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05 - Platform Comparison: Flutter vs Electron vs Qt

Context​

Hekaya Phase 2 requires a desktop application for macOS and Windows. This document compares platform options for the eventual WYSIWYG editor.

Note: Phase 1 is TypeScript-only (parser + CLI). The platform choice for Phase 2 informed the Phase 1 design (e.g., zero-dep parser for easy Dart porting).

Flutter​

Pros​

  • Cross-platform: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Web from single codebase
  • Performance: Compiles to native code; ~170 MB memory vs Electron's ~2.2 GB
  • Native feel: Custom rendering engine (Skia/Impeller) for consistent, smooth UI
  • RTL support: Built-in via TextDirection.rtl, Directionality widget, intl package
  • Text shaping: Uses HarfBuzz — same engine as Chrome, Firefox, LibreOffice, Android
  • Hot reload: Fast development iteration
  • Desktop maturity: Production-ready as of 2025 (SDK 3.26.0+), used by enterprises

Cons​

  • No existing Flutter screenplay editors — this would be pioneering
  • Rich text editor caveats: flutter_quill has RTL list bugs; super_editor is newer
  • Arabic diacritics edge cases: Known Flutter issues (#16886, #54529)
  • Learning curve: Dart is less common than JavaScript
  • Smaller desktop ecosystem compared to Electron's web ecosystem

RTL Assessment​

  • Native TextDirection.rtl support
  • flutter_bidi_text package for auto-detection
  • HarfBuzz handles Arabic letter shaping correctly
  • Known issues with diacritics in complex text spans

Rich Text Editors​

PackageRTLMaturityCustomization
flutter_quillPartial (list bugs)HighGood
super_editorYes (has RTL demo)MediumExcellent
appflowy_editorYesHighExcellent

PDF Generation​

  • pdf package: Recent RTL improvements, Arabic font support
  • Syncfusion Flutter PDF: Enterprise-grade, explicit PdfTextDirection.rightToLeft
  • Ligature support still imperfect in some packages

Overall Rating for Hekaya: 7.5/10​

Electron​

Pros​

  • Mature ecosystem: Web technologies (HTML/CSS/JS), vast npm library
  • Proven for editors: VS Code, Atom, Typora built on Electron
  • RTL: Browser-native dir="rtl" support, excellent BiDi
  • Rich text: Monaco editor, CodeMirror, ProseMirror, Tiptap all available
  • PDF: Can leverage server-side rendering or Puppeteer for HTML→PDF

Cons​

  • Memory: ~2.2 GB baseline (Chromium process)
  • Performance: ~20% slower than native; noticeable on older hardware
  • Bundle size: 150+ MB minimum
  • "Web app in a wrapper" feel: Not truly native
  • No mobile path: Desktop only (separate effort for mobile)

RTL Assessment​

  • Excellent — browsers handle BiDi natively
  • CSS direction: rtl well-supported
  • All major text editors (CodeMirror, ProseMirror) have RTL plugins

Rich Text Editors​

PackageRTLMaturityNotes
CodeMirror 6PluginVery HighCode editor, highly extensible
ProseMirrorYesVery HighDocument editor framework
TiptapYesHighBuilt on ProseMirror
MonacoPluginVery HighVS Code's editor

Overall Rating for Hekaya: 6.5/10​

(Lower due to memory/performance concerns for a writing app that should feel light)

Qt (C++)​

Pros​

  • Proven: Scrite (screenplay editor) uses Qt successfully
  • Native performance: Compiled C++
  • Excellent RTL: Qt has mature Arabic/RTL support (used in KDE on Arabic systems)
  • Cross-platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
  • Rich text: QTextEdit, QML TextArea are powerful

Cons​

  • C++ complexity: Harder to maintain, slower development
  • Licensing: Qt open-source (LGPL/GPL) has conditions
  • Smaller contributor pool: C++/Qt developers harder to find
  • No mobile path without significant effort
  • Build system complexity: CMake, Qt Creator dependency

Overall Rating for Hekaya: 7.0/10​

Comparison Matrix​

FactorFlutterElectronQt
PerformanceExcellentPoorExcellent
Memory usageLow (~170MB)High (~2.2GB)Low
RTL/ArabicGood (7/10)Excellent (9/10)Excellent (9/10)
Rich text editorsMedium (6/10)Excellent (9/10)Good (7/10)
Cross-platformAll (6 platforms)Desktop + WebDesktop
Developer experienceGood (hot reload)Great (web tools)Moderate
Bundle sizeMedium (~50MB)Large (~150MB+)Small (~30MB)
EcosystemGrowingMassiveModerate
Future mobileBuilt-inSeparate effortSeparate effort
PDF generationGoodGoodGood

Decision: Flutter​

Rationale:

  1. Multi-platform: macOS + Windows + future mobile from one codebase
  2. Performance: Writing apps should feel light and responsive; Electron's overhead is excessive
  3. Arabic text shaping: HarfBuzz (used by Flutter) is the gold standard
  4. TypeScript → Dart porting: TypeScript and Dart have similar type systems; parser ports cleanly
  5. Growing desktop maturity: Flutter desktop is production-ready and improving rapidly
  6. User preference: User expressed interest in Flutter specifically

Risks to mitigate:

  • Rich text editor: Evaluate super_editor early; prototype screenplay-specific formatting
  • Diacritics: Test thoroughly with Arabic text containing tashkeel
  • PDF: Use Syncfusion Flutter PDF for best RTL results

References​