The GUI Toolkit, Framework Page

User interfaces occupy an important part of software development. This page provides a comprehensive reference on toolkits for building graphical user interfaces (GUIs), with emphasis on resources for Free Software (Open Source). This page focuses on personal computers but also references some offerings for embedded products.
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GUI Toolkit developers: please let me know of news/changes to your projects/products so I can update this page accordingly.

This page resides in http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/7184/guitool.html and 
http://www.atai.org/guitool/

Page created April 17, 1997 (86). recent changes

Free toolkits: C/C++Javaother languages    | commercial toolkits: C/C++Java   | Related links   | copyright

GPL: GNU General Public License 
LGPL:GNU Library/Lesser General Public License 
PD: Public Domain 
BSD: BSD or X11-like license (commonly allowing you todo whatever you want provided the original copyright notice is kept and credit given)
Art: The Perl Artistic License 
MPL: Mozilla Public License

Free Toolkits (including both Free (in the GNU sense) and no-cost ones)

C/C++ oriented

(unless explicit stated with "C API", all toolkits in this table provide APIs in C++)

Name	Comments	license	Unix X11+	UnixX11+Motif	MS Win 95/98	MS Win NT/2000/ XP/Vista	MS Win 3.1	OS/2 PM	MacOS	NextStepOpenStep  MacOS X	other platforms
AbiWord 's cross platform layer	cross-platform framework in C++ see interesting development methodologyfor more info Unix version built on gtk+	GPL	y		y	y				y	QNX and BeOS
AbsoluteX	n open source free class library primarily developed for use with X Window System. Uses libsigc++.	LGPL	y
aedGUI	a cross-plataform, easy-to-use, non-intrusive C++ GUI library that runs on top of SDL	LGPL	(via SDL)	(viaSDL)	(via SDL)	(via SDL)	(viaSDL)	(via SDL)	(via SDL)	(via SDL)	(via SDL)
Agar	a high-level graphical C application framework aimed primarly at 2D/3D games and simulations. Agar applications are portable to a variety of platforms thanks to theSDL.support for SDL 2D and OpenGLrendering. Thread safe	BSD	y (via SDL)	(viaSDL)	y (via SDL)	y (via SDL)	(viaSDL)	(via SDL)	y (viaSDL)	y (via SDL)	other platforms supported by SDL
Amiga Foundation Class	aims to support Amiga and X11	art	?								Amiga (?)
AlfaGUI	a small GUI library for DOS, useful for embedded applications		y								DOS 16/32 bit
Amulet  OpenAmulet( discounted?)	research-oriented toolkit from CMU. native look andfeel. High-level support for interactive interfaces: Direct Manipulation Behaviors, Undo, Animation, etc. original project at CMU completed and Nolonger supported. However, another group has picked up development as OpenAmulet.	PD	y		y	y			y
Andrew	research system from CMU. C and C++ API.	BSD	y
Bakery	a C++ Framework for creating GNOMEapplications using Gnome-- and       Gtk--.	LGPL	y
Berlin Fresco (new)	a totally new window system for Unix/Linux that alsoincludes high level APIs for GUI programming.  Very experimental asit buids upon  OpenGL and CORBA.  Successor ofFrescoandOffix.Also listed as an alternative windowing system Berlin renamed to Fresco in 2002, taking on the name of the old GUI toolkit Fresco	LGPL
BGUI	GUI library for Amiga.based on BOOPS. C API.	freely distributable									Amiga
CG(link broken?)	GUI toolkit of the Arachne project	BSD	y		y	y			y
CLX	(Component Library for Cross-platform)Cross-platform library for, and part of, Delphi,Kylix and CBuilder - Based on  top of Qt, Linux only	GPL	y
Coral(ctGUI)	very powerful and complete advanced application framework with strong GUI components.  Advanced functionalities for non-GUI tasks like networking, shared memory, etc.	Art	y		y	y					Amiga (old versions)
C++/Tk, cpptk	C++ interface to the Tk library tries to provide not only the Tk functionality, but also its wayof writing code, based on the syntax used in Tcl/Tk.	BSD	y		y	y				y(?)
CroPL	a C++ application framework and utility library for single-source Mac/Windows applications	non-profit use only			y	y			y	y
Cvo		BSD	y
CX	an "UI utility with themes support." just begin.	LGPL	y
DCLAP	bare-bone application framework. Nolonger developed and maintained for 3 years already	noncommercial only		y	y	y	y		y
EasyGTK(link broken?)	EasyGTK is a wrapper library to make GTK programmingeasier, and quicker	GPL	y
Epeios	Collection of general purposes libraries essentially coded in C++ and working under UNIX and Windows. containing GUI library	GPL	y		y	y
ET++	project is completed. successor is MET++.	BSD	y(?)	y(?)
EZWGL	C API. motif look and feel.	LGPL	y
Fltk	The Fast Light Tool Kit. API modeled afterXform,but in C++. SGI Motif look and feel. good documentation.(Fluid, an UI builder)	LGPL with additional permissions	y		y	y		y	y	y	Microwindows/NanoGUI/Nano-X
FOX	C++-based toolkit on top of XLib. MS Win 95 look.under development	LGPL with additional permissions	y		y	y	y
Fresco(old) also see Berlin as the new Fresco	Advanced research toolkit formly supported by theX Consortium but now independently developed. Successor to Interviews.(alt. page)(Java version)  (another info page)  development stopped,  succeeded by Berlin	BSD	y		y	y			y
