discordAug 11, 2026

Discord Update: August 11, 2026 Changelog (opens in new tab)

Discord’s August 11, 2026 update focuses on profile customization, safer content discovery, and improved social features. It also expands Discord to Meta Quest, adds desktop game embeds, and continues a broader settings redesign. Behind the visible features, Discord upgraded its desktop client to Electron 42, bringing modest CPU improvements. ### Profile and Social Features - Desktop users can format their bios with a WYSIWYG editor instead of memorizing Markdown. - Profiles can now be set to private and shown to everyone, only members of smaller servers, or only friends. - Friend requests can include a note explaining why the request was sent. - New profile Frames are available in the Discord Shop for additional customization. ### Spoiler Channels - Servers can create spoiler text channels that require members to confirm they want to view the content. - This provides an alternative to marking an entire channel as Age Restricted. ### Game Sharing and Meta Quest - Desktop users can mention games with commands such as `@game Palworld`. - Discord embeds the selected game in the message when it has a Discord profile. - Mobile support for game mentions is planned. - Discord is now available on Meta Quest, allowing users to keep the app visible while using other VR experiences. ### Settings and Desktop Improvements - The settings redesign renames **Activity** to **Games & Apps**. - **Content & Social** is now called **Messaging Permissions**. - Related settings, including authorized apps, connections, operating-system-specific pages, and keybindings, have been consolidated. - Several settings pages received updated language and styling, including Data & Privacy and Activity Privacy. - The desktop app now runs on Electron 42, improving maintenance and providing incremental CPU-usage reductions. Discord’s update combines convenience features with ongoing usability and infrastructure work. Users interested in smaller fixes can consult Discord’s patch-note archive or the community bug megathread on r/DiscordApp.

electrondiscorddesktop-appmarkdown+3

discordAug 6, 2026

Discord Patch Notes: August 4, 2026 (opens in new tab)

Discord’s August 4, 2026 patch focuses on usability, reliability, performance, and interface cleanup across desktop and mobile. The update introduces another phase of the User Settings redesign and upgrades the desktop client to Electron 42, producing modest CPU improvements. Most remaining changes are bug fixes for overlays, profiles, themes, input fields, responsive layouts, and mobile rendering. ## User Settings Redesign and Performance - “Activity” has been renamed **Games & Apps**. - “Content & Social” is now **Messaging Permissions**. - Related options, including Authorized Apps, Connections, operating-system settings, and keybinds, have been consolidated. - Wording and styling were updated across Data & Privacy and Activity Privacy settings. - Discord’s desktop client now runs on **Electron 42**, improving maintenance and slightly reducing CPU usage. ## Desktop Fixes - Fixed email changes failing after CAPTCHA completion. - Resolved black screens caused by the game overlay when certain games were tabbed out. - Stabilized profile popouts that resized or jittered when game data loaded. - Fixed theme previews permanently changing the default theme. - Restored the ability to reposition the overlay chat widget and prevented overlay actions from grabbing images or opening dialogs in the wrong window. - Corrected activity-status issues when activity detection was disabled. - Fixed custom theme switching after using the theme editor. - Improved server selectors and long dropdowns, preventing selections from reverting or scrolling back to the top. - Corrected invite validation after users left a server to make room under the server limit. - Restored access to main profiles when users also had private per-server profiles. - Fixed numerous layout and interaction issues involving coachmarks, modal positioning, focus rings, close buttons, profile cards, and resized windows. - Improved truncation for long server names, connection names, custom statuses, and other profile text. - Fixed visual defects involving badges, gradients, phone verification fields, wishlist cards, and game-shop modals. - On Linux, Stable and Canary clients now use distinct window classes so taskbars and window managers group them correctly. ## Mobile Fixes - Improved Android game-profile scrolling performance and reduced dropped frames. - Fixed clipped profile controls on iPad. - Resolved an Android gesture issue that could leave the You Bar on a blank screen. - Fixed server icons failing to render after returning from picture-in-picture mode. - Corrected iOS name-style effects such as “Toon” and “Pop” when status text was present. - Prevented multiline pastes from expanding single-line fields such as nicknames, server names, and role names. - Fixed clipped game titles in the Active Now card, especially on iPad and with larger text sizes. - Improved display of long connection links on Android and iOS profiles. - Corrected mismatched colors on Android’s Server Boosts page in Light theme. - The provided patch notes end during an additional Android fix concerning the last friend in a list. The changes are merged but may still be rolling out across individual platforms. Users experiencing remaining issues are directed to Discord’s community-run bimonthly bug megathread.

