Should I switch to Defold from Godot?

[yvantot]

After building a fully-functional application in Godot, I’m surprised by its drawbacks.

• The node system. It’s a mess. I understand the simplicity, but when you want to do something complex, you need to build it with a f-ton of simple nodes to achieve the desired functionality, which will result to an unforgivable visual. I understand that you can use scenes, but it’s the same s.
  
  
• How you can use nodes. It’s problematic and straight up insanity. This is worse than manipulating DOM with JS.
  
  
• The project export size. It’s so f-huge. I don’t understand why it needs 80 mb for a simple CRUD app. I reuse functions, no waste allocation of resources, DRY principle, my project setting is in a “low-performance-mode” because it’s an app and not a game, but it still clocks at 80 MB! I barely even use images.

After seeing Defold’s export size, I was awed. But I’m not sure if I should migrate here. Does Defold solve these problems?

[Chung_Xa]

Godot has built-in ready-to-use components for UI while Defold has just GUI nodes and you have to add some external libraries to make it work as UI component. That’s why Defold is smaller in size, you just add what you need.

[Wolfe2x7]

I used Godot for 3.5 years before giving it up in favor of Defold. I appreciate Defold’s relative minimalism, and constructing up from a solid base. Regarding your second question, Defold uses a namespace and messaging system that simplifies accessing objects or components that are known at compilation to be local to a script.

The engine’s underlying preference is to allocate all the memory it needs ahead of time.

The building blocks of Defold

[britzl]

@yvantot

After building a fully-functional application in Godot

@Chung_Xa

Godot has built-in ready-to-use components for UI while Defold has just GUI nodes and you have to add some external libraries to make it work as UI component

Since you mention that you are building an application and not a game I think there’s reason to really look more closely at what you want to build. Like @Chung_Xa writes, Defold does not have an advanced UI system. Not at all like what Godot has (I think the Godot editor is written in Godot?). If you want to build a complex user interface you need to use a 3rd party tool. If you want to build a user interface for games I can really recommend Druid - Component GUI Framework. If you wish to build a really advanced UI, more like an application then perhaps look at the Dear ImGUI extension or the defold-nuklear extension.

@Wolfe2x7

I appreciate Defold’s relative minimalism, and constructing up from a solid base.

Defold is also pretty different from Godot in many other ways and we have a comparatively small engine core providing low level functions. You either roll your own, or use an assets, to create many kinds of more high level features. You can learn a bit more about the Defold philosophy here: Why Defold?