GEM	The old GUI environment for MSDOS and Atari ST (about1985), now free  software	GPL									MS-DOS and Atari ST
GEM++	C++ classes for GEM programming, for Atari ST.	LGPL
GINA	a research project, is completed.(ftp)			y
GLOW	"a cross-platform object-oriented framework for building interactive applications usingOpenGL or similar APIs such as Mesa. It is, at its heart, an C++ wrapper for GLUT, providing a fully object-oriented API for creating windows, menus and other GUI elements, and for event handling. GLOW also features an extensible cross-platform widget library for building powerful user interfaces."Note:Thusportable to any platform where a functional OpenGL implementation exists(including Mesa )	LGPL	note	note	note	note	note	note	note	note	note
GLUI	An OpenGL /GLUT-basedGUI toolkit.   Rendering is done entirely in OpenGL. Win 95 lookand feel.  Note: Thusportable to any platform where a functional OpenGL implementation exists(including Mesa )	LGPL	note	note	note	note	note	note	note	note	note
GNOME (libs)	the GNOME desktopalso servesas an application framework, C API. Requirers gtk+	LGPL	y
GNUstep	envolving NextStep/OpenStep clone. C/Objective CAPI. Version 0.6.6 just released	LGPL	y
gnewt	a gtk+-based toolkit for writing simple user interfaces	LGPL	y
grafix	a library for "drawing pictures, functions or othergraphic objects in an interactive manner" or simple graphical user interfaceconstruction" with emphasis on visualization, not UI	GPL	y
GraphAPP	C API. a small toolkit for teaching.	?	y	y	?	?	y
gtk+	The GIMP Toolkit.developed as part of theGIMPproject. Now at version 2.2. C API. ISthe leading toolkit in the free software community in conjuction with Qt. variable  look and feel (default:Motif).   (ftp) (mailing list) (gtk--,a C++ wrapper)(Gtkkitand Gtoolkit , ObjectC wrappers) (wxGTK, WxWindows port to gtk+ (C++ API)) (gtkv,Vport to gtk+ (C++ API))  (VDK , SDPGTK, Inti, other C++ wrappers)  glade, grad, epingle,UI builders for gtk+ and gtk--  libglade, a library for gtk/GNOME  allowing GUI built at run time from specifications in configuration files in XML format, without the need to recompile program	LGPL	y		y	y				in progress	BeOS , Linux console, DirectFB
gtkmm (gtk--) gnomemm (gnome--)	complete C++ wrapper for gtk+ and GNOME. Uses modern C++ features (templates, etc.) for type-safe callbacks and signal/slots withlibsigc++ .glade--,GUI builders for gtk--  related: gnomemm, c++ bindings for GNOME	LGPL	y
GuiToolkit	"a class set which allow You to build applications with new Microsoft interface style .It includes more than 50 of MFC classes"	no cost use			y	y
Harmony	attempts to create a Qt clone witha true Free Software license.  Development is halted.	LGPL	unfinished
Hv	C API.	?		y
Interviews  ivtools	Ivtoolsis an actively maintained and envolved version of Interviews, formerly by VectaportIvtool apps can be embedded inside Motif and Xt canvas. Ivrools contains an application framework,a GUI widget framework,Acommand interpreter , drawing editor application framework,command interpreter into the drawing editor andgraph/network application  Interviews (ftp) was   an early advanced toolkit whose development stopped around  1993. conceptual successor is  Fresco.	BSD	y
Inti	a set of integrated foundation libraries for developingC++ applications on UNIX-like systems such as Linux, including C++ wrapper for gtk+.(2.0 only) new developer, now in version 1.0 beta.	LGPL	y
IUP	ANSI C, native controls, custom contros, abstract layout, only a few functions, Lua Scripting	freely distributable		y	y	y
IBTK	a small, "basic self-contained no-frills toolkitto create platform-independent GUI software (in C++)	GPL	y
JAPI	Written in  JAVA and C,  provides the JAVA AWT Toolkit to non object oriented Languages like C, Fortran, Pascal, Ada and even Basic	LGPL	y	y	y	y
JUCE	an all-encompassing C++ class library for developing cross-platform applications	GPL			y	y				y
KaiView	stalled in favor of the LIP . recently resumed	?	y
KDE(libs)	KDE desktop  also serves as anapplication framework. Requires Qt	LGPL	y
LessTif	an envolving Motif 1.2 clone. getting close to becomea complete Motif substitution. C API.	LGPL	y
LGI (Lightweight GUI Interface)	also for BeOS "a small enough library that one person can understand it all."	LGPL	y		y	y					BeOS
libgui	C API.	BSD	y
libgx	a lightweight, non-intrusive, public-domain C++ widget library for writing X11 applications	public domain	y
libsx	"the Simple X library -- is a lightweight wrapperlibrary sitting on top of the Athena Widget set." C API	LGPL	y
LIP	Linux Interface Project. still under development, in the beginning stage. development stalled?	LGPL(?)  Art(?)	y
MacAPP	Apple 's Mac framework, probably the first widely available GUI framework.   No longer supported by Apple but third party development at www.clubmacapp.com	MacAPP license			y (unfinished)	y (unfinished)			y	y
Marx	C API. the GUI toolkit is part of a C-like scriptlanguage for quickly building GUIs, although also usable from compiled C. Motif look and feel.	GPL	y
MacZoop	C++ API. Framework on top of Carbon API.	MacZoop license							y	y
