How do I set up Sauron-native for a new project?

Start by cloning the repository, initializing git submodules, and exploring the example scripts like run_gtk.sh. Integration requires handling multiple backends and may involve complex setup due to the WIP nature.

Sauron-native vs Iced: which is better for Rust desktop apps?

Sauron-native offers a unified codebase for desktop, web, and terminal with native performance, while Iced is more mature and focused on desktop with a larger widget library. Sauron-native is better for cross-platform experiments, but Iced has better documentation and stability.

Does Sauron-native support mobile development?

The description mentions mobile, but the README's TODO list does not include mobile platforms; currently, it only supports desktop, web, and terminal backends, so mobile is likely not yet implemented.

What UI components are available in Sauron-native?

Core widgets like button, checkbox, text input, and layout containers are implemented, but advanced components such as scrollable and slider are still TODO, as per the README's widget list.

Is Sauron-native production ready?

No, the project is explicitly a work in progress with incomplete features and missing platform support, making it best for prototyping, contributions, or early adoption rather than production use.

How does state management work in Sauron-native?

It follows The Elm Architecture with a model-update-view pattern, where state is managed functionally through messages and updates, leading to predictable UI behavior and easier testing.

Open-Awesome

sauron-native

Apache-2.0Rust

A Rust UI library that provides truly native, cross-platform GUI applications with multiple backend support.

GitHub

626 stars15 forks0 contributors

What is sauron-native?

Sauron-native is a Rust UI library that enables developers to create truly native, cross-platform graphical user interfaces for desktop, mobile, and terminal applications. It extends the Sauron web framework and supports multiple GUI backends including GTK, HTML, and TUI, allowing a single codebase to target different platforms while maintaining native performance and appearance.

Target Audience

Rust developers building desktop applications, terminal tools, or web apps who want a unified UI framework that works across multiple platforms with native performance.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Sauron-native because it provides a single UI codebase that can target multiple platforms with truly native rendering, follows the predictable Elm Architecture pattern, and avoids the overhead of web-based cross-platform solutions while maintaining Rust's performance benefits.

Overview

Truly cross platform, truly native. multiple backend GUI for rust

Use Cases

Best For

Building desktop applications in Rust that need to run on both Linux and Windows
Creating terminal-based applications with a modern UI framework
Developing web applications that share UI logic with native desktop versions
Prototyping UI components that can be tested across multiple platforms simultaneously
Rust projects requiring consistent UI architecture across different deployment targets
Applications needing native performance while maintaining cross-platform compatibility

Not Ideal For

Projects targeting macOS, as support is explicitly listed as TODO and not yet implemented.
Applications requiring a comprehensive set of UI components out-of-the-box, since widgets like scrollable and slider are marked incomplete.
Teams needing a stable, production-ready framework without dealing with breaking changes or WIP instability.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Multiple Backend Support

Supports GTK, HTML, and TUI backends from a single codebase, enabling deployment across desktop, web, and terminal environments with native rendering, as shown in the example scripts.

Elm Architecture Pattern

Follows the functional, state-driven Elm Architecture inherited from Sauron, providing predictable state management and UI updates that simplify debugging and maintenance.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Runs on Linux, Windows, browsers, and terminals from one codebase, reducing development effort while maintaining native performance on each platform.

Native Performance

Delivers truly native GUI experiences on supported platforms, avoiding the overhead of web-based cross-platform solutions and leveraging Rust's efficiency.

Cons

Incomplete Widget Set

Many core UI components like container, scrollable, and slider are marked as TODO in the README, limiting out-of-the-box functionality and requiring custom work.

Missing Platform Support

macOS support is not yet implemented, as indicated in the TODO platforms list, making it unsuitable for projects targeting Apple devices.

Work in Progress

The project is labeled as WIP, leading to potential instability, breaking changes, and lack of production readiness, which may deter risk-averse teams.

Frequently Asked Questions

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