Ask HN: What do you recommend to build desktop apps?

9 pointsmc14y ago6 comments

What's your favorite SDK (or framework or toolkit) for building desktop apps?

I've got few requirements: - Cross-platform (Can build and distribute Windows, Mac, & Linux executables)

  - Great documentation

  - Open source or commercial licensing

I do Java and Ruby programming, so there a few that come to mind:

  * Swing

  * SWT

  * HotCocoa

I've also found:

  * Qt

  * wxWidgets

If you've used one of these SDKs, was it successful? Did you get the job done on time? What was the learning curve like?

Thanks

6 comments

davyjones14y ago

Mine is Qt.

I am developing an admin client for PostgreSQL: pgXplorer (github.com/davyjones/pgXplorer). I was coding primary on a Windows platform and decided at some point that a Linux build would be useful as well. I was surprised when the project compiled the first time I imported it into my Linux environment, and that too without any tweaks. So yeah...more than surprised actually.

But...there are some issues I am facing with window behaviour, mouse events, etc. Still working on that.

thejteam14y ago

We use QT extensively at work. It is the best documented framework that I have ever worked with. I am primarily a C programmer who dislikes GUIs, but the it has made GUI development pretty painless for me. Their networking classes are also good.

kls14y ago

If I where doing a Desktop Java app, I think I would take the time to learn JavaFX. While I don't think we will see widespread adoption, I do think most people will favor it over swing. I did a simple app in it and I prefer it to swing. Take my advise with a grain of salt though, I have not been deep in desktop for a long time. It was a fluke that I had a Java desktop app contract.

blcArmadillo14y ago

I have done some GUI work with QT. I found their documentation to be very good. All in all it was pretty easy to pickup.

Shorel14y ago

wxWidgets is my choice. Native widgets in all platforms.

I also believe it is the preferred toolkit for game related development if your game uses OpenGL and or DirectX.

umenline14y ago

Qt!

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