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 can always be accessed from the logical URL http://www.theoffice.net/guitool
Copies of this page currently reside in http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/7184/guitool.html and
http://home.pacbell.net/atai/guitool/ and
http://www.free-soft.org/guitool/

You are Visitor  since April 19, 1997. recent changes

  © Copyright 1997-1998 (ROC Years 86-87), by Li-Cheng (Andy) Tai. See copyright for details. Last updated August 15, 1998 (87) 
Free toolkits:   C/C++   Java  other languages   |   commercial toolkits:   C/C++   Java   |   Related links  |   copyright
GPL: GNU General Public License
LGPL: GNU Library General Public License
PD: Public Domain
BSD: BSD-like license (commonly allowing you to do whatever you want provided the original copyright notice is kept and credit given)
Art: The Perl Artistic License


Free Toolkits

C/C++ oriented

(unless explicit stated with "C API", all toolkits in this table provide APIs in C++)
 
Name 
Comments 
license 
Unix X11+ 
Unix X11+ Motif 
MS Win 95 
MS Win NT 
MS Win 3.1 
OS/2 PM 
MacOS 
NextStep OpenStep 
Amiga 
Amulet 
research-oriented toolkit from CMU. native look and feel. High-level support for interactive interfaces: Direct Manipulation Behaviors, Undo, Animation, etc. Project completed and No longer supported  
PD 
y 
 
y 
y 
   
y 
   
Andrew 
research system from CMU. C and C++ API. 
BSD 
y 
               
BGUI 
GUI library for Amiga. based on BOOPS. C API. 
freely distributable 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
y 
CG
GUI toolkit of the Arachne project
free for non-commercial use
y
 
y
y
 
 
y
 
 
Cvo 
 
BSD 
y 
               
DCLAP 
bare-bone application framework. 
non commercial only 
  
y 
y 
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 after Xform, but in C++. SGI Motif look and feel. good documentation.
LGPL 
y 
 
y
y
         
FOX 
C++-based toolkit on top of XLib. MS Win 95 look. under development  
GPL/LGPL (?) 
y 
 
 
 
   
 
   
Fresco 
Advanced research toolkit formly supported by the X Consortium but now independently developed. Successor to Interviews. (alt. page) (Java version) 
BSD 
y 
 
y 
y 
   
y 
   
GEM++ 
C++ classes for GEM programming, for Atari ST. 
LGPL
  
  
  
           
GINA  
a research project, is completed.(ftp) 
   
y 
             
GNUstep 
envolving NextStep clone. C/Objective C API. 
LGPL  
y 
               
grafix 
a library for "drawing pictures, functions or other graphic objects in an interactive manner" or simple graphical user interface construction" 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 the GIMP project. Now at version 1.0. C API. IS BECOMING a leading toolkit in the freeware community. on the wishlist is a good C++ wrapper. Motif look and feel. (ftp ) (alt. page) (mailing list) (gtk--, a C++ wrapper) (obgtk, a Object C wrapper) (wxGTK, WxWindows port to gtk (C++ API))
LGPL 
y 
               
Harmony
attempts to create a Qt clone with a true Free Software license. in the beginning state 
LGPL
unfinished
               
Hv 
C API. 
? 
 
y 
             
Interviews ivtools 
original development stopped since 1993. an early advanced toolkit. conceptual successor is  Fresco. (ftp  ivtools is an actively maintained and envolved version of Interviews, by Vectaport. also ivmaps, sets of software based on Interviews 
BSD 
y 
               
JX 
"full-featured C++ application framework and widget library. special features include graphical layout editor, doc management, multiple X display support. Model-view-controller, tables, word processor, same code for screen/printer output." 
"SYPP" license 
y 
               
KaiView 
stalled in favor of the LIP. 
? 
y 
               
LessTif 
an envolving Motif 1.2 clone. getting close to become a complete Motif substitution. C API. 
LGPL 
y 
               
libgui 
C API. 
BSD 
y 
               
LIP 
Linux Interface Project. still under development, in the beginning stage. now at version 0.1 
LGPL(?)
Art(?)
y 
               
