Desktop app vs. web/browser version?

[Stephen_S]

Hi,
I’m trying to figure out if there are any significant differences between using the downloadable desktop app (for Windows) and just using Airtable in a browser (such as Chrome) and any advantages to using one over the other? So far (admittedly with only a little testing), I haven’t really found any except for having menu command available in the desktop app.

I did see the web page, What are the differences between the desktop and mobile versions of Airtable? It seems there that “mobile” is synonymous with “browser,” but maybe not?

Thanks,
Stephen

[Justin_Barrett]

The desktop and web versions should be identical, but the mobile version isn’t just loading the web version in a browser. It’s a completely different application coded specifically for a mobile device.

[M_k]

Hi @Stephen_S

Also, keep in mind that not all the field types will be available in the mobile version nor other base features.

So, it depends on what field types and features you will need and how often. Also, if you can work with some of the limitations that comes with the mobile version. Although, you can easily work with the desktop version, too. So it’s not one version (mobile or desktop) only, that you can work with.

I, for example, use mostly the mobile version, but if I have to do any formulas, which are not very many, I work with the desktop version. Then I just go back working with the mobile version, once the formula is setup.

Hope this helps.

Mary Kay

[Richard_Kelly]

A question when using the mobile can I synchronize the database into my web browser version…?

[M_k]

Hi @Richard_Kelly

Thank you for the reply.

Actually your database will be the same one. When accessing a database, it’s interchagable between the mobile version and the the desktop version. The only difference is whether you use the mobile or desktop version and there a few limitations with the mobile version. But, you can easily have access to all fileld types and features with the desktop version for the same database.

Hope that helps to explain things a bit more.

Mary Kay

[Stephen_S]

Justin and Mary Kay, thanks for the replies. They help clarify things for me.

I ask this next question purely out of curiosity—there’s no issue here. My own experimenting so far has confirmed what Justin wrote, that the desktop app and web versions are almost identical, but that makes me wonder why Airtable invested the effort of creating the desktop app?

Stephen

[A_T1]

I am curious about this too. Anyone can answer this question?

[Justin_Barrett]

@A_T1 Which question are you referring to? There have been several questions asked in this thread.

If you’re asking about the question immediately before your comment:

Stephen_S:

that makes me wonder why Airtable invested the effort of creating the desktop app?

As far as I know the desktop app requires almost no development time. It’s essentially an application shell that contains the core features of a web browser, and it’s just loading the web version of the app into that shell. I forget the name of the specific app-wrapper that is used in this case (someone in another thread commented on it a few weeks back, but I can’t recall the name), but it’s designed to streamline the development of standalone apps that are based on web apps. If you’re concerned that significant time is being put into the desktop app and taking away from other development efforts, that’s not the case.

[A_T1]

I get it!
So they are really really identical.