Teams could be moving away from Electron for its desktop app

A web-based version of Teams could result in faster loading times and better performance.

What you need to know

• Microsoft is reportedly working on a web-based version of Microsoft Teams.
• The app is codenamed "Maglev," and it reportedly performs better than the Electron version of Teams.
• The web-based app could potentially replace the current Teams app, though that's not confirmed at this point.

Screenshots and information about a new version of Microsoft Teams popped up over the weekend (via OnMSFT). The first details came from well-known leaker WalkingCat, who shared a link to Teams Alpha. To use that version of Teams, you need an internal Microsoft account, so you can't just download and test it. That being said, some people managed to get it working.

Twitter user Jesse Mikael Järvi appears to have gotten Teams Alpha to work and shared some insights about it on Twitter.

Performance is better with #EdgeWebView2 compared to the Electron pile of garbage. Native code would be a lot better tho. #MSTeams #MSTeamsV2 pic.twitter.com/1WlQiwLo4c

— Jesse Mikael Järvi (@jessejarvi) March 1, 2021

According to Järvi, the app's performance is better than the Electron version of Teams. Järvi notes that a version with native code would be even better, but that might not ever happen.

Microsoft has a doc about how Teams works, including how it's built on Electron. Being built on Electron allows Microsoft to develop Teams quickly in a way that works across platforms, but it's not the only way to see those benefits. That doc actually has a screenshot comparing the memory usage of the Teams Web app and the current Teams desktop app. The web app uses slightly more memory in that instance, though that could change in future versions of Teams.

According to WalkingCat, the app is codenamed Maglev. We don't have a release date or any more details about the app at this time. The new web-based version of Teams might replace the Electron version at some point, but that's only speculation at this time.

Microsoft Teams

Free at Microsoft Free at App Store Free at Google Play Store

Microsoft Teams allows you to collaborate with colleagues, upload files, send messages, and chat through video. It integrates with Office 365 and several other cloud services.