Marx 
C API. the GUI toolkit is part of a C-like script language for quickly building GUIs, although also usable from compiled C. Motif look and feel. 
GPL 
y 
               
MET++ 
"an object-oriented application framework .... providing reusable 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 
       
Motif++ 
C++ wrapper for motif. 
? 
 
y 
             
NWS
distributed as part of Pavuk. C API.
GPL
y
               
OPaC 
"a highly portable user interface toolkit with dynamic edition." look and feel and behavior are adjustable/editable at run time 
"OPaC Free Public License" 
 unfinished (?) 
  
y 
y 
  
unfinished 
unfinished 
  
  
Offix
a very rich C++ interactive application API with classes for X11 windows, images, events, clipboards, inter-application communications, styles for look and feel, layout management and drag and drop.  Also has classes for Unix system services. Open Look and Motif look and feel. In alpha  release.
LGPL
y
               
Qt 
a high-quality framework. has advanced 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. however, only free for freeware on X11. Motif or MS-Windows look and feel. 
Qt license 
y (not free for commercial purpose) 
 
y (commercial) 
y (commercial) 
         
STDWIN 
C API. No longer supported. 
? 
y 
  
  
  
  
  
y 
  
 
SUIT 
Simple User Interface Toolkit. C API. 
 
y 
     
y 
 
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 
   
Toad 
in very early stage 
LGPL 
y 
               
TWIN/The
   Willows
   Toolkit 
implementation of MS Windows API on other platforms. C API.
LGPL
y
 
native
native 
native
 
y
 
 
V 
a good "competitor" of WxWindows. native look and feel 
LGPL
y
y 
y 
y 
y 
 
     
(The Hungry) ViewKit 
a clone of the SGI Viewkit. 
LGPL(?) 
(in the future with lesstif) 
y 
             
VWCL 
MS Win specific class library. 
     
y 
y 
y 
       
Wafe 
"Wafe (Widget[Athena]front end) is a package that implements a symbolic, string based interface based on Tcl to the X Toolkit, the Athena Widget Set , Motif and various complementary widget classes and extension packages. " C API. 
BSD 
y 
y 
             
Warsaw 
GUI toolkit for Berlin, unfinished 
? 
                 
WIRP
"Windows Interface Reduced Programming is a library of c routines for simple, platform independent GUI programming." C API. 
?
y
 
y
y
y
 
 
 
 
WWL(  ?) 
C++ classes around X widgets. 
? 
y(?) 
y(?) 
             
WxWindows 
major revision (2.0) underway. native look and feel. good cross-platform support.WxWindows developers' site (Wxxt, X Toolkit port)
(WxGTK, gtk port)
BSD (version 1.x only)
LGPL (wxxt1.6x only) 
WxWindows license (version 2.0)
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
unfinished
y 
unfinished 
 
Xarm 
a C++ wrapper for Motif. 
LGPL 
 
y 
             
xclasses 
"the X11 layout library." details available in German only 
? 
? 
               
xclass95 
developed in conjuction with the fvwm95 window manager. MS-Win 95 look and feel.  
LGPL 
y 
               
XForms 
a toolkit distributed in binary form only. C API.  
XForms license 
y 
               
Xm++ (?) 
C++ classes for Motif and X11 Athena widgets 
? 
y 
y 
             
XPIP 
C API 
BSD 
y 
               
XView 
the Open Look widget set. C API. no longer supported by Sun in favor of Motif. 
 
y 
               
YACL 
native look and feel 
BSD 
 
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
     
Zinc
well stablished, cross-platform
 framework. supports 24 platforms  (including MS DOS and Unix text mode) 
Personal use only
 
y
y
y
y
y
y
 
 
ZPA 
not completely released yet 
LGPL(?) 
y 
 
y 
y 
y 
 
? 
   