MET++	"an object-oriented application framework .... providingreusable objects for 2D graphics, user interface components, 3D graphics,video, audio, and music." based on ET++.	?	y		?	y(?)			y(?)
MGUI	C API.	?	y		y	y	y
Microwindows	a small windowing system providing Win32 and X11API, targetting embedded systems. C API	MPL, GPL	y								MS-DOS, Linux framebuffer, RTEMS, Linux SVGAlib
MiniGUI	" a compact Graphics User Interface (GUI) support system for Linux. MiniGUI defines some Win32-like APIs for the applications. The goal of MiniGUI is keeping its features of small and exquisiteness to provide a small windowing system support library."	LGPL	y								Linux framebuffer, Linux SVGAlib and libCGI
(Motif)  OpenMotif	The real Motif, the traditional standard Unix X11 toolkit, now moving toward free/open source software.  C API.	OpenGroup Public License(free for free/open source unices only)	y	native
Motif++	C++ wrapper for motif.	?		y
notif	written in object-oriented C.  C API. Motiflook and feel. (announcement)	GPL	y
NGL, NUI	NGL is an application framework intended to work with SGI's OpenGL* API. NUI is a cross-platform C++ GUI programming framework for OpenGL applications built on top of the NGL	LGPL	y note	note	y note	y note	note	note	y note	y note	note
NWS	distributed as part of Pavuk.C API.	GPL	y
OPaC(link broken?)	"a highly portable user interface toolkit with dynamicedition." look and feel and behavior are adjustable/editable at run time	"OPaCFree Public License"	unfinished (?)		y	y		unfinished	unfinished
OpenOffice(as an GUI application framework )	possibly modern forms of StarView?containing a complete application framework and GUI library as the basis of an office suite, including low level GUI toolkit (VCL),application framework, graphics applications services	GPL/LGPL/SISSL	y		y	y
Offix	a very rich C++ interactive application API withclasses for X11 windows, images, events, clipboards, inter-application communications, styles for look and feel, layout management and drag anddrop.  Also has classes for Unix system services. Open Look and Motiflook and feel. In alpha  release. No longerdeveloped, work merged intoBerlin	LGPL	y
OpenGUI	a small  graphics  &   windowing library  built  upon a  fast,    low-level  x86 asm  graphics  kernel. Windows 95 look and feel	LGPL									Linux console, MS-DOSDJDPP, QNX
ParaGUI	a high-level crossplatform application framework and GUI library. It is completely based on the SimpleDirectMedia Layer (SDL). Works on any environment where SDL exists.	LGPL	y (via SDL)		y (via SDL)	y (via SDL)			y (viaSDL)
PicoGUI	"a new Graphical User Interface architecture designed with embedded systems in mind. ... includes low-level graphics and input, widgets, themeing, layout, font rendering, network transparency, and debugging features." Also can be an alternative windowing system (when running on framebuffers)	GPL/LGPL	y (native or via SDL)		y	y				y (via SDL)	Linux frame buffer, numerous embedded devices (see this list)
Pingo	a C++ class library and framework for X Window Systemwith OSF/MOTIF look-and-feel. API is similar to the Java AWT API.	LGPL		y
Qt	a high-quality framework. hasadvanced features not present in other toolkits, such a full 2d graphics API (with rotations, scaling, shearing, etc.), metafile support, same code for screen and printer output. variable look and feel (default:Motif or Win95). at version 4 KDevelop, EBuilder, Qt Architect ,QtDesigner and QtEZ, UI buildersfor Qt Qwt, additional GUI components for Qt for scientific appl (see this link for info on integration withMotif)	Qt Free Edition license(1.x series, X11 versiion)   QPL( Qt 2.x series, X11 version)  QPL and GPL(Qt 2.2 and later, X11 version)  (Windows  and MacOS  X) (GPLed)	y (QPL and GPL)		y (GPLed)	y (GPLed)			y(GPLed)		Qt/Embedded: for the Linux frame buffer without X.
SmartWin	a small sized, extremely type safe, no overhead what so ever, fully template based C++ GUI library for Windows API (formerly known as Win 32 API).	GPL plus additional permissions			y (?)	y
STDWIN	C API. No longer supported.	?	y						y
SUIT	Simple User Interface Toolkit. C API.	?	y				y		y
Taronja	information in Spanish... no English info available.	BSD	y (?)							?
Tk	good widget set but not frequently used as a pure C library. Widely used in combination with high-level script languages (Tcl, Scheme,Python,Perl,etc.). C API. Native look and feel.	BSD	y		y	y	y		y	y
TOAD	in early stage, still alpha	LGPL	y
Trixul	Trixul is an XML and JavaScript GUI toolkit that supports MacOS X, Linux, and Windows environments directly via Cocoa, Gtk+, and .NET native implementations. JavaScript code can call C++ directly.	BSD	y (on top ofgtk+)			y (on top of .Net Forms)				y
TWIN/The  Willows  Toolkit	implementation of MS Windows API on other platforms.C API.	LGPL	y		native	native	native		y
Ultimate++	C++ toolkit that "achieves significant reduction of code complexity for most applications when compared to other development platforms"	BSD	y		y	y
V	Common C++ wrapper for many platforms. a good "competitor"of WxWidfgets.native look and feel.  (gtkv, gtk+ port of V)	LGPL	y	y	y	y	y	y
VDK	"Visual Development Kit", a C++ wrapper forgtk+(VDK Builder, a RAD tool for VDK)	LGPL	y
