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Discord executives shared a video comparing the existing Electron client with a new Rust-based Windows client. The company says both were launched from a cold starts; the new build loaded its friends list sooner and showed 290.2 MB of RAM use with two accounts signed in. Discord has not published a like-for-like benchmark, and the figure comes from an early build.
Discord executives have shared a Windows 11 comparison in which the company’s new Rust-based desktop client loads its friends list before the existing Electron app finishes starting. The clip also shows the new client using 290.2 MB of RAM with two accounts signed in, offering an early example of how Discord’s planned desktop rebuild may affect startup time and memory use.
The comparison was posted on X by Discord co-founder and CTO Stanislav Vishnevskiy, and was also shared by Discord’s official account. Windows Latest reviewed the 15-second clip, which shows the existing client opening first and displaying a blank window before its interface appears. The new client is launched about a second and a half later; its window appears within roughly a second, and its friends list is loaded while the Electron app is still catching up.
Discord employees said both applications were launched from a cold start, rather than the new client being restored from the system tray. Coral, who leads audio and video at Discord, said the team had used the new client internally and confirmed the cold-start comparison. Vishnevskiy said the 290.2 MB memory reading reflected two accounts running concurrently, a feature supported by the new client.
Discord is building the replacement with Rust and GPUI, a GPU-accelerated interface framework from the makers of the Zed code editor. The existing desktop app uses Electron, which combines Chromium and Node.js. Discord has not released a controlled, side-by-side benchmark; the displayed memory figure is a snapshot from an early build, not a published general performance result.
What the Faster Client Could Change
If the performance shown in the clip holds up in broader testing, a faster launch and lower memory use could make Discord less demanding to run alongside games and other applications. The two-account memory reading is relevant to people who keep separate work and personal accounts open, although it should not be treated as a settled comparison with the current client.
The change also illustrates a trade-off facing desktop software developers: Electron offers familiar web technologies and a shared application approach, but bundles a browser runtime with the app. Discord’s move to native Rust-based interface technology is a company-specific engineering choice, not evidence that every Windows 11 app would benefit from replacing Electron. Results will depend on each app’s design, features, and implementation.
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Discord’s Move Beyond Electron
Discord has used Rust since 2018, according to the source report, but its current Windows desktop app is built on Electron. The company has also made changes within Electron: its September patch notes said an upgrade to Electron 42 reduced median CPU use by about 17%, while bringing a roughly 4% increase in median memory use.
The new client is not based on Tauri, another Rust-associated desktop framework that uses a system webview to display HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Instead, Discord selected GPUI, which draws its interface without HTML. The company says the new app can update in the background, avoiding the startup update screen shown by the existing client. Discord has not said it currently hands those updates to the Microsoft Store or Windows Update.
“The new Discord client using less RAM is just part of the story. Clicking around feels instant, I can’t go back. Check out the boot time.”
— Stanislav Vishnevskiy, Discord co-founder and CTO
What the Clip Cannot Establish
The comparison is a short video, not a controlled performance test. Discord has not shared a like-for-like benchmark detailing hardware, background processes, client settings, or memory use over time. The clip’s 290.2 MB reading also comes from an early build, and the source report says the company has not published a direct memory comparison between the two clients.
It is not yet clear when the Rust client will be broadly available, whether its speed and memory results will persist across different Windows PCs, or how it will perform during longer sessions and heavier use. The video does not establish that Electron is unsuitable for all Windows apps, nor does it show how the new client compares across a wider set of tasks.
A Broader Test Is Still Needed
The next useful milestone is a public release or hands-on testing of the Rust client under repeatable conditions. A meaningful comparison would measure cold-start time and memory use on the same computer, with the same accounts and workload, and would report results across more than a single snapshot.
Discord has not announced a public rollout date in the source material. Until one is provided and independent testing is possible, the clip should be read as an early demonstration of the company’s new architecture—not a final verdict on the replacement or on Electron more broadly.
Key Questions
What did Discord show in the video?
The video compared the existing Electron client with a new Rust-based Windows client. Discord employees said both were cold starts; the new build loaded its friends list sooner in the clip.
How much RAM did the new client use?
The video showed 290.2 MB of RAM while two accounts were signed in. It is an early-build snapshot, not a published like-for-like benchmark.
What is Discord using instead of Electron?
Discord is using Rust and GPUI, a GPU-accelerated interface framework associated with the makers of the Zed code editor. The source report says Discord is not using Tauri for this client.
Does the comparison prove Electron is bad for Windows apps?
No. It shows Discord’s early client performing well in one short comparison. It does not establish that every app would be faster or use less memory if rebuilt without Electron.
When will the new Discord client be released?
The source material does not give a public release date. Discord’s employees described the client as an internal build, and broader availability remains unclear.
Source: windowslatest.com
