vs Wails' ~554 ms — Electron wins its one benchmark here, the first window is up sooner.
Honest takeaway
Both frameworks are excellent at what they do, and the differences are about constraints, not quality. Electron is the industry default for a reason: 123k stars, every npm package one install away, and a decade of documented pitfalls. Wails is the specialist: if your team writes Go and your app must be small, fast to install, and light on RAM, ~11 MB against ~384 MB is the whole argument, and v3's beta finally covers the multi-window gap. Our call: default to Electron for JS-only teams and anything with heavy npm dependencies; pick Wails for Go shops shipping size-critical internal tools or consumer utilities. If you need a third option, our [Wails vs Tauri vs Electron three-way comparison](/articles/wails-vs-tauri-vs-electron-2026) adds Rust to the mix.
FAQ
Q: Is Wails smaller than Electron?
A: Yes, by a lot. The independent empty-app benchmark measures ~11 MB vs ~384 MB on Windows x64, because Wails reuses the OS webview while Electron bundles Chromium.
Q: Does Wails support multi-window apps?
A: In v3, yes — first-class multi-window is a headline v3 feature. The current stable v2.13 is single-window only.
Q: Can Wails or Electron build mobile apps?
A: Wails v3 beta ships experimental iOS and Android targets; Electron has no mobile target at all.
Q: Which is easier to learn?
A: Depends on your backend. Wails is low-friction if you know Go; Electron is low-friction if you know Node.js. Both take any HTML/CSS/JS frontend.
Q: Do both support auto-updates?
A: Electron has an official auto-updater; Wails' integrated updater is planned, not shipped — you wire your own (e.g. a GitHub-releases check) meanwhile.
Q: Is the Wails v3 beta production-ready?
A: The project says the desktop API is stable and teams already run it in production, but asks you to test thoroughly before deploying; v2 remains the supported stable release.
Related reading
- The full three-way with Tauri: [Wails vs Tauri vs Electron in 2026](/articles/wails-vs-tauri-vs-electron-2026).
- Pairing a desktop app with a local model runtime: [Ollama vs LM Studio](/articles/ollama-vs-lm-studio-2026-which-local-ai-runtime-wins).
- Giving your desktop agent a local brain: [Run your own AI coding agent (Ornith local setup)](/articles/run-local-ai-coding-agent-ornith-1-0-9b-guide).
- If the frontend is the easy part: [ChatGPT computer-use agents guide](/articles/chatgpt-computer-use-agents-2026-guide).
Mentions
Wails: Build desktop applications using Go & Web Technologies (37k stars) What it does All text below is quoted directly from the project README. >Create beautiful applications using Go Features: - Use standard Go for the backend - Use any frontend technology you are already familiar with to build your UI - Quickly create rich frontends for your Go programs using pre-built templates - Easily call Go methods from Javascript - Auto-generated Typescript definitions for your Go structs and methods - Native Dialogs & Menus - Unified eventing system between Go and Javascript - Uses native rendering engines - no embedded browser! >Wails offers a different approach: it provides the ability to wrap both Go code and a web frontend into a single binary. Repository wailsapp/wails Repository stats |Metric|Value| |:-|:-| |Stars|36,782| |Forks|1.9k| |Last release|v3.0.0 (2026-10-26)| |Languages|Go 54.8%, HTML 28.5%, TypeScript 3.3%| |Contributors|462| |AI contributor accounts (Claude / Codex / Cursor / Copilot)|@claude (260 commits), @Copilot (27 commits)| |AI co-authored commits|Claude: 265, Cursor: 5, Copilot: 35| Main contributor |Field|Value| |:-|:-| |Name|Lea Anthony| |GitHub|@leaanthony| |Commits to this repo|4,490 (top contributor)| |Bio|Creator of Wails. Co-creator of xbar.| |Company / Location|Sydney, Australia| |Followers|821| ────────────────────────────── 📌 How many great GitHub repos have you discovered and completely forgotten about? Don't let another useful tool disappear into your Reddit feed. Get the community's best repos, organized by category, plus key takeaways from real developer discussions, delivered to your inbox twice a week. 📬 Never lose track of great repos again. Subscribe free.