Vibrant (NCBI Toolkit)	part of National Center for Biotechnology Informationsoftware development toolkit, a multi-platform user interface developmentlibrary that automatically handles the behavior of GUI objects, with callbacksto programs			y	y(?)	y(?)	y(?)		y
(TheHungry) ViewKit	a clone of the SGI (ICS) Viewkit.Currently not being developed.	LGPL(?)	(in the future with lesstif)	y
ViewKit (ICS)	C++ framework for Motif.  Freely available for Linux Only.	no-cost (for Linux only)		y
VCF	Visual Component Framework, "a simple to use cross platform GUI framework, with many of the advanced design features of Java and Java's Swing, and Borland's Visual Component Library.Also provides advanced RTTI/Introspection features common in languages like Object Pascal, Objective C, Smalltalk, and Java, but not typically found in C++"	BSD	in development		y	y				in development
VXCL	The Virtual X Class Library. API strongly linked to the Win32 API.	LGPL		y	y	y	y
VxLib	Visual Text Library, a "character cell"-based librarylike text mode but displayed in a X window	GPL	y
Wafe	"Wafe (Widget[Athena]front end) is a package thatimplements a symbolic, string based interface based on Tclto the X Toolkit, the Athena Widget Set , Motif and various complementary widget classes and extension packages. " C API.	BSD	y	y
wGui	a simple, platform independent dialog manager library using SDL	LGPL	(via SDL)	(viaSDL)	(via SDL)	(via SDL)	(viaSDL)	(via SDL)	(via SDL)	(via SDL)	(via SDL)
Whisper	"general purpose Mac/Win32 C++ application framework. successor to the Mac framework Raven.   is a modern framework that takes advantage of templates, multiple inheritance, STL, and exceptions. is designed around the notionofDesign by Contract and includes numerous debugging tools."	BSD			y	y	y		y
WideStudio	an IDE with an original windowing library and visual window editor and a rich set of development facilities	BSD	y		y	y				y
Wine	"a free implementation of Windows (API) on Unix" On Intel x86 PCs only, can be used to port Windows programs to X11	LGPL	y (Intel x86 PC only)		native	native	native	y
WIRP	"Windows Interface Reduced Programming is a libraryof c routines for simple, platform independent GUI programming." C API.	?	y
WWL(?)	C++ classes around X widgets.	?	y(?)	y(?)
WxWidgets	(formerly wxWindows) Common C++ wrapper for many platforms. version 2,.4  just released. native look and feel. good cross-platform support.(Wxxt, X Toolkit port)  (WxGTK, gtk+port)	BSD(version1.x only)  LGPL (wxxt1.6xonly)  WxWidgets license (version 3.0, actually LGPL plus exceptions)	y	y	y	y	y	y	y	y	also on top of MicroWindows, and MGL
Xarm	a C++ wrapper for Motif.	LGPL		y
X|Front	"a C++ library providing an object-oriented interfaceto X11R5 Xlib"	BSD	y
xclasses	"the X11 layout library." details available in Germanonly   note another toolkit has the samename	LGPL	?
xclasses, xclass95	developed in conjuction with thefvwm95window manager. MS-Win 95 look and feel.  note another toolkit has the samename	LGPL	y
XForms	a toolkit distributed in binary form only. C API. (fdesign,a UI builder)	X Forms license	y
Xm++ (?)	C++ classes for Motif and X11 Athena widgets	?	y	y
Xmt (Motif Tools),Xmt++	"Xmt is a Motif Tools library. The Xmt Motif Tools library provides developers of user interfaces tools that make Motif easier to use. Xmt consists of the core library of additional widgets, utility programs, docs, tutorials, and example code." C API. Supports rapid prototyping, GUI story boarding.  "Xmt++ is to provide a C++ Model-View-Controller framework implementation based on Xmt. This framework makes it easier to integrate a Motif GUI to an application and maintain design integrity."	BSD	y
XPIP	C API	BSD	y
XPToolkit (Xpfe)	cross-platform, toolkit for Mozilla."An open source SDK for building common cross-platform user interfaces usingexisting cross-platform  standards (e.g., XML, RDF, HTML, CSS, DOM, JavaScript) and technologies (e.g., Gecko, XPConnect) to minimize  platform-specific code." May built on top ofgtk+and Xt for X11	MPL/GPL/LGPL	y (Xt, gtk)	?	y	y	y	y	y	y	BeOS
XView	the Open Look widget set. C API. no longer supportedby Sun in favor of Motif.		y
YACL(link broken?)	native look and feel	BSD		y	y	y	y	y
YAAF	Yet Another Application Framwork,  with fairlycomplete  GUI classes and good cross-platform support	BSD	y		y	y			y
yzone	a set of universal cross-platform libraries for creationof the graphical modular applications for any UNIX or Microsoft Windowsplatform. C API	LGPL	y		y	y
Zinc	well stablished, cross-platform   framework. supports 24 platforms  (including MS DOS and Unix text mode)	desktop use only (not for  embedded applications)		y	y	y	y	y			MS-DOS, VxWorks, pSOS
Zoolib	"Zoolib provides a GUI toolkit with a uniquely flexible layout system. It also provides a single-file database format, TCP networking, and extensive debugging support. ZooLib applications are multithreaded. ZooLib requires only minimal support from the underlying OS and platform GUI layer, and thus could be ported to a completely new platform without too much difficulty"	BSD	y		y	y			y	y	BeOS
Zune	Amiga MUI clone for X11	LGPL	y
Name	Comments	license	Unix X11 +	UnixX11 +Motif	MS Win 95/98	MS Win NT/2000/ XP/Vista	MS Win 3.1	OS/2 PM	MacOS	NextStepOpenStep MacOS X	other platforms

