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Cross-Platform C++ GUI Library
JUCE is an open-source cross-platform C++ application framework for desktop and mobile applications, including VST, VST3, AU, AUv3, LV2 and AAX audio plug-ins.
Open source UI framework written in Python, running on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and iOS
Quick Overview
Qt5 is a comprehensive cross-platform application framework for developing software with graphical user interfaces (GUIs). It provides a rich set of libraries and tools for C++ developers, enabling them to create applications that run on various desktop, mobile, and embedded platforms.
Pros
- Cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and more)
- Extensive set of libraries and tools for rapid application development
- Strong community support and regular updates
- Powerful GUI creation capabilities with Qt Quick and QML
Cons
- Steep learning curve for beginners
- Large framework size, which can lead to increased application size
- Licensing complexities, especially for commercial use
- Performance overhead compared to native frameworks in some cases
Code Examples
- Creating a simple Qt widget application:
#include <QApplication>
#include <QLabel>
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QApplication app(argc, argv);
QLabel label("Hello, Qt5!");
label.show();
return app.exec();
}
- Using Qt Quick to create a basic QML application:
import QtQuick 2.15
import QtQuick.Window 2.15
Window {
visible: true
width: 640
height: 480
title: qsTr("Hello Qt5")
Text {
anchors.centerIn: parent
text: "Welcome to Qt Quick!"
}
}
- Handling user input with Qt widgets:
#include <QApplication>
#include <QWidget>
#include <QPushButton>
#include <QVBoxLayout>
#include <QMessageBox>
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QApplication app(argc, argv);
QWidget window;
QPushButton button("Click me!");
QVBoxLayout layout(&window);
layout.addWidget(&button);
QObject::connect(&button, &QPushButton::clicked, [](){
QMessageBox::information(nullptr, "Info", "Button clicked!");
});
window.show();
return app.exec();
}
Getting Started
To get started with Qt5:
- Download and install Qt from the official website: https://www.qt.io/download
- Choose the appropriate version for your operating system and development needs
- Install Qt Creator IDE along with the Qt framework
- Create a new project in Qt Creator:
- Select File > New Project
- Choose "Application" and then "Qt Widgets Application" or "Qt Quick Application"
- Follow the wizard to set up your project
- Write your code, build, and run the application within Qt Creator
For more detailed instructions and tutorials, refer to the official Qt documentation: https://doc.qt.io/qt-5/
Competitor Comparisons
Cross-Platform C++ GUI Library
Pros of wxWidgets
- Truly native look and feel on each platform
- Simpler licensing (wxWindows License)
- Smaller overall codebase and faster compilation times
Cons of wxWidgets
- Less comprehensive documentation and community resources
- Fewer advanced features and tools compared to Qt
- Less frequent updates and releases
Code Comparison
wxWidgets:
#include <wx/wx.h>
class MyApp : public wxApp {
public:
virtual bool OnInit();
};
IMPLEMENT_APP(MyApp)
Qt:
#include <QApplication>
#include <QMainWindow>
int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
QApplication app(argc, argv);
QMainWindow window;
window.show();
return app.exec();
}
Both frameworks provide similar functionality for creating GUI applications, but Qt offers a more modern and feature-rich approach with its signal-slot mechanism and extensive set of modules. wxWidgets, on the other hand, focuses on providing a native look and feel across different platforms with a simpler API.
While Qt has a larger ecosystem and more frequent updates, wxWidgets offers a lighter alternative with faster compilation times and a more permissive license. The choice between the two often depends on specific project requirements and developer preferences.
JUCE is an open-source cross-platform C++ application framework for desktop and mobile applications, including VST, VST3, AU, AUv3, LV2 and AAX audio plug-ins.
