Discord is cutting memory usage and speeding up boot times
Discord will replace its Electron-based desktop client with a Rust-based version, cutting memory usage from over 500 MB to 290.2 MB and reducing boot times from six seconds to one.
Discord’s desktop client currently consumes over 500 MB of RAM, prompting the company to transition from Electron to Rust for efficiency gains. The shift aims to address performance issues linked to Electron’s Chromium-based overhead. Discord’s CTO, Stanislav Vishnevskiy, confirmed the move, stating the new client will eliminate Electron and React Native while retaining native mobile UIs but sharing code with desktop via Rust.
The new client leverages GPUI, a Rust framework, with Discord applying proprietary patches to optimize performance further. Vishnevskiy demonstrated the client running at 290.2 MB of memory usage, a significant reduction from the current 500–785 MB range observed in testing. The company has not announced a public release date but plans to begin user testing soon.
Boot times are also expected to improve dramatically, with the new client launching in approximately one second compared to six seconds for the old version. Vishnevskiy showcased this difference on two laptops, though the company’s claims require independent verification. The changes are part of Discord’s broader effort to modernize its infrastructure, which already includes Rust-based voice technology.
The memory efficiency improvements come amid rising hardware costs driven by a global memory shortage. While the new client’s performance gains remain untested by third parties, software optimizations like this are seen as beneficial amid constrained resources. The shift reflects a broader industry trend toward more efficient programming languages to reduce system overhead.