Which GUI library for C++ is the best choice for app development?

Question

I have successfully learnt and mastered basic c++ and now itching for application development (the main reason I learnt C++ in the first place) but confused on which library to use.
I have heard Qt is a good choice but it doesn't resemble c++ and its quite complicated. I also heard MFC and .NET are okay but overly complicated too.
I am seriously confused and my indicators for best GUI librabry are;
.very easy to learn
.Should not deviate from c++ too much.
.open source and free license yet bug free.

Answer 1

Thank you Mr.Gilbert I think what would help me finally narrow down on which to use is my project. I want to develop windows desktop applications and .NET comes to mind...so the question is how easy is .NET to learn for a beginner? and how does it compare with Qt and wxwidgets in just windows app development?

Answer 2

Qt is pure C++, but it is quite complicated since there are some additional concepts that you have to learn (signals, slots, moc, etc)

Maybe have a look at wxWidgets and see if it suits your requirements. It is free and open source and she been around for a long time - so stability should not be an issue.

Answer 3

Hi @Gbadamosi

.NET is actually a framework in .NET apps can run. It's a bit similar to the JVM framework in which Java apps run. So to target .NET you actually need a programming language that can generate code for the. NET CLR.

Any language supported by Visual Studio .NET is capable of doing this ( C#, VB, C++), but the ease of doing this in C# and VB is a LOT easier than in C++. In fact, to target the CLR with C++ you have write a "managed C++" app, which feels a lot like coding in C++, but also in an additional macro language grafted into C++.

My view is that you will spare yourself a lot of pain by simply learning C# (is a much better language than VB), since C# was designed with .NET in mind (in fact at the same time). Both VB and C++ was retroactively ported to .NET, but in the case of VB they virtually ended up with a new language. With C++ they couldn't do the same since it is standardised - hence the macro shenanigans.

And, best of all for you, GUI programming in C# in .NET is very well supported! Probably the easiest solution to master compared to Qt and wxWidgets.

Answer 4

Wow that was extremely useful thank you very much