(⁺X11 has been ported to OS/2 so theoretically X-based toolkits work in OS/2 X11 as well. see Xfree86/OS2)

to top

Java oriented

• Biss-AWT (GPL-like license)
• SAWT
• GWT (Gadget Windowing toolkit), licensed under LGPL,from DTAI Inc. (nolonger available?)
• Koala Toolkit(license)
• SubArctic,not an AWT clone but a toolkit based on advanced research (license)
• FrescoJavaport (only supports Java 1.0.2)
• Mica,  from SoftwareFarm(license)
• Marimba's FreeBongo
• dog.gui ,a lightweight, high-performance Java GUI toolkit which can serve as a replacement for the AWT (license: MozillaPublic License)
• SWANK,a GUI toolkit implemented in Java, to be used with Jacl, a Tcl intrepreterin Java (BSD-style license)
• JAPI, a non-OO, procedural toolkit built on top of AWT, and accessible from Pascal, C and Fortran, for Windows and Unix
• Epeios,  for Unix and Windows, GPLed.
• SWT, The Standard Widget Toolkit, part of Eclipse project, for Windows, Mac, QNX and Unix (Motif, gtk and Qt) (CPL license)
• Buoy, a "transparent wrapper" around Swing
• XUI, a toolkit for building Java applications with Java and XML, release under an MPL like license.
• java-gnome, GNOMEJava binding (LGPL)
• QtJava, QtJava binding (GPL)
• wx4J, wxWidgets Java binding (BSD-style license)

Ada

• GtkAda , Ada binding for gtk+,for X11 and Windows (GPLed plus exceptions )
• X11Ada ,X11 and Motif bindings forAda
• VisualAda Developer, RAD environment for Ada
• GWindows , GUI framework for Ada on Windows  (GPL/LGPLplus exceptions )
• Windex, Ada wrapper for the Win32 API (GPLplus exceptions)
• JEWL, Simple GUI framework for rapid development of GUI programs (GPL)
• Claw, Ada framework for the Windows  API, demo version
• JAPI,binding for Java AWT (LGPLed)

• RAPID, Rapid Ada Portable Interface Design tool,. generates Ada code using a platform independent GUI library. (Current implementations utilize the TASHbinding to Tcl/Tk, the GNAT to JVM compiler, the Microsoft .NET framework, or GtkAd)

BASIC

• wxBasic, a BASIC interpreter with bindings for WxWidfgets (LGPLed)
• JAPI,binding for Java AWT (LGPLed)

LISP

• Garnet, GUI development environment for Common Lisp. No longer supported.
• XIT
• Winterp, a  rapid development tool for GUI applications with a small object-orientedLISP interpreter (XLisp-Plus)(BSD-stylelicense)
• Newlisp includes Tk binding (GPLed)