electrondiscordandroidios+3

gitlabMay 4, 2026

How to detect and prevent Contagious Interview IDE attacks (opens in new tab)

Contagious Interview attacks abuse VS Code’s automated tasks to execute malware when victims open a malicious repository and trust its workspace. GitLab developed low-level EDR detections around `node-pty`’s `spawn-helper`, allowing it to identify hidden background process execution while avoiding normal interactive developer activity. The article recommends combining runtime detection with IDE configuration hardening. ## The Contagious Interview Attack Path - North Korean threat actors use fake job interviews to persuade targets to download and review malicious code repositories. - Repositories can include a `.vscode/tasks.json` file configured to run automatically when the folder opens. - After the victim grants workspace trust, the task executes without obvious interaction. - Example payloads: - Detect the operating system. - Download a platform-specific second-stage payload. - Pipe it directly into `bash`, `sh`, or `cmd` using patterns such as `curl | bash`. - Resulting malware may steal passwords and cryptocurrency, deploy infostealers, and establish persistence for abuse of corporate access. ## Low-Level Detection with `spawn-helper` - GitLab looked below the VS Code layer because similar attacks can affect VS Code forks and other Node- or Electron-based IDEs. - VS Code uses the popular `node-pty` library to launch subprocesses. - `node-pty.spawn()` invokes a `spawn-helper` binary, which becomes a child process of the Node application. - This makes `spawn-helper` a useful operating-system-level signal for background task execution. ## Reducing False Positives - GitLab used Purple Team exercises to reproduce the attack and reviewed EDR telemetry. - Background VS Code tasks use `spawn-helper`, while foreground interactive processes such as the integrated terminal use a Code Helper binary. - Detections can therefore focus on processes launched invisibly, without user interaction. - GitLab further tuned alerts to identify suspicious commands such as background `curl | <shell>` execution rather than flagging every automated task. - The resulting detection produced no false positives despite widespread VS Code usage internally. ## Additional Prevention Measures - Runtime EDR monitoring is only one layer of defense. - Organizations can proactively harden their fleets by deploying global VS Code configuration that disables automatic task execution. - Combining IDE restrictions with process telemetry and behavioral detection provides broader protection against malicious repository-based attacks. Organizations should disable automatic task runs where practical and monitor low-level subprocess behavior, especially invisible `spawn-helper` executions that download or pipe remote content into a shell.

electronnode.jsthreat-intelligencevisual-studio-code+4

githubApr 15, 2026

Build a personal organization command center with GitHub Copilot CLI (opens in new tab)

Brittany Ellich built a personal organization command center to reduce the friction of switching between numerous apps. Using GitHub Copilot for planning and implementation, she created a working first version in one day. Her experience suggests that AI-assisted development makes it easier to turn everyday frustrations into practical, customized tools. ## The Problem: Digital Fragmentation - Brittany wanted to consolidate information scattered across roughly a dozen applications. - Her goal was a calm, visual workspace suited to her learning style and the way she organizes information. - The project became a personal command center for bringing disparate work and productivity tools together. ## Planning and Building with AI - Brittany uses a “plan-then-implement” workflow. - During planning, Copilot interviews her about requirements and behavior until they form a sufficiently detailed plan. - Copilot then implements the system based on that plan, reducing guesswork and making development smoother. - The first version was completed in a single day alongside her normal work. ## Her Development Workflow - She uses VS Code Agent Mode for synchronous work, generally running up to two non-competing agent workflows. - She uses Copilot Cloud Agent for asynchronous, well-scoped tasks such as bug fixes and technical-debt cleanup. - This division lets her focus personally on work requiring close oversight while agents handle lower-risk background tasks. ## Technology Stack - **Electron** for the cross-platform desktop application. - **React** for the interface, components, and state management. - **Vite** for development tooling and hot module replacement. - **Tailwind CSS** for styling. - **WorkIQ MCP and CLI** for accessing Microsoft 365 data, including calendar information. - The application also uses ElevenLabs for its voice assistant. Although Brittany had wanted to build an Electron app, she learned relatively little about Electron because Agent Mode handled most of the implementation. She later simplified the repository manually to make it suitable for public release, noting that agents tend to add code more readily than remove it. ## Getting Started The project is available as the open-source `command-center-lite` repository. Running it requires Node.js 18 or later, GitHub Copilot CLI for WorkIQ setup, a Microsoft 365 account for calendar synchronization, and an ElevenLabs account for voice features. The broader recommendation is to start building solutions for small, personal problems. AI tools can accelerate both learning and implementation, making experimentation with unfamiliar technologies far more accessible.

