Are there any libraries for GUI development in Java other than JavaFX and Swing?

I've been studying Java relatively recently and started thinking about writing an application with a GUI. If I want to write desktop apps in the future, should I continue to learn Java, or is it better to switch to a more suitable language for this? If so, which one is better to switch to?

Author: Kromster, 2018-07-03

1 answers

The general idea of what the application interface should look like will dictate the choice of the GUI library. Obviously, if this is a 3D shooter interface, then you don't have to choose between Swing and JavaFX...

For desktop applications with a simple GUI in the form of windows with input fields, buttons, and no additional animation, in my opinion, it is most productive to start with Swing.

Swing is a fairly simple library that allows you to implement a variety of calculation functions. and test programs "for yourself", as well as database interfaces (in principle, what WindowsForms is usually used for).

Swing is very well documented. The source code of the library has been verified over the years and there are many"straws" laid out there. In addition, you can find a ready-made answer to almost any nuance, even within the site stackoverflow.com.

When using visual editors (built into the IDE or the paid JFormDesigner), development is quite fast and simple.

To learn Swing, I recommend the book by Ivan Portyankin "Java Swing: Spectacular user Interfaces" (2nd edition second, 2011) (pdf/epub and a link to github with examples is on the author's website http://www.ipsoftware.ru ).

When you want a special beauty in the interface, there will already be many alternatives: whether to make your own Look - and-Feel for Swing or just insert a Swing control in a JavaFX application, or maybe rewrite everything in JavaFX (besides its status will become clearer after it is "banished" from the JRE/JDK, and documentation and answers on JavaFX should be added); or even abandon Java for the GUI.

PS: Probably not many people who are familiar with Swing have seen it the KeepToo user channel, which shows how, almost with the help of JPanel alone, you can create quite fresh interfaces like this:

Java Netbeans Swing UI Design - UI 2017

There are also similar examples for JavaFX.

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Author: oshatrk, 2018-07-12 15:46:35