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Is compose desktop being abandoned by google? If y...
# compose-desktop
p
Is compose desktop being abandoned by google? If you search compose desktop on google, it redirects you to https://www.jetbrains.com/es-es/lp/compose-multiplatform/ and there, if you press on getting started it redirects you to https://www.jetbrains.com/help/kotlin-multiplatform-dev/compose-multiplatform-getting-started.html where as requiste for developing is listed Android Studio. They are not telling anywhere that you need Intellij IDEA if you wanna develop in Compose Desktop. What happened? some time ago when I started here, the first steps are more clear and specified that. Now it seems Compose Desktop is hidden or not correctly guided for starters.
v
Sadly you are right. I dont even go to their website if I need anything, I don't remember when I found answers there. You can start in IntelliJ new project and it offers you Compose Desktop, so maybe that's a good starting point for you.
p
Yes I know, I started compose desktop some time ago, but it is sad how this can happen. It is being abandoned? how can new people start using compose desktop if it is hidden or first steps for starting on compose desktop are not visible on the main website? Just can't understand what is happening.
Compose for desktop is probably my main objective for the future, because I like developing for desktop, and it's one of the main things that have motivated me to moved to kotlin. I hope it is not being abandoned
the potential it haves is very great
v
I dont think its abandoned. Quite the opposite. I think they are taking full direction on Multiplatform and everything else is put aside. Since multiplatform is also pretty much "live" development (at least that's how it seems, documentation is non existing. Even when there something is it's outdated. It's frustrating.
a
Compose Multiplatform, and Compose desktop is neither abandoned nor by Google. It’s being actively worked on by JetBrains, in collaboration with Google.
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There does seem to be room for improving our “Getting Started” page. We’ll look into it.
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Thanks for pointing it out.
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a
@Pablichjenkov fastest way to get into it is by using the KMP Wizard. Remove everything but keep Desktop. This should make a project you can run straight away https://kmp.jetbrains.com
p
alex, the problem is that in the starting guide web they are telling you that you must use Android Studio, and if you generate a compose desktop project with that online wizard, it supposedly won't open with Android Studio, but they are going to improve it as alexander told us, great.
bytheway I'm not pablichenko 😄
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a
weird. i am building an desktop app using the wizard and i am working on android studio
i guess you post is more about 'what is happening with the project' more than anything
p
you are building a compose for desktop app with android studio?
are you sure? AS don't let me start a compose for desktop project
a
what do you mean by it wont let you start?
try 
./gradlew run
it wont make a config for you
p
press on new project
which options do you see?
I only can see "phone, wear os, television, automotive"
a
the wizard creates the project for you. you dont need to create a new project on AS. You can open it via AS and then run the desktop app using 
./gradlew run
p
you mean that the play button doesn't start it? the debug button doesn't work too?
it seems that it is not the best way to develop for compose desktop, probably using intellij idea seems to be more confortable
a
it wont make a difference in IDEA or AS. the play button you are talking about is a ide configuration so you can run a command without typing. in this case it's 
./gradlew run
. try running the project once via the terminal and if it works, google how to create a config so you have your play button
g
IDEA and AS are virtually the same IDE. AS is just IDEA with a couple extra plugins and a handful of code tweaks. The fact that there isn't a run configuration for desktop out of box takes seconds to fix. To make the play button behave like you want, open the gradle menu on the right, go under composeApp -> Tasks -> Compose Desktop -> run Once you do that, click on the command in the top right and hit edit run configurations. Then name it and save it, It will stay and you can just hit the play button after that.
I think what you're seeing as others have echod isn't a deprecation, its the exact opposite of that where iOS is being embraced too and its not "compose desktop" it's compose multiplatform that supports everything. Using android studio makes sense, it's free and already has all of the features to use compose ready to go.
k
I do think the onboarding for desktop specifically could use more work to make it as clear as mobile/web. I understand desktop isn't the primary vehicle for a lot of users but still would be nice to have a bit more TLC on the desktop side
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g
I think JB should start a community drive for documentation updates. They're 100% focused on keeping up with compose upstream and adding new features for a project that is pretty incredible - the fact that you can run what was android's toolkit on iOS is impressive. And I'd want them to continue to stay 100% focused on features vs docs, however I do agree sometimes the documentation can be lacking. I bet a lot of people in the community would lend some time to write docs for stuff and then all they'd have to do is review it, versus spending the time to write it from scratch.
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c
Tooling support for Compose Multiplatform in general in Android Studio is inherited from IntelliJ Community and/or through the KMP/CMP plugin. The Compose tooling in Android Studio is focused on Android because that is our priority at this time.
However, we ourselves are invested in Compose Desktop as we’re using it to build features: https://www.droidcon.com/2023/11/15/meet-jewelcreate-ide-plugins-in-compose/
Our current workflow is using IntelliJ to build Android Studio
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