electronreactmcpgithub-copilot-cli+3

discordDec 15, 2025

Discord Patch Notes: December 8, 2025 (opens in new tab)

Discord’s December 8, 2025 patch focuses on faster uploads, quicker video playback, a redesigned Desktop User Settings experience, and broad reliability improvements. Major infrastructure updates include resumable media uploads, Rust-based retry logic, and CDN changes that substantially reduce video startup latency. The release also contains numerous desktop, mobile, chat, localization, and UI bug fixes. ## Uploads, Performance, and Settings - Media uploads now support resuming after interruptions, which is especially useful for large files. - New Rust-based retry logic reduced upload latency by about 15% overall: - iOS: 21% faster - Android: 10% faster - CDN configuration changes improved video embed startup times: - P90 latency fell from 600 ms to 275 ms. - P95 latency fell from 1,250 ms to 658 ms. - Rare cases involving videos taking up to 40 seconds to start were also addressed. - Desktop User Settings received a redesign intended to make options easier to find, with metrics indicating improved usability. ## Platform and General Improvements - Mobile apps upgraded from React Native 0.78 to 0.81.4. - Desktop upgraded to Electron 37. - Server Hub search is now more performant, particularly for hubs connected to more than 50 servers. - Linux clients no longer display duplicate titlebars. - Various desktop rendering issues were fixed, including stray white pixels, incorrect scrollbars, spacing problems, and MacOS traffic-light alignment. - Server folders, unread channels, invite searches, profile previews, and image previews received multiple correctness fixes. - Emoji Studio now properly re-centers images when using Reset Image. - Search in Settings no longer produces empty categories for certain queries. - Several localization issues were corrected, including “Edit Profiles” and “Search in DMs.” - Users can now dismiss the Upcoming Events banner in voice channels. - Event invites, event popouts, custom-location sharing, and event Join buttons were repaired. - Android and iOS fixes address server folders, server lists, nameplates, role settings, and profile customization controls. ## Chat and Messaging Fixes - Multiline typing in the Desktop Message Forward interface no longer causes visual shifting. - Spoiler timestamps now render correctly before content is revealed. - Mobile fixes improve message-row sizing, reply navigation, forum interactions, and thread rendering. - Android code blocks once again use monospace formatting. - Sticker Picker and Emoji Picker navigation now behaves correctly on Android. - Scrollbars remain interactive when thread previews are present. - Inbox navigation to thread-creation messages has been fixed. - Forum post search no longer includes excessive blank space. - Additional iOS fixes address swiping to reply, navigating to message replies, and displaying the thread spine connecting avatars to threads. Overall, the update combines meaningful performance improvements with a large collection of visual and interaction fixes. Users who depend on large uploads, embedded video, mobile chat, or Desktop settings should benefit most, though the changes may continue rolling out across platforms.

electronandroidiosrust+4

discordJun 12, 2025

Discord Patch Notes: June 3, 2025 (opens in new tab)

