Raincast, describe an app, get a tauri desktop app | Tauri Apps | Page 1

robust phoenix Mar 31, 2026, 8:34 PM

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Hey everyone! I've been working on Raincast, an AI-powered app generator that builds real, shippable Tauri 2 applications from natural language.

You describe what you want in plain English, and Raincast generates the full app: React frontend, Rust backend commands, and Tauri config. Not a mockup — a compiled, distributable binary.

What it generates:

Live preview with hot reload while building (no compilation yet)
One-click ship to a standalone binary

The interesting Rust bit: In dev mode, Raincast builds a proxy binary. It parses the generated Rust source using AST extraction to find every #[tauri::command] function, then generates a standalone CLI that dispatches to the same functions via stdin/stdout. So the preview behaves like the real app (file system, shell, system info all work) without compiling the full Tauri binary each time.

Install (macOS):

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tihiera/raincast/main/scripts/install-macos.sh | bash

Windows and Linux binaries on the releases page.
Links:

GitHub: https://github.com/tihiera/raincast/releases
Landing page: https://raincast.app

Would love feedback from the Tauri/Rust community, especially on the proxy binary approach and the generated Rust command patterns.

One question: Has anyone explored embedding a Rust compiler (or a subset of it) inside a Rust binary so that end users can compile generated apps without needing a separate Rust toolchain installed?

robust phoenix Mar 31, 2026, 9:47 PM

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@faint comet can you tell me what is wrong in what I did ?
Is it promoting app builder the issue?

I built that app for my nephew so he doesn’t to pay for a game he built by just describing what he want

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This is what he crafted … a normal dev will not use this tool, but he can use this tool, he doesn’t know how to use Claude code

faint comet Mar 31, 2026, 9:58 PM

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Using AI and making apps that encourage AI is just really gross and unethical imo

robust phoenix Mar 31, 2026, 10:04 PM

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Oh i see, that is fair

midnight kernel Mar 31, 2026, 11:21 PM

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robust phoenix This is what he crafted … a normal dev will not use this tool, but he can use th...

As long as no one has to try and maintain the code it generates, I can see it as a great prototyping tool.

robust phoenix Mar 31, 2026, 11:27 PM

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midnight kernel As long as no one has to try and maintain the code it generates, I can see it as...

Thanks… basically I use it as preview in another screen while writing using Claude code

midnight kernel Apr 1, 2026, 4:22 AM

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robust phoenix Thanks… basically I use it as preview in another screen while writing using Clau...

I think you wanted to make something that would let people who are not developers still be able to build something.

robust phoenix Apr 1, 2026, 8:14 AM

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Yes for non developer.. and that is why I need to embed a mini rust compiler in the binary

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And the challenge, is the compiler has to be less than 100Mb

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Now I’m playing with llvm

shy jasper Apr 2, 2026, 3:16 PM

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I think you're off to a great start. It may be better to have a collapsible/expandable sidebar for the projects instead of the time icon. You should also add the ability to use codex/cc instead of just api.

robust phoenix Apr 2, 2026, 4:34 PM

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yeah

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i consider changing it top, it is annoying... everytime going up to click
you can use codex too, and claude code or gemini cli

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robust phoenix Apr 2, 2026, 4:36 PM

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shy jasper I think you're off to a great start. It may be better to have a collapsible/exp...

how would you like it, to bring the "open" in the top ?

shy jasper Apr 2, 2026, 4:39 PM

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i would say something like this, something not so hidden. naming projects would be nice as well instead of it just creating a new one throw a popup in there to name it.