Hey everyone, I’ve been thinking about something lately. I use Windows for work, even though I’m more of a Mac person. I’ve noticed that most of the programs I use daily, like Word, Excel, and Adobe stuff, aren’t made with JavaScript. But then there’s Visual Studio Code, which is built with JavaScript and works great on Windows.
It got me wondering: why don’t we see more Windows programs made with JavaScript? It’s super popular for web development and a lot of modern apps use it. Is there something about Windows that makes it harder to use JavaScript for desktop apps? Or are there other reasons developers stick to other languages for Windows software?
I’d love to hear what you all think about this. Maybe some of you have experience with both Windows development and JavaScript and can shed some light on this. Thanks!
As someone who’s dabbled in both Windows and web development, I can offer a perspective on this. The main reason JavaScript isn’t more prevalent in Windows software is the ecosystem and tooling. Windows has a rich history with languages like C++ and C#, which are deeply integrated into the OS and have robust IDEs like Visual Studio.
JavaScript, while powerful, wasn’t originally designed for desktop apps. It lacks some of the features that make C++ and C# so efficient for system-level programming. Plus, many Windows developers are already invested in learning and using these traditional languages.
That said, things are changing. Electron, which powers VS Code, is making JavaScript more viable for desktop apps. But it comes with trade-offs in performance and resource usage. As web technologies improve, we might see more JavaScript in Windows apps, but it’ll take time to shift the entire ecosystem.
As a windows dev, i can say its mostly about legacy and performance. lots of existing windows apps are built on c++ or .NET, which are deeply integrated with the OS. javascript, while versatile, doesn’t offer the same low-level control or native performance. plus, theres a huge ecosystem of tools and libraries for traditional windows development that devs are used to.
The reluctance to use JavaScript more extensively in Windows software development stems from several factors. Firstly, there’s a significant investment in existing codebases and developer expertise in languages like C++ and C#. These languages offer direct access to Windows APIs and better performance for system-level operations.
Additionally, JavaScript’s interpreted nature can lead to slower execution compared to compiled languages, which is crucial for resource-intensive applications. While tools like Electron have made JavaScript-based desktop apps more viable, they often come with higher memory usage and less efficient resource management.
Moreover, enterprise clients often prefer solutions built with Microsoft’s officially supported technologies, which traditionally haven’t centered around JavaScript. This ecosystem lock-in makes it challenging for JavaScript to gain widespread adoption in Windows-specific software development.