RustDesk: Rust core, Flutter shell

Not every pixel problem is a Dart problem. RustDesk keeps capture/encode/networking in Rust and uses Flutter as the interactive shell — a hybrid you should understand before you rewrite a native module in pure Dart.

Split of responsibilities

Concern	Home
Screen capture, codecs, relay	Rust core
Connection UX, settings, session UI	Flutter
OS integration	Platform channels / FFI

Steal this

1. Draw a hard boundary: hot UI loop vs hot data loop.
2. Prefer FFI for throughput; channels for infrequent events.
3. Keep session state outside widget trees.

Pitfalls

• Hybrid builds double your CI matrix.
• ABI and packaging for desktop installers are non-trivial.

If your app is UI-heavy, Flutter alone may suffice. If it is pipeline-heavy, copy RustDesk’s boundary, not necessarily Rust itself.

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Originally published on FlutterCook. Read the latest version there — that copy is the one kept up to date.