XÂY DỰNG ỨNG DỤNG MÁY TRẠM ĐA NỀN TẢNG BẰNG GO VÀ WEB: WAILS MANG LẠI TRẢI NGHIỆM PHÁT TRIỂN APP DESKTOP SIÊU NHẸ Nếu bạn yêu thích sự đơn giản và tốc độ biên dịch thần tốc của ngôn ngữ Golang ở backend nhưng muốn tận dụng vẻ đẹp và hệ sinh thái phong phú của các framework web (React, Vue, Svelte) ở frontend để làm app máy tính, Wails chính là câu trả lời hoàn hảo. Wails là framework mã nguồn mở cho phép bạn tạo ra các ứng dụng máy trạm (Desktop Applications) siêu nhẹ cho Windows, macOS và Linux bằng cách kết hợp backend viết bằng Go và frontend bằng công nghệ web tiêu chuẩn. Tech Stack: Tầng backend sử dụng Golang thuần túy, biên dịch thành một file binary độc lập duy nhất. Tầng frontend sử dụng WebView có sẵn của hệ điều hành, tự động sinh mã TypeScript bindings để gọi các hàm Go. Tại sao nên dùng? - Tự động sinh TypeScript Bindings hai chiều: Mỗi hàm bạn viết bằng Go ở backend được Wails tự động phân tích và sinh ra các hàm TypeScript tương ứng ở frontend, mang lại trải nghiệm gọi hàm mượt mà và an toàn kiểu dữ liệu 100%. - Kích thước ứng dụng siêu gọn nhẹ: Ứng dụng Wails sau khi build thường chỉ có dung lượng khoảng 10-15MB và tiêu thụ RAM chưa tới 50MB, nhẹ hơn rất nhiều so với các ứng dụng cồng kềnh xây dựng bằng Electron. - Tự do sử dụng bất kỳ frontend framework nào: Bạn có thể sử dụng React, Vue, Svelte, SolidJS hoặc thậm chí là HTML/JS thuần túy mà không bị ép buộc vào bất kỳ cấu trúc gò bó nào. Dự án sở hữu hơn 24.000 stars trên GitHub và là sự lựa chọn số một cho các lập trình viên Golang muốn bước chân vào thế giới phát triển ứng dụng desktop. Link tham khảo: wailsapp/wails #OpenSourceVN #VNOSS #opensourcevn #vnoss #DevCommunity #Wails #Golang #TauriAlternative #DesktopApp #WebDev #TypeScript
Goでbackendを書く。web frontendを組む。single binaryにbundleする。 WailsはGo codeとweb frontendをdesktop applicationとしてまとめるframework。project creation、compile、bundleを支援します。 wailsapp/wails
あ…ありのまま 今 起こった事を話すぜ！ おれはPythonのプロセスを管理するフロントエンドを書いていたと思ったらいつのまにかWailsにバグ報告していた… な… 何を言ってるのか わからねーと思うがおれも何をされたのかわからなかった… 頭がどうにかなりそうだった… wails#6368
Wails v3.0.0 released: Go applications for desktop, server and mobile Hello fellow gophers! I maintain Wails, an open-source framework for building applications with Go and a web frontend. Today we released v3.0.0, including experimental support for iOS and Android alongside Windows, macOS and Linux. Wails uses the platform’s WebView rather than bundling a browser. Your backend is Go, and your frontend can use plain JavaScript or a framework such as React, Vue or Svelte. Some highlights of v3: - Modular Go services with startup and shutdown hooks. Public service methods are exposed through generated JavaScript/TypeScript bindings. - Multiple windows, native menus and system tray integration on desktop. - An in-app updater. - Taskfile-based builds you can inspect and customise. - A guided setup flow and new documentation. Mobile support is experimental, and platform capabilities differ; desktop features such as system tray integration don’t apply everywhere. You can also compile a server build. None of these platforms require a change in code. To get started: go install github.com/wailsapp/wails/v3/cmd/wails3@v3.0.0 wails3 setup Release post, launch film and migration guide: v3.wails.io Source: wailsapp/wails Moving from v2 requires porting your application; the migration guide covers the changes. Thanks to everyone who contributed and tested throughout the alphas and betas.
