TelegramSwift

Pros of tdesktop

• Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• More mature and feature-rich desktop client
• Larger community and more frequent updates

Cons of tdesktop

• Larger codebase, potentially more complex to contribute to
• Written in C++, which may have a steeper learning curve for some developers
• Heavier resource usage compared to Swift-based alternatives

Code Comparison

TelegramSwift (Swift):

func updateChatListFilters() {
    let filters = chatListFilters.filter { $0.id != 0 }
    genericView.tabsView.updateTabs(filters: filters, selected: chatListSelectedIndex)
    genericView.emptyTabsView.isHidden = !filters.isEmpty
}

tdesktop (C++):

void MainWidget::updateDialogsWidthAnimated() {
    if (!_dialogs || _dialogsWidth == _dialogsWidthAnimated) {
        return;
    }
    _dialogsWidthAnimated.start([this] { updateDialogsWidth(); }, _dialogsWidth, st::columnMinimalWidthMain);
}

TelegramSwift focuses on iOS development using Swift, while tdesktop is a cross-platform desktop client written in C++. tdesktop offers broader platform support and a more comprehensive feature set, but may be more complex to work with due to its larger codebase and use of C++. TelegramSwift, being Swift-based, might be more approachable for iOS developers but is limited to Apple platforms.

Pros of Telegram

• Written in Java, making it more accessible to a wider range of Android developers
• More mature and established project with a larger community and contributor base
• Includes features for both client and server-side implementations

Cons of Telegram

• Limited to Android platform, lacking cross-platform support
• May have a steeper learning curve for developers not familiar with Java
• Potentially slower performance compared to native Swift implementation

Code Comparison

TelegramSwift:

let chat = Chat(peerId: peerId)
let message = Message(text: "Hello, world!")
chat.send(message)

Telegram:

TdApi.Chat chat = new TdApi.Chat(chatId);
TdApi.Message message = new TdApi.Message("Hello, world!");
client.send(new TdApi.SendMessage(chat.id, message));

Both repositories provide implementations of the Telegram messaging protocol, but they target different platforms and use different programming languages. TelegramSwift is focused on iOS and macOS development using Swift, while Telegram is primarily for Android development using Java. The choice between the two would depend on the target platform and the developer's familiarity with the respective programming languages.

Pros of Telegram-iOS

• Official Telegram client, ensuring full feature support and timely updates
• Larger community and more active development
• Better documentation and support resources

Cons of Telegram-iOS

• More complex codebase, potentially harder for newcomers to contribute
• Stricter contribution guidelines and review process
• Larger repository size, which may lead to longer clone and build times

Code Comparison

TelegramSwift:

class ChatListController: ViewController {
    private let chatListInteraction: ChatListInteraction
    
    init(context: AccountContext) {
        self.chatListInteraction = ChatListInteraction(context: context)
        super.init(context: context)
    }
}

Telegram-iOS:

@interface TGDialogListController : TGViewController <UITableViewDelegate, UITableViewDataSource>

@property (nonatomic, strong) TGDialogListCompanion *companion;

- (instancetype)initWithCompanion:(TGDialogListCompanion *)companion;

@end

The code comparison shows that TelegramSwift uses Swift and follows a more modern, protocol-oriented approach, while Telegram-iOS uses Objective-C with a traditional delegate pattern. This difference in language and architecture may impact development experience and performance.

Pros of td

• Cross-platform support for multiple programming languages
• Official Telegram library with direct access to Telegram API
• More comprehensive and lower-level functionality

Cons of td

• Steeper learning curve due to C++ core and complex API
• Requires more setup and configuration compared to Swift-specific libraries
• May have higher resource usage for simple applications

Code Comparison

TelegramSwift:

let client = TelegramClient(apiId: YOUR_API_ID, apiHash: YOUR_API_HASH)
client.auth.login(phoneNumber: "+1234567890") { result in
    switch result {
    case .success(let user):
        print("Logged in as \(user.firstName)")
    case .failure(let error):
        print("Login failed: \(error)")
    }
}

td:

td::Client client;
td_api::setAuthenticationPhoneNumber request;
request.phone_number_ = "+1234567890";
client.send({1, std::move(request)});
// Handle response in a separate function

Summary

TelegramSwift offers a more Swift-friendly API with easier integration for iOS apps, while td provides a more versatile and powerful solution for cross-platform development. TelegramSwift is better suited for Swift developers focusing on iOS, whereas td is ideal for projects requiring deeper Telegram integration across multiple platforms.

Pros of Telethon

• Written in Python, making it more accessible for a wider range of developers
• Extensive documentation and active community support
• Supports both user and bot accounts

Cons of Telethon

• Limited to Python ecosystem, not suitable for native iOS/macOS development
• May have slower performance compared to native Swift implementation
• Requires additional setup for GUI applications

Code Comparison

Telethon (Python):

from telethon import TelegramClient, events

client = TelegramClient('session', api_id, api_hash)

@client.on(events.NewMessage(pattern='/start'))
async def start_handler(event):
    await event.reply('Hello!')

client.start()
client.run_until_disconnected()

TelegramSwift (Swift):

import TelegramSwift

let client = TelegramClient(apiId: apiId, apiHash: apiHash)

client.onNewMessage { message in
    if message.text == "/start" {
        message.reply("Hello!")
    }
}

client.start()
RunLoop.main.run()

Both examples demonstrate basic client setup and message handling, but TelegramSwift's code is more concise and integrated with Swift's syntax. Telethon offers more explicit event handling, while TelegramSwift uses a more callback-oriented approach.