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Discord is testing a Windows client built with Rust and GPUI as an alternative to its Electron app. A video shared by Discord’s co-founder shows the new client loading faster, while an early Task Manager reading showed 290.2MB of RAM with two accounts signed in; the comparison is not a controlled benchmark.
Discord has shown a Windows client built with Rust and GPUI opening faster than its current Electron app in a video shared by co-founder and CTO Stanislav Vishnevskiy. The clip also showed the new client, listed in Task Manager as Discord Phoenix, using 290.2MB of RAM with two accounts signed in, but Discord has not published a controlled, like-for-like comparison.
The roughly 15-second video, posted by Vishnevskiy and shared by Discord’s official account, shows the existing app launched first on one ThinkPad and the new client launched about a second and a half later on another. In the clip, the older app displays a blank window and then a loading tip. The Rust client’s window appears in about a second; its friends list is visible before the existing client finishes loading.
Discord employees said both applications were launched from a cold start, rather than the new one being resumed from the system tray. Coral, who leads audio and video at Discord, said the speed of the new architecture meant the team no longer needed a “Starting” screen. The client updates in the background, Coral said, though the employee added that it does not currently use the Microsoft Store or Windows Update Orchestration Platform for updates.
Vishnevskiy said the 290.2MB memory reading included two active accounts. The figure is an observation from an early build, not a published benchmark. Windows Latest reported that the Electron app often used 1GB to 2GB of RAM on its own machines; Discord has not supplied a matched test showing both clients under identical conditions.
What the Rewrite Could Change
If the performance shown in the clip holds up in broader testing, the new client could reduce the time Windows users wait for Discord to open and the memory the app occupies. That would matter most to people who keep chat open alongside games, browsers, or other demanding software, and to users who run more than one account at a time.
The comparison also gives app developers a visible example of the trade-offs involved in choosing a desktop framework. Electron lets teams build interfaces with web technologies, but includes Chromium and Node.js components. Discord’s move to Rust and a GPU-rendered interface changes the underlying architecture; it does not establish that every Windows app would be faster or use less memory after leaving Electron. Results will depend on each app’s design and workload.
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Discord’s Move Beyond Electron
Discord’s current desktop app uses Electron, which combines Chromium with Node.js to run web-based interfaces as desktop software. The company has also tried improvements within that framework. Windows Latest cited September patch notes saying an upgrade to Electron 42 reduced median CPU use by about 17%, while bringing a roughly 4% increase in median memory use.
The replacement uses GPUI, a Rust interface framework developed by the makers of the Zed code editor. Unlike Electron or Tauri, GPUI is described as rendering the interface directly with the GPU rather than using HTML for the desktop UI. Discord has used Rust in parts of its technology since 2018, according to the report. The company has not said in the supplied material when the new Windows client will be generally available.
“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
Limits of the Early Comparison
The video is a demonstration, not a controlled performance test. The machines’ full specifications, background processes, network conditions, and repeated-run results were not provided in the supplied report. The RAM figure is a single snapshot from an early build, and Discord has not released a like-for-like memory benchmark or detailed measurements of how the apps behave over time.
It is also unclear when the client will reach general availability, whether all current Discord features are present, and how its performance will vary across Windows hardware. Discord’s comments confirm that two accounts were active in the shown memory reading, but the supplied material does not establish how the new client compares with the Electron app when both are tested with the same account setup and workload.
Waiting for Public Testing
The next useful measure will be hands-on testing of the Rust client under matched conditions, including startup time, idle and active memory use, and performance with multiple accounts. Windows Latest said it plans to test the client when it gets access. Discord has not provided a release date in the material cited here, so the timing of wider testing and rollout remains unknown.
Key Questions
What did Discord’s video show?
It showed Discord’s Rust client loading its friends list before the existing Electron app finished starting. Discord employees said both apps were launched from a cold start.
How much RAM did the new client use?
Task Manager showed 290.2MB for Discord Phoenix while two accounts were signed in. That is an early-build snapshot, not a published benchmark under controlled conditions.
Is Discord replacing Electron with Tauri?
No. The report says Discord chose GPUI, a Rust interface framework, rather than Tauri. Tauri uses a system webview to display a web-based interface.
When will the Rust client be available to everyone?
The supplied source material does not give a general release date. Discord has shown the client, but its rollout schedule remains unclear.
Source: windowslatest.com