Tcl

• Tk,the standard widget set for Tcl, for X11, MS Windows, and MacOS.
• itcl ([incrTcl]), with itk ([incrTk]) and [incr Widgets] ,object-oriented extension to the Tcl language and associated mega-widgetset and GUI framework.
• BLT extensionto the Tk toolkit.
• Tix, the Tk InterfaceExtension.
• TclMotif, Motif binding for Tcl.
• BWidgets ,"a professional look&feel Toolkit.  Everything is native so noplatform compilation, no compiled extension library needed. In Pure Tcl/Tk.For Unix, Windows and Mac."  (LGPLed)
• Tcl-gtk , gtk+ binding for Tcl
• PicoGUI

Pascal

• EFLIB, "extended function library"
• Free Pascal'sgtk+bindings
• BlackBox Component Framework, successor to Oberon/F, using Component Pascal, for Win32 and Mac (free for education use only)
• WOL, Framework for windowed programming under Windows and Linux (GTK) with Free Pascal. (GPLed)
• JAPI,binding for Java AWT (LGPLed)
• Lazarus, (LCL or Lazarus Class Libraries) the class libraries for Free Pascal that emulate Delphi, currently built on top og gtk+ (LGPLed)

Modula 2

• Dialog Machine and RAMSES (Research Aids for Modeling and Simulation of Environment Systems)"providesthe basis for highly portable programming of interactive applications,since it makes a minimum of assumptions on the properties of the underlyingoperating system and the hardware", available for MacOS, Atari ST (GEM),PC (GEM, MS Windows, Windows NT) and Unix (SUN and IBM RISC). RAMSES is Mac only. Both no cost freeware.

Perl

• XForms4Perl ,XFormsperl binding.
• pTk,perl/Tk, tkPerl, Tk binding for Perl.
• PerlQt, perl bindings for Qt . (LGPLed)
• Perl bindingsfor gtk+
• plFLTK , Perl bindingsfor Fltk (LGPLed) (discounted)
• FLTK.pm, Perl bindings for Fltkversion 2
• wxperl,WxWidfgets Perl binding
• Prima, "an extensible Perl toolkit for multi-platform GUI development. Supported platforms include Linux, Windows NT/9x/2K, OS/2, and UNIX/X11 workstations" (BSDed)
• PicoGUI

Python

• Tkinter, Tk-based GUI toolkit for Python, part of standard of Python distribution. Tk-based Additions, bindings under Pythin:
• Pmw (Python MegaWidgets) (also extra contributions)
• TIDE (Tix)
• Rivet,Tk binding for Python
• wxPython , WxWidfgetsPython binding
• vkApp,a Python GUI application framework, and PythonX Extension, Python interface to X11 and Motif.
• WPY, a MFC-based GUI class library for Python, for MS Win95/NT and Unix/X11 using Tk.
• Python-Gtkandpygtk (gnome-python) ,Python bindings for gtk+andGNOME
• pyFLTK , Python bindingfor Fltk  (LGPLed)
• FXPy, Python binding for FOX (LGPLed)
• Python X Library, X11 client-side API implemented purely in Python (GPLed)
• PicoGUI
• pyQT, Qt binding for Pytbon
• PyKDE,Python bindings for KDE
• pygame, SDL binding
• Jython provides access to Java GUI facilities
• JTKinter, port of tk to Jython
• JPI Java Python Interface (project dead)

Javascript

• Vexi written in Java, Vexi applications are written in a combination of XML and JavaScript  (core GPLed, widgets LGPLed)

Scheme(includingGuile)

• MrED,a WxWindows -based toolkit for scheme, for X11,MS Win95/NT, and MacOS
• STk,a scheme interpreter with access to Tk
• guile-gtk,Guile bindings for gtk+ (GPLed)
• guile-fltk, Guile binding for Fltk (LGPLed)

Oberon

• Visual Oberon, a collection of GUI classes for Oberon-2, for X11 (GPLed).

Smalltalk

• Squeak, an advanced SmallTalk environment (including GUI support natively) (license)

Prolog

• XPCE (GPLed ), for SWI-Prolog

S-Lang

• slgtk, S-lang binding for gtk+

Pike

• PiGTK,Pike's gtk+ and GNOME bindings (GPLed)

Lua

• lua-gtkand lua-gnome , Lua's gtk+and GNOME  bindings
• lua-FLTK, Lua FLTK binding
• wxLua, WxWindows binding for Lua
• tkLua, tk binding
• IUP (Portable User Interface), a highly portable toolkit for Lua and C, for Windows and X11/Motif.

Others

• CoderForm, a presentation and layout manager for .NET desktop applications, allowing creating the GUI from any .Net language

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Commercial Toolkits

C/C++ oriented

Java Oriented

• Sun/Javasoft'sAWT
• Sun/Javasoft'sIFC andJFC (Swing) withvariable look
• Microsoft'sAFC
• Borland/Inprise 's JBCL(JavaBeans Component Library) (part of JBuilder)
• Xelfi Technologies 's Xelfi(30 day free evaluation, low cost registration required for longer use)
• Visix's Vibe Foundation Classes (powerful GUI framework ispart of a complete Java development system Vibe) (company out of business)
• SL-GMS , a framework for providing dynamic graphics in Pure Java applications
• UITools, "a toolkit for building graphical user interfaces (GUI) for simulation programs,"  like these tasks commonly done with MatLab and FORTRAN.
• Bambookit, XML-based User Interface, Java-based thin client platform that can be accessed anywhere, with any browser

C#

• WinForm, the standard C# GUI class library/framework.

