01 - Introduction to Tauri
Tauri is a framework for building desktop apps with a web UI and a Rust backend.
Why Tauri
| Benefit | What it means |
|---|---|
| Small binaries | Usually much smaller than Electron apps |
| Native performance | Rust backend for heavy or sensitive logic |
| Security model | Explicit permissions and API boundaries |
| Web stack UI | Build UI with React, Vue, Svelte, or plain HTML/JS |
Tauri vs Electron (quick view)
| Area | Tauri | Electron |
|---|---|---|
| Runtime | System webview + Rust core | Bundled Chromium + Node |
| Typical app size | Smaller | Larger |
| Backend language | Rust | JavaScript/TypeScript |
| Security defaults | Strongly permission-oriented | Flexible, requires strict setup |
Where Tauri shines
- Productivity tools
- Internal business apps
- Utilities needing local file/system access
- Apps needing better startup time and lower memory
Example use case
A local notes app can use:
- Frontend for editor UI
- Rust command to save encrypted notes
- Filesystem plugin for persistence
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- Build and structure production Tauri apps
- Secure native capabilities correctly
- Test, package, sign, and release for multiple platforms