A Discord Rust app is in the works to replace the Electron client that can easily hit 1GB of RAM or more in a few servers. Co-founder and chief technology officer Stanislav Vishnevskiy confirmed the rewrite on X on November 4, 2026, with desktop and mobile apps moving to Rust. An early Windows 11 build labeled Discord Phoenix was shown idling at 290.2MB of RAM.
Key Takeaways
- Discord is rewriting desktop and mobile clients in Rust, dropping Electron and React Native.
- An early Windows build called Discord Phoenix idled at 290.2MB of RAM.
- Vishnevskiy said the desktop UI uses GPUI, not Tauri.
- No release date yet; Discord hopes to put the client in user testing soon.
Why Discord Is Leaving Electron
Electron lets developers ship desktop apps with web technologies, and each install carries its own copy of Chromium. The Verge reported that Vishnevskiy called a full Rust client the holy grail. Discord has used the language since 2018 for infrastructure, voice tech, and parts of the current client.
“That means Electron goes away, and so does React Native, mobile keeps native UI but shares app code with desktop via Rust.”
Vishnevskiy wrote that on X, in the post The Verge quoted. Mobile keeps a native interface, while shared app code moves to Rust, so React Native goes away too. Discord has not published a formal announcement. He said the team hopes to get the client “into testing with users soon,” with no date attached.
What the Discord Rust App Uses Instead
Guesses assumed Tauri, which can still show a web interface through the operating system’s webview. Vishnevskiy rejected that on X. “And it’s not Tauri, it’s GPUI, so good guess everyone,” he wrote, as Windows Latest reported.
GPUI is the GPU-accelerated UI framework Zed Industries built for its Zed code editor, Hardware Busters explained, and that outlet said it draws the interface natively. Hardware Busters argued Discord is not swapping one browser engine for a lighter one, and is getting rid of the browser. That reading is the outlet’s, not a line Vishnevskiy posted.
The current client is enormous. Voice, video, screen sharing, overlays, rich embeds, and in-app activities all lean on web technology today. Windows Latest also understands the new app will skip the “Starting” screen, because it will not load Electron libraries, which should shorten launch times.
How Phoenix Compares on RAM
The 290.2MB reading is one early screenshot, not a finished benchmark. It does not say which servers or voice channels were open, or whether every current feature was present. Electron apps often look light at launch and grow across a long session with voice and screen sharing.
The gap versus today’s client is still wide in the figures outlets have published. Tech Prolonged said the same Task Manager image listed Chrome at 1,568.6MB and Notion at 932.5MB beside Phoenix.
| Client or reading | Reported memory |
|---|---|
| Discord Phoenix early Windows 11 build | 290.2MB |
| A few servers, current Windows app (The Verge) | Can easily hit 1GB or more |
| More than a few servers (Tech Prolonged) | Can pass 1GB |
| Idle Electron client, Windows Latest | 1-2GB |
| Normal usage, Discord employee on Reddit | Under 1GB |
| Restart test trigger | Exceeds 4GB |
| Chrome in the same screenshot | 1,568.6MB |
| Notion in the same screenshot | 932.5MB |
Windows Latest said its own Electron client uses 1-2GB even when idle, and climbs after a server opens. The Verge said you only have to participate in a few servers and RAM usage can easily hit 1GB or more. In a December 2025 Reddit post spotted by Windows Latest, a Discord employee wrote: “Yes, we’re testing a restart when memory exceeds 4GB (normal usage is <1GB).”
The company noted last year, via Windows Latest, that some users were seeing numbers “at least lower than before,” and that it was “seeing a 5% reduction in p95 memory so far, with more work to be done.” The same note said Discord had uncovered issues upstream at the platform, OS, driver, and hardware level, and had “worked closely with partners to provide stand-alone repros and ultimately fixes.” Windows Latest called the 4GB restart a band-aid.
What This Means If You Leave Discord Open
No release window, feature list, or download has been published. Until a test build reaches users, 290.2MB remains a figure from Discord’s own machine. Hardware Busters argued that even two or three times that idle number would still be a meaningful cut on a system with 16GB of RAM, where freed memory goes back to the game. That range is the outlet’s analysis, not a Discord forecast.
What Vishnevskiy has actually confirmed:
- Desktop drops Electron; mobile drops React Native and keeps a native UI.
- Phone and desktop are meant to share app code through Rust.
- The desktop interface is GPUI, not Tauri.
- User testing is hoped for soon, with no date set.
Hardware Busters expects third-party mods that hook into Electron to break, and a staged test before the current app is replaced. The outlet also said Teams, Slack, and WhatsApp’s desktop clients have taken the same memory criticism, and that a lean Discord would make their excuses harder to sustain if the rewrite ships without losing features. That case waits on a build users can actually run.