Pros of JUCE
- Specialized for audio applications and plugins
- Simpler learning curve for C++ developers
- More lightweight and focused framework
Cons of JUCE
- Less comprehensive UI toolkit compared to Qt
- Smaller community and ecosystem
- Limited cross-platform support beyond desktop operating systems
Code Comparison
JUCE example (creating a basic window):
class MainComponent : public juce::Component
{
public:
MainComponent() { setSize(400, 300); }
void paint(juce::Graphics& g) override
{
g.fillAll(juce::Colours::white);
g.drawText("Hello, World!", getLocalBounds(), juce::Justification::centred, true);
}
};
Qt example (creating a basic window):
#include <QApplication>
#include <QLabel>
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
QApplication app(argc, argv);
QLabel label("Hello, World!");
label.show();
return app.exec();
}
Both frameworks offer C++ APIs for creating graphical user interfaces, but JUCE is more focused on audio applications while Qt provides a more comprehensive toolkit for general-purpose application development. JUCE's code tends to be more concise for audio-related tasks, while Qt offers a wider range of widgets and tools for various application types.
Open source UI framework written in Python, running on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and iOS
Pros of Kivy
- Easier to learn and use, especially for Python developers
- Better support for mobile and touch-based applications
- More flexible and customizable UI design
Cons of Kivy
- Smaller community and ecosystem compared to Qt
- Less mature and fewer enterprise-level features
- Limited native look and feel across different platforms
Code Comparison
Kivy:
from kivy.app import App
from kivy.uix.button import Button
class MyApp(App):
def build(self):
return Button(text='Hello World')
MyApp().run()
Qt:
import sys
from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QApplication, QPushButton
app = QApplication(sys.argv)
button = QPushButton('Hello World')
button.show()
sys.exit(app.exec_())
Both examples create a simple "Hello World" button application, but Kivy's approach is more Pythonic and concise. Qt requires more boilerplate code and explicit management of the application loop. Kivy's design philosophy focuses on rapid development and cross-platform compatibility, while Qt offers a more comprehensive set of tools and widgets for complex desktop applications.
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HOW TO BUILD Qt 6
Synopsis
System requirements
- C++ compiler supporting the C++17 standard
- CMake
- Ninja
- Python 3
For more details, see also https://doc.qt.io/qt-6/build-sources.html
Linux, Mac:
cd <path>/<source_package>
./configure -prefix $PWD/qtbase
cmake --build .
Windows:
- Open a command prompt.
- Ensure that the following tools can be found in the path:
- Supported compiler (Visual Studio 2022 or later, or MinGW-builds gcc 13.1 or later)
- Python 3 ([https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/] or from Microsoft Store)
cd <path>\<source_package>
configure -prefix %CD%\qtbase
cmake --build .
More details follow.
Build!
Qt is built with CMake, and a typical
configure && cmake --build .
build process is used.
If Ninja is installed, it is automatically chosen as CMake generator.
Some relevant configure options (see configure -help):
-release
Compile and link Qt with debugging turned off.-debug
Compile and link Qt with debugging turned on.
Example for a release build:
./configure -prefix $PWD/qtbase
cmake --build .
Example for a developer build: (enables more autotests, builds debug version of libraries, ...)
./configure -developer-build
cmake --build .
See output of ./configure -help
for documentation on various options to
configure.
The above examples will build whatever Qt modules have been enabled by default in the build system.
It is possible to build selected repositories with their dependencies by doing
a ninja <repo-name>/all
. For example, to build only qtdeclarative,
and the modules it depends on:
./configure
ninja qtdeclarative/all
This can save a lot of time if you are only interested in a subset of Qt.
Hints
The submodule repository qtrepotools
contains useful scripts for
developers and release engineers. Consider adding qtrepotools/bin
to your PATH
environment variable to access them.
Building Qt from git
See http://wiki.qt.io/Building_Qt_6_from_Git and README.git for more information. See http://wiki.qt.io/Qt_6 for the reference platforms.
Documentation
After configuring and compiling Qt, building the documentation is possible by running
cmake --build . --target docs
After having built the documentation, you need to install it with the following command:
cmake --build . --target install_docs
The documentation is installed in the path specified with the
configure argument -docdir
.
Information about Qt's documentation is located in qtbase/doc/README
Note: Building the documentation is only tested on desktop platforms.
Top Related Projects
Cross-Platform C++ GUI Library
JUCE is an open-source cross-platform C++ application framework for desktop and mobile applications, including VST, VST3, AU, AUv3, LV2 and AAX audio plug-ins.
Open source UI framework written in Python, running on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and iOS
Convert designs to code with AI
Introducing Visual Copilot: A new AI model to turn Figma designs to high quality code using your components.
Try Visual Copilot