How to create a button with catui in Löve2D?

Instantiate a UIControl, set its position and size using setPos and setSize, then add event handlers for drawing and clicks with the events system, as shown in the README example. This involves manual graphics for styling and binding functions to UI_CLICK events.

catui vs other Löve2D GUI libraries like SUIT or LoveFrames?

catui is more minimalistic and extensible, offering lightweight control and customizability, whereas SUIT and LoveFrames provide more pre-built components and features. Choose catui for performance-focused projects with custom UI needs, but opt for others if you want ready-to-use widgets with less coding.

Is catui good for complex game menus?

catui can handle complex menus due to its extensible architecture, but it requires significant manual work to build and style components. For intricate UIs, the lack of built-in layout tools or advanced features might slow down development.

How to handle UI events in catui?

Use the events system to bind functions to events like UI_CLICK or UI_DRAW with the on method, as demonstrated in the example. This allows custom interaction logic, but you must manage event propagation and cleanup manually.

Can I use catui for mobile games in Löve2D?

Yes, catui's light-weight design makes it suitable for mobile games where performance is crucial, but you'll need to adapt the event system for touch inputs and ensure responsive layouts, as it lacks built-in mobile-specific features.

What are the performance implications of using catui?

catui is designed with minimal overhead, so it should have low impact on game performance. However, custom drawing and event handling can affect performance if not optimized, as all rendering is manual through Löve2D graphics calls.

CatUI — Lightweight Löve2D GUI Framework

What is CatUI?

catui is a minimalistic GUI library built specifically for the Löve2D game development framework. It provides developers with a straightforward way to create user interfaces within their games, focusing on core functionality without unnecessary bloat.

Target Audience

Löve2D game developers who need a simple, lightweight, and extensible GUI system for in-game interfaces like menus, buttons, and HUDs.

Value Proposition

Developers choose catui for its minimal overhead that maintains game performance, its simple API for quick UI creation, and its extensible architecture that allows for custom controls without being forced into a complex framework.

A very light-weight GUI library for the Löve2D

Use Cases

Best For

Adding basic UI elements like buttons and menus to Löve2D games with minimal performance impact.
Löve2D developers who prefer to build custom UI controls from scratch using a simple foundation.
Game projects requiring a lightweight GUI library compatible with Löve2D version 11.0 and above.
Implementing a rich event system for UI interactions such as drawing and click handling in Löve2D.
Managing bounding boxes and positioning for UI elements within a Löve2D game environment.
Extending a GUI framework with custom components while avoiding heavy dependencies or bloat.

Not Ideal For

Games requiring out-of-the-box, polished UI components like sliders or dropdowns without custom implementation.
Teams that rely heavily on community-driven tutorials and extensive documentation for quick onboarding.
Projects needing advanced UI features such as animations, transitions, or built-in theming systems.
Developers preferring a GUI library with a comprehensive widget set and minimal manual coding.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Simple API

The API uses clear methods like setPos and setSize, as shown in the example, making it easy to create and manage UI controls with minimal learning curve.

Light-weight Design

Emphasized as minimal overhead to maintain game performance, fitting the philosophy of no unnecessary bloat for Löve2D games.

Extensible Architecture

The README states 'You should expand your own control,' allowing developers to create custom components without framework constraints.

Rich Event System

Supports events like UI_DRAW and UI_CLICK, enabling interactive UI elements with custom handlers, as demonstrated in the example.

Bounding Box Management

Provides built-in utilities for positioning and sizing, as shown with getBoundingBox in the drawing event, simplifying layout tasks.

Cons

Limited Built-in Components

Focuses on extensibility with minimal pre-made controls, requiring developers to build most UI elements from scratch, which increases initial effort.

Sparse Documentation

The README is brief, and the API documentation is linked externally without in-depth examples or tutorials, potentially hindering troubleshooting.

Manual Styling Effort

UI drawing requires manual love.graphics calls, as seen in the example, which can be tedious and time-consuming for styled or complex interfaces.

What is CatUI?

Target Audience

Löve2D game developers who need a simple, lightweight, and extensible GUI system for in-game interfaces like menus, buttons, and HUDs.

Value Proposition

Use Cases

Best For

Adding basic UI elements like buttons and menus to Löve2D games with minimal performance impact.
Löve2D developers who prefer to build custom UI controls from scratch using a simple foundation.
Game projects requiring a lightweight GUI library compatible with Löve2D version 11.0 and above.
Implementing a rich event system for UI interactions such as drawing and click handling in Löve2D.
Managing bounding boxes and positioning for UI elements within a Löve2D game environment.
Extending a GUI framework with custom components while avoiding heavy dependencies or bloat.

Not Ideal For

Games requiring out-of-the-box, polished UI components like sliders or dropdowns without custom implementation.
Teams that rely heavily on community-driven tutorials and extensive documentation for quick onboarding.
Projects needing advanced UI features such as animations, transitions, or built-in theming systems.
Developers preferring a GUI library with a comprehensive widget set and minimal manual coding.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Simple API

The API uses clear methods like setPos and setSize, as shown in the example, making it easy to create and manage UI controls with minimal learning curve.

Light-weight Design

Emphasized as minimal overhead to maintain game performance, fitting the philosophy of no unnecessary bloat for Löve2D games.

Extensible Architecture

The README states 'You should expand your own control,' allowing developers to create custom components without framework constraints.

Rich Event System

Supports events like UI_DRAW and UI_CLICK, enabling interactive UI elements with custom handlers, as demonstrated in the example.

Bounding Box Management

Provides built-in utilities for positioning and sizing, as shown with getBoundingBox in the drawing event, simplifying layout tasks.

Cons

Limited Built-in Components

Focuses on extensibility with minimal pre-made controls, requiring developers to build most UI elements from scratch, which increases initial effort.

Sparse Documentation

The README is brief, and the API documentation is linked externally without in-depth examples or tutorials, potentially hindering troubleshooting.

Manual Styling Effort

UI drawing requires manual love.graphics calls, as seen in the example, which can be tedious and time-consuming for styled or complex interfaces.

CatUI

What is CatUI?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

CatUI

What is CatUI?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?