Wails v3.0.0 is released! Wails v3.0.0 is here. Thank you to everyone who tested the alphas and betas, reported bugs, contributed code and documentation, answered questions, or supported the project. Wails lets you build desktop applications with Go and your favourite web frontend, using the platform’s WebView without bundling a browser with every application. Some highlights of v3: - Multiple windows, each with independent content and configuration. - Native menus and system tray applications. - Modular Go services with startup and shutdown hooks, exposed to your frontend through generated JavaScript and TypeScript bindings. - An in-app updater. - Customisable Taskfile builds, guided setup and new documentation. - Experimental iOS and Android support. Release post and launch film v3.wails.io Get started go install github.com/wailsapp/wails/v3/cmd/wails3@v3.0.0 wails3 setup If you’re moving from v2, the release post links to the migration guide. The v2 documentation remains available at v2.wails.io. We’ve also opened the official Wails shop! T-shirts, hoodies, caps, mugs and more: shop.wails.io Thanks again for helping get Wails v3 here.
AIさんが、「WailsはmacOSだと、 `app.run()` の呼び出し元には二度と返ってきませんよ」って教えてくれて、そんなバカなって思ったら、マジやんけ…… github.com/wailsapp/wails/blob/473da0a08cb2d7c557…
Know Go and want to build desktop apps? 🖥️ Wails pairs a Go backend with a web-based UI to create native desktop applications. Turn utilities into real apps. 🔧 wailsapp/wails #Golang #浇朋友 #蓝朋友 #互关 #fo
会写 Go，也想做带界面的桌面 App？🖥️ Wails 把 Go 后端与 Web 前端组合起来，构建跨平台桌面软件。适合把小工具做成应用。🔧 wailsapp/wails #Golang #浇朋友 #蓝朋友 #互关 #fo
Wails vs Electron: Wails Wins Size, Electron Wins Ecosystem Verdict: Wails is the right pick when your backend is Go and installer size and RAM matter: the independent web-to-desktop benchmark measures its empty app at roughly 11 MB on Windows against roughly 384 MB for Electron, and 53 MB against 77 MB of RAM on Linux in release builds. Electron is the right pick when your team is 100% JavaScript, you need pixel-identical rendering on every OS, or you depend on the vast npm ecosystem — it bundles its own Chromium 152 (Electron 44.6.0, released 2026-10-06), so rendering never varies with the host webview. Wails is also the younger bet: its v3 is still in beta (v3.0.0-beta.28, published 2026-10-05), while Electron has shipped stable majors on a fixed 8-week cadence for years. > Last verified: 2026-10-07 · Best for Go teams / small apps: Wails v2.13 (v3 beta for multi-window) · Best for JS-only teams / maximum ecosystem: Electron 44.6 · Pricing: both MIT-licensed, free, no paid tiers · Sizes and RAM figures change per release — last checked October 2026. TL;DR - The Issue: two MIT-licensed ways to ship a web UI as a desktop app — one reuses the OS webview (Wails), one ships a full Chromium inside the installer (Electron). - The Insight: the size gap is not cosmetic: ~11 MB vs ~384 MB on the same empty-app benchmark is a 35x difference that compounds across every install. - The Solution: pick by your binding constraint. Go backend or size-critical distribution: Wails. JS-only team, npm dependency, or cross-OS pixel parity: Electron. The 10-row honest table | Row | Wails | Electron | |---|---|---| | Backend language | Go 1.25+ | Node.js (bundled) | | Rendering engine | OS webview (WebView2 / WKWebView / WebKitGTK) | Bundled Chromium 152 | | Empty-app installer, Windows x64 | ≈11 MB | ≈384 MB | | RAM, empty app (Linux x64, release) | ≈53 MB | ≈77 MB | | Cold start, empty app (Linux x64, release) | ≈264 ms | ≈208 ms | | GitHub stars | 36,472 | 123,410 | | Stable version today | v2.13 (v3 in beta) | 44.6.0, 2026-10-06 | | Mobile targets | Experimental iOS/Android in v3 beta | none | | Multi-window | First-class in v3 | First-class since 1.0 | | License | MIT | MIT | Sources: sizes/RAM/start from the web-to-desktop-framework-comparison benchmark (GitHub CI, empty app, treat as same-machine relative comparisons); stars from the GitHub API on 2026-10-07. Where