feat: Windows & Linux support - Tauri 🦀 | Wails 🐹 | Native Windows 🪟 | Native Linux 🐧

[productdevbook]

Summary

PortKiller currently supports macOS only with a native Swift/SwiftUI implementation. To expand to Windows and Linux users, we're open to multiple approaches!

Note: macOS will continue to use the native Swift version.

Proposal: Multiple Teams! 🚀

Why limit ourselves? We're open to different implementations - both cross-platform frameworks and pure native solutions. Let the community decide which gains traction!

This approach allows:

• Contributors to work with their preferred stack
• Real-world comparison between approaches
• True native experience on each platform (if desired)
• Everything in one monorepo for easier management

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Cross-Platform Teams

🦀 Team Tauri (Rust + Web)

Path: platforms/tauri/

Stack
Backend	Rust
Frontend	React / Vue / Svelte
Framework	Tauri v2
Platforms	Windows, Linux

Pros: Smallest bundle (~10MB), memory safety, built-in auto-updater
Cons: Rust learning curve, webview depends on OS

---

🐹 Team Wails (Go + Web)

Path: platforms/wails/

Stack
Backend	Go
Frontend	React / Vue / Svelte
Framework	Wails v2
Platforms	Windows, Linux

Pros: Go is easier, great for system ops, simple concurrency
Cons: Smaller ecosystem

---

Native Platform Teams

🪟 Team Windows (C# + WinUI)

Path: platforms/windows/

Stack
Language	C#
Framework	WinUI 3 / WPF
Platform	Windows only

Pros: 100% native Windows look & feel, best Windows integration, .NET ecosystem
Cons: Windows only, requires .NET knowledge

---

🐧 Team Linux (Rust + GTK4)

Path: platforms/linux/

Stack
Language	Rust
Framework	GTK4 (GNOME)
Platform	Linux only

Pros: True native Linux experience, integrates with GNOME, Rust safety
Cons: Linux only, GTK learning curve, KDE users may prefer Qt

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Repository Structure

port-killer/
├── Sources/                 # 🍎 macOS Swift app (existing)
├── platforms/
│   ├── tauri/              # 🦀 Cross-platform (Tauri)
│   ├── wails/              # 🐹 Cross-platform (Wails)
│   ├── windows/            # 🪟 Native Windows (C#/WinUI)
│   └── linux/              # 🐧 Native Linux (Rust/GTK4)
└── ...

---

Feature Parity Goals

All versions should implement:

• Port scanning (list all listening ports)
• Process information (PID, name, command)
• Kill process (graceful + force)
• System tray integration
• Favorites and watched ports
• Auto-refresh
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Auto-updates
• Dark/Light theme

Platform-Specific Commands

Feature	Windows	Linux
Port scanning	netstat -ano / Get-NetTCPConnection	ss -tlnp / netstat -tlnp
Kill process	taskkill /PID <pid>	kill -15 <pid> / kill -9 <pid>
System tray	✅ Native	✅ (varies by DE)

---

How to Contribute

1. Comment below with which team you'd like to join:
   • 🦀 Tauri (Rust + Web, cross-platform)
   • 🐹 Wails (Go + Web, cross-platform)
   • 🪟 Windows (C# + WinUI, native)
   • 🐧 Linux (Rust + GTK4, native)
2. Share your experience level with the respective stack
3. Once we have enough interest, we'll start development

Current Teams

🦀 Team Tauri

Contributor	Role
Be the first!

🐹 Team Wails

Contributor	Role
Be the first!

🪟 Team Windows

Contributor	Role
Be the first!

🐧 Team Linux

Contributor	Role
Be the first!

---

Let's build this together! 💪

[productdevbook]

🐧 Linux - I'm considering getting into this, but I'm not sure yet.

[poyotanp]

🦀 Tauri (or 🐹 Walis)
Hello! I am interested in this project.
I primarily use Linux as my main OS, and I have some experience with Rust and Go.
I would like to contribute to this project in some way, so is there anything I can do?

Also, I have a suggestion: How about separating all backend implementations (getting and killing processes, etc.) from the frontend, so that both CLI and GUI can use the same backend?
If both are implemented in Rust, the backend can be made into a single crate, and we can also consider ways to communicate with the backend using IPC such as D-Bus.

[productdevbook]

https://x.com/owengsmt/status/2002189150037172278

What do you think about this comment?

[poyotanp]

I first thought of BSD, but it seems that Golang (and Rust) also support BSD.
Although I only have a little knowledge in both languages, so I can't be sure, but I think the only ones that don't support it are RTOS like Zephyr.

[poyotanp]

Implemented a linux port scanner. ( #58 )
The test code is a bit lengthy because the user field, which is mandatory, cannot be directly obtained from the ss command.

[productdevbook]

I tweaked it a bit and now it works 100% with macOS.

[productdevbook]

I didn't like the RAM usage connection between Rust and macOS. I failed at this. If anyone wants to try, please start from scratch.

[dinesh-kondapalli]

Hi!

I've implemented a native Windows version of PortKiller using WPF and pushed it to the feat/windows-native-support branch.

Branch: https://github.com/dinesh-kondapalli/port-killer/tree/feat/windows-native-support

Key features implemented:

• Native WPF UI with main window and mini mode
• Real-time port monitoring using netstat
• Process killing with admin privilege handling
• Watched ports and favorites support
• System tray notifications
• Settings persistence

Note: Tunnel management features are not included in this initial implementation.

The code is ready for review. Please check it out!

Thanks!

[productdevbook]

This is a great start. 🚀

[HazelHorse17]

Hello for the team Linux would consider a swift + avalonia but If you not like it I could consider the proposed rust + GTk

[productdevbook]

I tested the rust and interface, but it's consuming an incredible amount of RAM ~300 MB. It would be great if someone could do a small test and enter the MVP.