it seems ridiculous that we have to embed an entire browser, meant for internet web browsing, just to create a cross-platform UI with moderate ease.
Why are native or semi-native UI frameworks lagging so far behind? am I wrong in thinking this? are there easier, declarative frameworks for creating semi-native UIs on desktop that don’t look like windows 1998?
basically this comes down to time and money. if you’re a hobbyist, you have lots of options available, but they take time to learn and you probably already know html. if you’re a professional, developer time is more expensive than cpu cycles and you probably already employ a web developer. unless there’s a good reason, most people won’t learn an entirely new GUI toolchain.
Plus, on average web developers earn less. So if you can create your desktop application with a web tech-stack, that saves you money as a manager, which in turn increases your bonuses: You’re incentiviced to do that!