Discord’s June 3, 2025 patch focuses on performance, reliability, media playback, and cross-platform consistency. Major improvements include ARM infrastructure migration, faster video startup, better mobile image compression, persistent voice-message playback, and early adoption of shared Rust components. The release also includes framework upgrades and a broad set of UI, navigation, billing, accessibility, and platform-specific bug fixes. ## Infrastructure and Performance - Discord is migrating parts of its infrastructure to ARM hardware. - The change has reduced per-core load and improved latency. - ARM machines also lower energy consumption. - Keyframe-generation changes reduced video and stream startup latency by more than 10% on average. - Discord migrated one core store to a shared, multi-platform Rust implementation. - Early results showed improvements in memory and CPU usage, crashes, and other reliability metrics. - More stores and APIs are planned for migration. - Desktop clients were upgraded to Electron 35. - Mobile clients moved to React Native 0.78, while all clients upgraded to React 19, with incremental performance improvements and no significant regressions. ## Voice, Images, and App Links - Voice messages on desktop and web now support playback-speed controls. - Playback position is preserved when users close the app or navigate away. - Mobile image compression now adapts to source resolution. - Lower-resolution images receive higher-quality embeds. - Median upload latency has decreased across platforms. - Discord revamped app-link handling to resolve Android linking failures and improve compatibility with modern apps. ## General Bug Fixes - Fixed an iOS Billing Settings issue involving an empty entry field and moved Manage Nitro to the top of the page. - Fixed Android poll results that could not be swiped horizontally. - Soundboard uploads now work correctly in Firefox. - Corrected mobile profile scrolling that exposed blank space. - Fixed multi-line status rendering, Custom Status emoji alignment, and unreadable light-mode text. - Starting a Desktop settings search with “M” no longer freezes the application. - Mac popouts now correctly render Unicode emojis in full-screen mode. - Fixed duplicate server entries caused by lurking through Discovery. - Corrected server settings save prompts, profile badge previews, folder rendering in Safari, and profile banner updates on iOS. - Fixed Soundboard picker placement, event-link copying, Shop navigation, 2FA login-state messaging, and Expression Picker spellcheck replacement. - Removed a redundant Linux title bar and corrected channel-list alignment for servers with many channels. - Profile edits now prompt consistently for saving across platforms. - Fixed stale forwarding-search results, invite-modal corner rendering, light-mode member text, overlay popups, privacy-page dividers, folder mention badges, and stream-invite display names. - Improved Discovery scaling for different window sizes. - Fixed “Go to Shop” links from avatar decoration and profile-effect previews. - Corrected rendering issues involving passkey backup codes and several additional interface elements. The changes had been merged but might still be rolling out by platform. Users encountering remaining issues can report them through Discord’s community bug megathread or test upcoming iOS builds through TestFlight.

electronreactandroidios+3

discordMar 10, 2025

Discord Patch Notes: March 11, 2025 (opens in new tab)

Discord’s March 11, 2025 patch focuses on reliability, media processing, sharing, and broad bug fixes across desktop and mobile. Major improvements include safer API deployments, more accurate HDR-to-SDR conversion, faster and more reliable Spotify embeds, a redesigned Android sharing flow, and an Electron upgrade. The release also addresses numerous issues affecting chat, profiles, search, notifications, emoji pickers, and mobile rendering. ## Reliability and Platform Improvements - Discord changed its API deployment strategy to isolate critical services and reduce the impact of reliability incidents. - Desktop clients were upgraded from Electron 33.0.0 to 33.4.0. - HDR-to-SDR tone mapping was improved for more accurate colors in HDR images and videos converted for SDR display. - Spotify embeds now have approximately: - 83% lower p95 latency - 88% fewer failures - Android’s share interface was redesigned to resemble Discord’s message-forwarding experience. - Fixes may continue rolling out across platforms after the patch’s publication. ## General Interface and Account Fixes - Fixed Soundboard previews that could loop indefinitely after an upload was canceled. - Improved iOS performance when opening search and collapsing long channel topics. - Restored functionality for favorited GIFs and corrected poll avatars to use server-specific profiles. - Fixed iOS animation rendering failures and inconsistent Rich Presence display in member lists. - Improved mobile modal, emoji picker, GIF picker, and keyboard behavior. - Corrected several profile, server profile, custom status, pop-out, and profile preview issues. - Fixed server creation, friend request notifications, invite-link dropdowns, and Add Friends interface problems. - Improved desktop User Management sizing, Server Settings search, and member-search placeholder text. - Corrected mobile and desktop alignment, padding, hover states, button sizing, and masked channel-topic links. - Fixed duplicate known-device entries during two-factor authentication setup. - Message reaction notifications should now respect Do Not Disturb on mobile. ## Chat and Messaging - Empty Group DMs no longer display undefined users. - Fixed Server Guide popups that could obscure message editing. - Improved truncation and reliability for typing indicators. - Fixed iOS reply views where message text or input could become hidden. - Android users can now rename Group DMs. - Corrected Android reply themes and Emoji Confetti menu rendering. - Closing an unread DM on mobile no longer leaves an empty unread space in the server list. - Deleted messages can once again be acknowledged, preventing stale notification indicators. - Corrected Android permission interactions between sending messages and creating threads. - Fixed 24px chat font sizing, mobile DM alignment, and missing “Mark as Read” or “Reply” notification actions. ## Activities and Apps - The patch also begins addressing Activity behavior on iOS, including an issue involving Activity open and close sounds; the supplied post ends before the full Activities and Apps section is provided.