Wails loses Wails is the smaller project by every ecosystem measure: 36.472 GitHub stars against Electron's 123,410, no integrated auto-updater (the comparison repo lists it as planned), and — the honest asterisk — its current stable v2 is single-window only; first-class multi-window, system tray and services arrive with v3, which is still in beta (first public beta 2026-08-25, v3.0.0-beta.28 published 2026-10-05). The beta's desktop API is stated stable and teams run it in production, but the project itself asks you to test thoroughly before deploying. On the native-webview path, rendering depends on the OS webview (WebView2 on Windows, WebKit on macOS/Linux), so your app inherits that engine's quirks rather than shipping one fixed engine. And v3 is a real port, not a version bump — migration from v2 means rewriting the app lifecycle and regenerating bindings. Where Electron loses Electron's cost is the bundle itself: the same benchmark that gives Wails ~11 MB gives Electron ~384 MB on Windows x64 — a ~35x difference driven by the bundled Chromium+Node runtime. RAM on the empty app is 93 MB (release) on Windows against Wails' 199 MB in debug / comparable release figures; on Linux x64 release it's 77 MB vs 53 MB for Wails. Electron has no mobile story at all (no Android/iOS target), and the security surface is famously broader: every app ships a full browser, so Chromium CVEs apply to your app until you upgrade. On the same benchmark, cold start on Windows x64 is ~177 ms vs Wails' ~554 ms — Electron wins its one benchmark here, the first window is up sooner. Honest takeaway Both frameworks are excellent at what they do, and the differences are about constraints, not quality. Electron is the industry default for a reason: 123k stars, every npm package one install away, and a decade of documented pitfalls. Wails is the specialist: if your team writes Go and your app must be small, fast to install, and light on RAM, ~11 MB against ~384 MB is the whole argument, and v3's beta finally covers the multi-window gap. Our call: default to Electron for JS-only teams and anything with heavy npm dependencies; pick Wails for Go shops shipping size-critical internal tools or consumer utilities. If you need a third option, our [Wails vs Tauri vs Electron three-way comparison](/articles/wails-vs-tauri-vs-electron-2026) adds Rust to the mix. FAQ Q: Is Wails smaller than Electron? A: Yes, by a lot. The independent empty-app benchmark measures ~11 MB vs ~384 MB on Windows x64, because Wails reuses the OS webview while Electron bundles Chromium. Q: Does Wails support multi-window apps? A: In v3, yes — first-class multi-window is a headline v3 feature. The current stable v2.13 is single-window only. Q: Can Wails or Electron build mobile apps? A: Wails v3 beta ships experimental iOS and Android targets; Electron has no mobile target at all. Q: Which is easier to learn? A: Depends on your backend. Wails is low-friction if you know Go; Electron is low-friction if you know Node.js. Both take any HTML/CSS/JS frontend. Q: Do both support auto-updates? A: Electron has an official auto-updater; Wails' integrated updater is planned, not shipped — you wire your own (e.g. a GitHub-releases check) meanwhile. Q: Is the Wails v3 beta production-ready? A: The project says the desktop API is stable and teams already run it in production, but asks you to test thoroughly before deploying; v2 remains the supported stable release. Related reading - The full three-way with Tauri: [Wails vs Tauri vs Electron in 2026](/articles/wails-vs-tauri-vs-electron-2026). - Pairing a desktop app with a local model runtime: [Ollama vs LM Studio](/articles/ollama-vs-lm-studio-2026-which-local-ai-runtime-wins). - Giving your desktop agent a local brain: [Run your own AI coding agent (Ornith local setup)](/articles/run-local-ai-coding-agent-ornith-1-0-9b-guide). - If the frontend is the easy part: [ChatGPT computer-use agents guide](/articles/chatgpt-computer-use-agents-2026-guide).