Tauri under the hood

Tauri allows developers to create cross-platform applications with a native look and feel. Tauri works under the hood by combining various technologies to provide a robust and efficient desktop application development experience.

Here's a high-level overview of how Tauri works:

1. Webview Component:

   • Tauri uses a lightweight webview component to render the user interface of the desktop application. This webview is essentially a mini-browser that displays your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript content.

   • The webview component is responsible for rendering the application's UI and handling user interactions.

2. Backend Integration:

   • Tauri allows you to build a backend using any programming language of your choice. This backend is separate from the frontend code and handles tasks that require native capabilities, such as interacting with the file system or accessing system resources.

   • Communication between the frontend and backend is achieved through a bridge provided by Tauri. This allows seamless interaction between the webview and the backend, enabling native functionality in the application.

3. Security:

   • Tauri focuses on security by employing techniques such as process isolation. The application's frontend and backend run in separate processes, enhancing security and stability.

   • Tauri utilizes the Rust programming language for critical components, taking advantage of its memory safety features to prevent common programming errors like null pointer dereferences and buffer overflows.

4. Customization:

   • Tauri is designed to be highly customizable. Developers can use various plugins and configuration options to tailor the application to their specific needs.

   • Customization includes the ability to control the window appearance, handle system events, and incorporate additional features using plugins.

5. Cross-Platform Support:

   • Tauri is built to support multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. This is achieved by leveraging platform-specific libraries for each operating system and providing a unified API for developers.

6. Build System:

   • Tauri includes a build system that compiles and packages the application for distribution on different platforms. It uses tools like Rust's Cargo and Node.js to manage dependencies and build the final executable.

7. Electron Alternatives:

   • Tauri aims to be a more lightweight alternative to Electron, another popular framework for building cross-platform desktop applications with web technologies. Tauri's focus on performance, security, and smaller application bundles distinguishes it from Electron.

Overall, Tauri combines the power of web technologies with the efficiency and security of native applications, providing developers with a flexible and robust framework for building cross-platform desktop applications.