I'm building yyzTools, a Windows productivity suite with 40+ tools fused into one install. This is the architecture decision I get asked about most.
The default path
When a developer today wants to build a desktop app, the default reflex is Electron. It's rational: HTML/CSS/JS, cross-platform, mature ecosystem (VS Code, Slack, Discord proved it works). If your team is frontend-heavy, it's almost a non-decision.
I didn't take that path. yyzTools is C++ (Win32) + WebView2 + Alpine.js + Vite. Windows-only. No bundled Chromium.
This post isn't "Electron is bad." It's "for a resident, lightweight, multi-feature desktop tool, Electron's costs outweigh its benefits, and here's what I picked instead."
