JavaFX vs Qt5: What are the differences?

Introduction

JavaFX and Qt5 are popular frameworks used for building cross-platform applications. While both have similarities, there are key differences that differentiate them. In this article, we will explore the key differences between JavaFX and Qt5.

1. Architecture and Language: JavaFX is based on the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern and uses Java as the primary programming language. On the other hand, Qt5 follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern and is predominantly written in C++.

2. Platform Support: JavaFX is primarily designed to run on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and is supported on various platforms including Windows, macOS, and Linux. Qt5, on the other hand, is a cross-platform framework that supports a wide range of platforms including desktop, embedded, and mobile operating systems.

3. Native Look and Feel: Qt5 provides native look and feel for its applications by utilizing platform-specific libraries. This enables Qt5 applications to seamlessly integrate with the underlying operating system, resulting in a consistent user experience. JavaFX, on the other hand, uses its own rendering engine and does not provide native look and feel out of the box.

4. UI Design Tools: Qt5 provides a powerful UI design tool called Qt Designer, which allows developers to visually design user interfaces using drag and drop functionality. Qt Designer generates code that can be seamlessly integrated into Qt applications. JavaFX, on the other hand, does not have a dedicated visual UI design tool and relies on programmatically creating user interfaces using Java code or FXML files.

5. Community and Documentation: JavaFX has a large and active community, with plenty of resources and documentation available. It also benefits from being part of the wider Java ecosystem, which has a vast number of libraries and frameworks. Qt5 also has a strong community and provides comprehensive documentation, although it may not be as extensive as JavaFX due to the vastness of the overall Qt framework.

6. License: JavaFX is now open source and is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL) with the Classpath Exception, meaning it can be used freely in both open source and commercial applications. Qt5, on the other hand, offers both open source and commercial licenses. The open source version is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL), which has certain obligations for distributing the applications.

In Summary, JavaFX and Qt5 differ in their architectural patterns, language used, platform support, native look and feel, UI design tools, community and documentation, and licensing options.