How do I set up cimgui-go on Linux?

Install dependencies like libdrm-dev for DRM/EGL or follow the setup guide for GLFW/SDL2 from the README. Run examples from the examples directory with 'go run .' after ensuring your system meets the glibc requirements for pre-compiled libraries.

cimgui-go vs giu: which is better for Go GUIs?

cimgui-go offers auto-generated, low-level bindings to Dear ImGui with multiple backends, ideal for full API control. giu is a higher-level, more Go-idiomatic framework but may lag in feature coverage. Choose cimgui-go for performance and completeness; giu for ease of use.

How to handle callbacks in cimgui-go?

Callbacks use a pre-generated pool of global functions due to CGO limitations. Be cautious as exhausting the pool can cause crashes, and refer to issue #224 for details. Avoid frequent callback usage or monitor pool limits in critical applications.

Does cimgui-go support Wayland?

GLFW backend defaults to Wayland where possible, but it may not support all ImGui features. Use glfwbackend.ForceX11() to force X11 for compatibility, as mentioned in the tip under supported backends, ensuring broader feature support on Linux.

How to compile cimgui-go for an unsupported platform?

Compile the C libraries manually using cmake and make in the lib directory, as described in the 'Pre-compile code locally' section. Ensure you have the appropriate C/C++ toolchain installed, and avoid pushing locally compiled libraries to avoid path issues.

What are the performance implications of using cimgui-go?

Performance is close to native Dear ImGui since it uses C bindings, but CGO adds minor overhead. For most GUI applications, this is negligible, but for embedded or high-frequency updates, test on target hardware and consider backend choice (e.g., Ebitengine for games).

Open-Awesome

cimgui-go

MITC++v1.5.0

Auto-generated Go wrapper for Dear ImGui via cimgui, providing multiple backend implementations for GUI applications.

GitHub

530 stars72 forks0 contributors

What is cimgui-go?

cimgui-go is an auto-generated Go wrapper for the Dear ImGui library via the cimgui C API. It provides Go developers with a complete binding to create immediate-mode graphical user interfaces for desktop, game, and embedded applications. The project solves the problem of manually maintaining CGO bindings by automating code generation from cimgui definitions.

Target Audience

Go developers building cross-platform GUI applications, game tools, or embedded interfaces who want to leverage Dear ImGui's powerful immediate-mode UI paradigm without writing C/C++ code.

Value Proposition

Developers choose cimgui-go because it offers a comprehensive, up-to-date, and idiomatic Go API for Dear ImGui with minimal manual maintenance, includes multiple production-ready backends out of the box, and simplifies deployment with pre-compiled libraries for major platforms.

Overview

Auto generated Go wrapper for Dear ImGui via cimgui

Use Cases

Best For

Building desktop application tools and editors in Go
Creating game development tools and debug UIs
Developing embedded Linux GUI applications for kiosks or devices
Prototyping graphical interfaces quickly with immediate-mode rendering
Integrating Dear ImGui into existing Go projects without C++
Cross-platform GUI applications targeting Windows, macOS, and Linux

Not Ideal For

Projects deploying to older Linux distributions like Debian, due to glibc compatibility issues with pre-compiled libraries.
Applications requiring full desktop GUI features on embedded Linux, as the DRM/EGL backend lacks window management and input event support.
Teams that need to avoid CGO for simpler cross-compilation or deployment, as it adds complexity and platform dependencies.
Developers frequently using C callbacks, since the workaround has a limited pool that can exhaust and cause crashes.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Auto-Generated Bindings

Go code is programmatically generated from cimgui definitions, ensuring comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of the Dear ImGui API without manual maintenance, as highlighted in the key features.

Multiple Backend Support

Includes ready-to-use backends for GLFW, SDL2, Ebitengine, and DRM/EGL, abstracting platform-specific rendering and input handling, with examples provided for each.

Cross-Platform with Pre-compiled Libs

Works on macOS, Windows, and Linux with pre-compiled static libraries for ImGui, GLFW, and SDL2, speeding up the build process on supported systems, as noted in the setup.

Plugin Integration

Provides bindings for Dear ImGui plugins like implot and imnodes for advanced plotting and node-based editing, extending functionality out of the box.

Cons

CGO Limitations and Complexity

Relies on CGO, which has issues with varargs functions and callbacks, complicating development and limiting callback usage, as admitted in the README's naming convention and callback sections.

Platform-Specific Binaries

Pre-compiled libraries are only for specific OS/arch combinations, requiring manual compilation for unsupported systems, and there are known glibc compatibility issues on older Linux distros, as warned in the note.

Backend Import Conflicts

Importing multiple backends like GLFW and SDL2 simultaneously can cause linker crashes, limiting flexibility in backend selection, as highlighted in the important note under supported backends.

Frequently Asked Questions

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