Ada

• CLAW,Ada framework  for Windows 95/NT
• ObjectAda, Ada compiler/development environment, including GUI bindings for Windows,X/Motif

Fortran

• Winteracter, a modern GUI toolset for the Fortran 90/95 programming language, for Windows and Linux

LISP

• Common Lisp Interface Manager
• XPCE

Pascal (including Delphi)

• VCL(Visual Component Library), the GUI foundation for Inprise/Borland'spopular RAD tool Delphi, forWin 3.1/95/98/NT, "object-oriented component framework delivers the only truecomponent architecture with over 200 visual and non-visual components thatare completely reusable and extendable"

• CLX, Cross-platform library for Delphi , Kylix and CBuilder - Based on top of Qt, works on Win32 and GNU.Linux (x86)

• O2, OO framework for Delphi, including user interface layer

Fortran

• SancsGUI, for Compaq Visual Fortran, An object-oriented modeling and simulation environment for developing and deploying scientific and engineering applications without writing any GUI code. For 32-bit Windows.

Misc

• XPCE, GUI system for Prolog, Lisp and C++.
• MetaCard, a Hypercard-typescript language with integrated GUI library, for Unix/X11 and MS Win 3.1/95/NT.

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Related Links

Other GUI Toolkit Pages

• the FSU Toolkit Page
• BradMyers'sUser Interface Software Tools page
• Steve Baum'sGUIpage
• Laura Michaels'sPortableScreen Library Resources page
• The Platform Independent GUI FAQ
• Karim Ratib's"http://www2.iro.umontreal.ca/~ratib/code/gui.htm#gui"
• Scientific applicationson Linux's X11 Libraries & Toolkits page
• SunWorld 'soverview of GUI toolkits by Cameron Laird and Kathryn Soraiz.
• Themes.org , a web site dedicatedto GUI themes (variable look and feel)

X Windows/Motif

• MW3: Motif on the WorldWide Web: a monster list of Motif and X Window-related resources, includingGUI libraries and tools. Now motifdeveloper.com
• Kenton Lee's TechnicalX Window System and OSF/Motif WWW Sites: another rich list of X Window/Motifresources.

Alternative Windowing Systems

• Fresco (Berlin), an attempt to provide an alternative to X Windows.Also listed as a free GUI toolkit
• MiniGUI, small windowing system for embedded applications
• Microwindows (NanoGUI), small windowing system for embedded applications, for DOS, MS Windows, Unix, Linux SVGAlib, Linux kernel framebuffer (MPLed/GPLed)
• DirectFB,  a thin library that provides hardware graphics acceleration, input device handling and abstraction, integrated windowing system with support for translucent windows and multiple display layers on top of the Linux Framebuffer Device. (LGPLed)
• PicoGUI
• Y Widnow System

Papers on GUI

• "GUI Fragmentation is the Greatest Weakness of Unix",  arguing for good GUIstandards for Unix systems in responce to attacks by Microsoft Windows.

Drag and Drop protocols

• XDND,a new drag and drop protocol for X Windows  supported by Fox, Jx, Qtand gtk.

Commercial Java Systems

• Vibe, a complete Java deployment system including tools fromcompiler to custom virtual machine. (company out of business)

Organizations for Free Software

• Free Software Foundation
• Linux International
• Software in the Public Interest(Debian GNU/Linux) 
• X.org Foundation, the revitalized organization, successor to the orginal  X Consortium,  maintaining the X Window System.
• Free Standards Group, the organization responsible for setting standards in Free OSes.  parent of the Linux Standards Base
• The XFree86 Project, Inc. Producer of the XFree86 , the X Windowserver for PC based UNIX and UNIX-like systems, role generally replaced by X.org
• The Open Source Initiative, organization for promoting the "Open Source" concept
• OpenOffice Foundation , the organization managing the OpenOffice project
• GNOME Foundation , the organization for GNOME
• KDE League, for the KDE project.

Important Free Software Projects

• GNU
• gcc ,  The GNU Compiler Collection, formerly the GNU C/C++ compiler
• egcs, formly the experimentalgcc project, now the official gcc
• gcj, the GNU Java compiler
• GNUStep , OpenStep clone
• Display Ghostscript
• Linux , alsoknown as GNU/Linux ,GPLed Unix clone
• XFree86
• Netscape Communicator and Netscape Navigator (Mozilla), the once most popular web browser in the world, becomes free software on March 31, 1998.
• Arena,the free browser formally developed by the World Wide Web Consortium, now supported by Yggdrasil.
• Amaya , the free browser/editordeveloped by the World Wide Web Consortium
• FreeBSD , BSD-derivedfree Unix
• OpenBSD , BSD-derivedfree Unix
• NetBSD , BSD-derivedfree Unix
• OpenOffice , formerly StarOffice, now the free software office suite project support by Sun and in association with GNOME as the GNOME Office.
• Eclipse, Java-based open extensible IDE.