Name 
Comments 
license 
Unix X11+ 
Unix X11+ Motif 
MS Win 95 
MS Win NT 
MS Win 3.1 
OS/2 PM 
MacOS 
NextStep OpenStep 
Amiga 
(+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

LISP

Tcl

Pascal

Perl

Python

Scheme (including Guile)

to top


Commercial Toolkits

C/C++ oriented

Name  
Comments 
Unix X11 
Unix X11 Motif 
MS Win 95 
MS Win NT 
MS Win 3.1 
OS/2 PM 
MacOS 
NextSTEP OpenSTEP 
Amiga 
MFC 
Microsoft Foundation Class library. probably the most dominant toolkit today 
 y (3rd party, MainWin) 
y (3rd party, Bristol ) 
y 
y 
y 
 
y (add-on) 
   
OWL 
Borland Object Windows Library. once the king before MFC comes... (OWL resources) 
   
y 
y 
y 
 ? 
? 
   
ClassAct 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
y 
CPLAT
a C++ framework for Mac and Windows
 
 
y
y
y(?)
 
y
 
 
Galaxy 
 well established, cross-platform framework 
 
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
   
ILOG Views 
well established, cross-platform framework. commercial product with capabilities similar to Interviews 
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
     
Latitude
MacOS API on Unix and Rhapsody (OpenStep)
y
 
 
 
 
 
native
y
 
MacAPP 
Apple's Mac framework 
           
y 
   
MainWin/XDE 
MS Win API on X11. 
y 
  
 native 
 native 
 native 
  
  
  
  
MUI 
"Magic User Interface", popular in Amiga community 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
y 
NoWait
a shareware GUI Application framework.
 
 
y
y
y
y
     
ObjectViews  
commercial version of Interviews, Open Look or Motif look and feel, switchable on the fly 
 
  
unfinished  
unfinished 
         
Open Class 
from IBM/Taligent for  IBM VisualAge for C++, also supports OS/400
  
y (AIX and Sun Solaris only)
 
  
  
  
Open Interface Element 
full-featured, strong international language support 
y(?) 
y(?) 
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
  
  
OpenStep (Yellow Box)
Apple's application API for developing Rhapsody applications working on different platforms
 
 
y
y
 
 y
 
native
 
Open UI 
really a User Interface Management System 
  
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
  
  
PowerPlant 
             
y 
   
Qt 
an advanced, high quality toolkit. free license available for X11. 
y 
 
y 
y 
y 
       
Raven
extensive Mac framework utilizing newer C++ features
 
 
 
 
 
 
y
 
 
StarView 
no longer available? 
? 
? 
? 
? 
? 
? 
? 
   
Think Class Library 
probably the first commercial GUI framework? 
           
y 
   
ViewKit (SGI, ICS) 
 C++ framework for Motif 
  
y 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Wind U 
MS Win API on Motif, with MFC support 
  
y 
native
native  
native  
  
  
  
  
WM_Motif 
MS Win API on Motif 
  
y 
native  
native  
native  
  
  
  
  
WNDX 
  
  
y 
y 
y 
y 
  
y 
  
  
X Designer 
really a GUI builder. Unix version includes partial MFC implementation on Motif 
  
y 
             
XVT 
 well established, cross-platform framework 
 
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
   
zAPP 
 well established, cross-platform framework 
 
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
     
Zinc 
well established, cross-platform framework. supports 24 platforms (including MS DOS and Unix text mode) 
 
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
y 
   

Java Oriented

LISP

Misc

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Related Links

Other GUI Toolkit Pages

X Windows/Motif

Alternative Windowing Systems

Papers on GUI


Commercial Java Systems


Organizations for Free Software

Important Free Software Projects

Free Object-oriented Componet Software Framework
Free Java Systems/Compilers
Library Binding Generation Tool
Graphical Desktop Environments
Others

Companies developing/supporting Free Software

to top


If you think anything is incorrect or want to provide more information for inclusion in this page, please contact (via e-mail)

Andy Tai

Copyright and License for use

© Copyright 1997-1998 AD (ROC Years 86-87), by Li-Cheng (Andy) Tai, All rights reserved. Duplication of this document in any medium permitted provided that the copyright notice and the disclaimer below are retained.

You can use this page only if you agree to the following conditions: This page is for your convenience only. I will do my best to make this page accurate and up-to-date, but due to resource and time limitations, no guarantee and no warranty are given on the fitness and correctness of information provided on this page. You assume full responsibility for using the information herein and under no circumstance shall the author be liable for any damages resulting from the use or mis-use of this page by you. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

page created Apr 19, 1997 (86) 


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