electronandroidiosspotify+2

discordFeb 26, 2025

How Discord Seamlessly Upgraded Millions of Users to 64-Bit Architecture (opens in new tab)

Discord is transitioning its Windows desktop application from a 32-bit to a 64-bit architecture to improve performance and long-term stability. While the 32-bit version originally allowed for universal compatibility across diverse hardware with a single build, the growing demands of the application frequently push against 32-bit memory limits. By migrating to 64-bit, Discord ensures it can leverage modern hardware more effectively and remain compatible with the evolving ecosystem of its underlying software libraries. ### Initial Strategy and Compatibility * Discord originally launched as a web app in 2015 before moving to the desktop using the Electron web wrapper. * The decision to build a 32-bit executable for Windows was based on portability, as it allowed the app to run on both 32-bit and 64-bit processors through Microsoft's backwards compatibility layers. * Using a single 32-bit version simplified development during the application’s early stages while ensuring it worked on the widest possible range of machines. ### Memory Addressing Challenges * While 32-bit applications generally use less memory than their 64-bit counterparts, they are subject to a hard restriction on total memory usage. * Even when running on a 64-bit machine, Discord has encountered these architectural limits, leading to performance errors and application crashes. * Moving to a 64-bit architecture is the industry-standard solution for overcoming these memory bottlenecks and providing a more stable environment for resource-intensive features like the In-Game Overlay. ### Ecosystem and Future-Proofing * Discord is built on various core libraries, including Electron and WebRTC, which have transitioned to 64-bit as their default architecture. * As 64-bit becomes the global standard, 32-bit versions of these libraries receive fewer refinements, bug fixes, and security updates. * Staying on 32-bit would expose users to potential inefficiencies and unaddressed bugs as the community of developers maintaining 32-bit dependencies continues to shrink. Adopting 64-bit architecture allows Discord to align with modern development standards, ensuring the application remains resilient and performant as its foundational technologies continue to advance.

electronwindowswebrtcmemory-management+3

discordFeb 26, 2025

Discord Patch Notes: October 1, 2024 (opens in new tab)