Free Object-oriented Componet Software Framework

• OpenDoc,the famous Apple/IBM invention, maybe someday free software. (C++ API)
• OpenParts,KDE's component framework with ideas from OpenDoc
• Bonobo, GNOME's component framework

Free Java Systems/Compilers

• JDK(Java Development Kit), from Sun /Javasoft.(Linux version )(SGI version)
• Kaffe , a Java virtual machine from TransVirtual ,and just-in-time compiler, works on most Unix's, MS Win 95, NextStep and Amiga (GPLed).
• Japhar , a free JVM from the Hungry Programmers ,the offical GNU Java VM (LGPLed).
• Guavac, a GPLed Java source-to-bytecode compiler written in C++.
• Jikes, a Java source-to-bytecode compiler, faster Javac replacement
• Jump, a Java source-to-bytecode compiler with non-standard Java language extension,10 to 30 times faster than Javac
• j2c, a Java class file-to-C translator
• Toba, a Java class file-to-C translator, for standalone applications (not applets).
• gcj, the GNU Java compiler 

Free C# Systems/Compilers

• Mono, an effort to create an Open Source implementation of the .NET Development Framework. Includes: a compiler for the C# language, a runtime for the Common Language Infrastructure and a set of class libraries  (GPLed plus exceptions for linking)
• DotGNU, including Portable.NET, an effort to create an alternative to Microsoft .NET, including C# compiler and run-time libraries. (GPLed plus exceptions for linking)

Library Binding Generation Tool

• SWIG(Simplified Warpper and Interface Generator), "a program development tooldesigned to make it easy to build scripting language interfaces to C/C++ programs."

GUI Toolkit Implementation Utility Libraries

• libsigc++,"a library implements a full callback system for use in widget libraries,abstract  interfaces, and general programming."  (LGPLed)

Graphical Desktop Environments

• CDE, Common Desktop Environment, the commercially standard Unix desktop
• KDE , the K(ool) Desktop Environment, based on Qt.
• GNOME, GNU Network Object Model Environment, based on gtk .
• XFCE , a lightweight desktopenvironment for various UNIX systems, based on gtk
• GNUStep , the free softwareimplementation of the OpenStep desktop environment
• FLEK, an application framework "environment" based on Fltk
• Equinox Desktop Environment, based on Fltk
  

Others

• Mesa, a 3D graphics library providing an Open GL API, licensed under BSD (X11)-style license and now part of XFree86
• GLUT,the OpenGL Utility Toolkit, a window system independent toolkit for writingOpenGL programs
• vtk , The VisualizationToolkit (C++ API) (license)
• GIMP , the GNUImage Manipulation Program, a Photoshop-style painting program, licensedunder GPL.
• FilmGIMP, a fork of GIMP for movie editing.
• ImageMagick, a set of powerful image manipulation/processing programs. Functions availableto other programs via a rich API.(BSD-stylelicense)
• libart(alt site), GNOME/RaphLevien's advanced 2D graphics library (LGPLed)
• Zodius, a C++, easy-to-use 2D graphics library (BSD-stylelicense)

• Cario, a LGPLed/MPLed  "vector graphics library designed to provide high-quality display and print output. Currently available output targets include the X Window System, OpenGL (via glitz), Quartz, win32, in-memory image buffers, PNG images, PostScript, and PDF files. Some of these backends are still experimental. Cairo is designed to produce identical output on all output media while taking advantage of display hardware acceleration when available (eg. through the X Render Extension or OpenGL)." Possibly the standard 2D graphic API on free OSes.

• AGG (Anti-grain geometry, a powerful C++-based advanced 2d graphics rendering library   (BSD-style license)
• SDL (SimpleDirectMedia Layer) library, providing direct video framebuffer accessfor fast rendering, supports Linux, Win95/98/NT/2000, BeOS, MacOS, Solaris,IRIX, and FreeBSD. (LGPLed) 
• OpenGL (Sample Implementation), now free software. 
• OpenInventor , advanced object-oriented 3D graphics framework, now free software. offering a comprehensive solution to interactive graphics programming problems. It presents a programming model based on a 3D scene database that dramatically simplifies graphics programming.  (LGPLed)
• SATIN and Quill, Java-based gesture toolkit that allow ink gesture inputs to drive GUIs (BSD licensed)
   
• A list of Drawing and Design Programs

Companies developing/supporting FreeSoftware

• Cygnus Solutions
• RedHat
• Transvirtual
• Vectaport
• Yggdrasil

Other Free Software websites

• free-soft.org , aweb site providing general Free Software/Open Source information
• The Free Software Bazaar
• advogato.org , general discussion site for free software developers

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Andy Tai

Copyright 

© Copyright 1997-2003, 2005, 2007 AD (ROCYears 86-92, 94, 96), by Li-Cheng (Andy) Tai, All rights reserved.

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

page created Apr 19, 1997 (86)