A header-only GUI library with only 4,000 lines of C++ code, designed for cross-platform and embedded systems.
GuiLite is an ultra-lightweight, header-only graphical user interface (GUI) library written in C++. It provides the essential components to build interactive interfaces for applications running on everything from desktop operating systems to microcontrollers (MCUs) without an OS, solving the problem of adding a GUI to resource-constrained embedded systems.
Embedded systems engineers, IoT developers, and C/C++ programmers who need a minimal, portable GUI for devices with limited memory and processing power, such as STM32 MCUs.
Developers choose GuiLite for its exceptionally small code size (4 KLOC), zero dependencies, and ability to run on virtually any platform, including bare-metal MCUs, which is not feasible with heavier GUI frameworks like Qt or embedded alternatives.
✔️The smallest header-only GUI library(4 KLOC) for all platforms
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.
With only 4,000 lines of C++ code, zero dependencies, and a single header file, GuiLite minimizes memory and storage usage, making it feasible for MCUs with as little as 9 KB RAM and 29 KB ROM.
It runs on iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, macOS, RTOS, and even MCUs without an OS, as demonstrated by demos on STM32, Apple Watch, and web platforms.
Optimized for fast rendering, it handles tasks like 3D graphics and video playback on resource-constrained devices, shown in demos such as Hello3D on STM32.
GuiLite works smoothly with frameworks like Qt, MFC, Winforms, and Cocoa, allowing it to be embedded into existing projects without major rewrites, as highlighted in the compatibility features.
Compared to full-fledged frameworks, GuiLite offers a basic set of widgets, requiring developers to build or customize components for complex UIs, which can increase development time.
Developers must use separate toolkits, like GuiLiteToolkit for fonts and images, and a previewer for layout, adding complexity and steps to the development process.
While there are documents on specific topics, the learning curve involves piecing together information from multiple sources, and the README lacks a unified, beginner-friendly guide.