Discord’s October 1, 2024 patch focuses on mobile performance, storage efficiency, usability improvements, and broad bug fixes. Android users should see smoother chat rendering and lower resource usage, while iOS users may benefit from substantially reduced data storage. The update also introduces desktop Soundboard improvements, macOS screen-sharing refinements, and Animated WebP support. ## Mobile Performance and Storage - Android chat rendering improvements reduced slow frames by up to 60%, depending on the device. - Android chat-list memory usage fell by approximately 12%, making scrolling through message histories smoother. - Mobile server-list virtualization keeps only visible servers loaded: - Memory usage improved by 14% for users in many servers. - CPU usage improved by 25%. - Mobile unread indicators now consistently appear above the correct message, even with many unread messages. - iOS data-store changes reduced storage usage for the most affected 1% of users from 5.7 GB to 1.7 GB. - Fixed iOS message search results beyond the first page and crashes involving certain NFC hardware keys. - Resolved tablet orientation-detection issues and several Android problems involving read states and mobile keyboards. ## New Features and Interface Updates - macOS screen-sharing startup now has a more consistent and streamlined interface. - Desktop received a redesigned Soundboard interface for easier sound navigation and interaction. - Web and desktop clients can now play Animated WebP attachments, offering smoother playback and potentially lower bandwidth usage. - Electron was upgraded to version 32, with expected incremental performance and crash-reduction benefits. - Pasting a URL over an existing link now properly replaces the original URL instead of creating unexpected Markdown behavior. - Activity Status now correctly displays PS5 games. - The green acceptance check mark has returned to friend-request notifications. ## Interface and Navigation Fixes - Corrected visual issues involving emoji pickers, GIF categories, profile status bubbles, avatar decorations, fonts, borders, and themed search filters. - Fixed navigation problems in GIF categories, the Shop, Friends UI, mutual-friend lists, and profile popouts. - Improved accessibility and navigation indicators so they are no longer cut off in several profile and list views. - Corrected layout issues in Student Hub, channel settings, server settings, Notification Center, and message requests. - Fixed Quests links, Server Guide icons, role expansion behavior, and the display of permission descriptions on mobile. - Restored functionality for the Toggle Overlay hotkey after switching applications with Alt-Tab. - Corrected several modal and popup layering issues, including stickers, Soundboard uploads, and quest cards. ## Reliability and Content Fixes - Fixed crashes when viewing deleted channels in Audit Log with ModView open. - Corrected poll countdown text as polls approach closure. - Member verification and rules-agreement indicators now reflect the correct state. - Fixed incorrect game-presence names appearing in Japanese. - Resolved issues with rate-limited or frozen GIF categories. - Corrected timeout duration display in moderation views. - Fixed profile customizations failing to load on the first Shop attempt. ## Chat Improvements - Fixed mobile chat layout issues, including the missing “Jump to Bottom” button and overlapping composer elements. - Android web embeds now scale correctly instead of cutting off image content. - Corrected message-height calculations and action-sheet handle placement. - Prevented Avatar Decorations from being clipped at the top of chat. Discord’s update is primarily a reliability and performance release. Users—especially those on Android, iOS, or with many servers—should benefit from smoother navigation, lower resource consumption, and fewer interface defects as the changes roll out across platforms.

electronandroidiosmarkdown+4

discordFeb 26, 2025

Discord Patch Notes: November 1, 2024 (opens in new tab)

Discord’s November 1, 2024 patch focuses on improving performance, reliability, responsiveness, and cross-device usability. Major updates include stronger foldable-device support, better mobile multitasking and side-by-side views, macOS screen-sharing keybinds, and website performance gains of up to four seconds in average page-load time. The release also fixes a broad range of interface, messaging, theming, and platform-specific bugs. ## Foldable Devices and Multitasking - Foldable devices receive improved support designed to work more reliably without bespoke fixes. - Mobile Discord now handles resizing more intelligently for Sidecar, split-screen, and other multitasking layouts. - Users are encouraged to report remaining foldable-device issues through Discord’s bug megathread or support tickets. ## Desktop and Web Performance - Electron was upgraded from version 30 to version 32 on Windows, macOS, and Linux. - Discord.com received performance improvements that reduce average page-load times by up to four seconds. - Additional core web vitals and responsiveness were improved. - macOS 15 and later now support a keybind for toggling screen sharing, available under **User Settings > Keybinds**. - Friend links opened in a browser now properly communicate with the running desktop client. ## General Interface and Platform Fixes - Fixed missing profile-screen actions, incorrect profile banner zoom, navigation-bar rendering issues, and mobile layout shifts. - Corrected avatar decoration overlap with unread-message status indicators. - Fixed notification bubble shapes, emoji-picker category navigation, theme colors, keybinding icon colors, and long category-name handling. - Improved profile banners and Server Guide text rendering on foldable devices and iOS. - Fixed issues involving onboarding prompts, the App Launcher, Mod View, channel permissions, and role assignment through Simplified Profiles. - Corrected Shop problems involving banners, scrolling, collection tile shapes, and app-button icon colors. - Poll answers can now be selected and copied. - Fixed overlay custom-emoji visibility, profile-effect controls, Nitro gifting padding, and collectible purchase wording. - X.com embeds no longer incorrectly interpret embed content as Markdown. - Fixed several mobile and desktop rendering problems, including channel settings flashes, emoji alignment, and profile layout behavior. ## Chat and Messaging - Corrected oversized emoji rendering in chat. - Fixed mobile Voice Message tooltips, input placement, and animation behavior. - Deleted messages should no longer briefly remain in mobile DM previews. - Fixed an iOS issue where drafts persisted between channels and another where text scaling changed after the keyboard collapsed. - Users can open profiles by clicking names in reply previews. - Prevented rapidly renaming a newly created thread from creating duplicate threads. - Fixed thread-creation theming issues and swipe actions during chat animations. - Corrected mobile notification settings appearing incorrectly in DMs. - Fixed iOS emoji alignment problems in messages. Overall, the patch is primarily a quality-of-life release: users should see better performance across web and mobile, more dependable support for foldables and multitasking, and fewer visual and interaction bugs.

electronandroidiosperformance-optimization+4

figmaMar 27, 2019

Updates to the Figma desktop app experience | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)

Figma’s March 2019 desktop app update focused on making the native experience more convenient and design-friendly. Users could make Figma links open directly in the desktop app, choose an sRGB color profile on macOS, and benefit from a more streamlined Windows interface. Together, these changes reduced workflow friction and created more usable canvas space. ## Opening Figma Links in the Desktop App - Figma URLs previously opened automatically in browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. - Users can now update the desktop app, click a Figma link, and select **“always open in the app.”** - This setting can be changed under a file’s preferences by disabling **“open links in desktop app.”** - Individual links can still be opened manually through the file menu when the browser remains the default. ## Color-Space Management on macOS - The Mac desktop app now allows users to choose between: - An unmanaged color profile based on the computer’s display settings - The sRGB color space - The sRGB option helps designers accurately evaluate web designs against the color appearance expected in browsers. - Windows support for color-space management was planned for a future release. ## Streamlined Windows Interface - Figma consolidated menu options and removed unnecessary interface elements. - The redesigned UI provides more room on the canvas for actual design work. - The update was intended to improve usability without changing the core desktop workflow. Figma recommended updating or downloading the latest desktop app to take advantage of these improvements, particularly for users who rely on desktop-based workflows or need more reliable color accuracy.

electronfigmadesktop-appmacos+3

figmaJun 28, 2017

Introducing BrowserView for Electron | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)

Figma introduced BrowserView for Electron to address the performance, stability, and feature bugs it experienced with `<webview>`. BrowserView embeds web apps at the operating-system window level, similar to Chrome tabs, allowing them to perform more like native Chrome content. Although it requires manual positioning and layering, Figma found the trade-off worthwhile and shipped it in Figma Desktop 2.0. ## Why Figma Chose Electron - Figma uses the web to make its design tools broadly accessible. - Its desktop app is built with Electron, extending the web experience to desktop platforms. - Figma had already improved performance through technologies such as WebGL and WebAssembly. - The company also contributed fixes and improvements to Electron and Chromium. ## Problems with `<webview>` - Electron commonly uses `<webview>` to embed remote web applications. - Unlike an iframe, a webview renders content in a separate process, improving security, stability, and performance. - Over time, Figma encountered: - Drag-and-drop bugs - Performance below that of Chrome - Other fundamental reliability issues - Because webview is implemented inside Chromium, fixing its underlying problems would require major Chromium changes. - Figma and Electron maintainers therefore chose to develop an alternative rather than continue waiting for Chromium fixes. ## How BrowserView Works - `<webview>` exists within the page’s DOM hierarchy. - BrowserView lives in the operating system’s window hierarchy, much like Chrome’s browser tabs. - This design benefits from the more mature and actively maintained code paths used for Chrome tabs. - BrowserView eliminates many webview-specific bugs. - Applications embedded through BrowserView can perform similarly to applications running directly in Chrome. ## Trade-offs and Adoption - BrowserViews cannot be positioned or layered using ordinary HTML and CSS. - Developers must manually manage their size, location, and stacking order. - This can be difficult for applications with complex interfaces. - For Figma, converting to BrowserView was relatively straightforward. - At the time of publication, BrowserView was experimental and still planned for further refinement. Figma recommends BrowserView as a promising replacement for `<webview>` when improved performance and reliability outweigh the added layout complexity.

electronwebassemblywebglchromium+3