How do I customize the theme in SUIT?

SUIT comes with a default theme that can be modified by adjusting the theme table properties. Check the readthedocs documentation for specifics on color, font, and style overrides to match your game's aesthetic.

SUIT vs LoveFrames for LÖVE, which is better?

SUIT uses immediate mode for simpler, integrated UI state management, while LoveFrames is a retained mode library with more widgets. Choose SUIT for lightweight, game-jam style UIs; LoveFrames for complex, traditional interfaces.

How to add a custom widget like a slider in SUIT?

SUIT doesn't include native sliders; you must implement them manually using existing widgets or modify the library source. This involves handling input and drawing logic within the update loop, which can be time-consuming.

Does SUIT support touch input for mobile games in LÖVE?

Yes, SUIT integrates with LÖVE's input system, so it should work with touch events if LÖVE handles them. However, you may need to adjust layout and sizing for different screen resolutions.

How to manage multiple UI screens or menus in SUIT?

Manage screens by conditionally drawing UI elements in the update loop and resetting the layout origin with suit.layout:reset(). This requires manual state tracking for visibility and transitions.

Is SUIT good for real-time strategy game UIs with lots of elements?

It can work for simple HUDs, but the immediate mode redraw and limited widgets may struggle with complex, dynamic interfaces. Consider a retained mode library for heavy UI workloads.

SUIT — Immediate Mode GUI for LÖVE

What is SUIT?

SUIT is an immediate mode GUI library specifically designed for the LÖVE 2D game engine. It provides a simple toolkit for creating user interfaces within games, with built-in layout management and core widgets like buttons, labels, and text inputs. The library integrates directly with LÖVE's event system, making UI development straightforward for game developers.

Target Audience

LÖVE game developers who need to add user interfaces to their 2D games without complex UI frameworks. It's particularly suitable for those who prefer immediate mode GUI paradigms and want lightweight, integrated UI solutions.

Value Proposition

Developers choose SUIT because it's purpose-built for LÖVE with seamless integration, uses an immediate mode approach that simplifies UI state management, and provides just enough features for game interfaces without unnecessary complexity.

Immediate Mode GUI library for LÖVE

Use Cases

Best For

Adding simple menus and HUD elements to LÖVE games
Creating in-game configuration or settings screens
Building text input interfaces for player names or chat systems
Implementing immediate mode GUIs without external dependencies
Developing prototype UIs quickly during game jams
Adding basic UI widgets to 2D games with minimal overhead

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring complex, hierarchical UI layouts with nested containers
Games needing advanced, pre-styled widgets like sliders, dropdowns, or progress bars out of the box
Developers using game engines other than LÖVE 2D
Applications where UI performance is critical and minimizing per-frame redraw overhead is a priority

Pros & Cons

Pros

Seamless LÖVE Integration

Directly hooks into LÖVE's update, draw, and input events, as shown in the Hello World code where love.update and love.textinput forward to SUIT, simplifying event handling.

Immediate Mode Simplicity

UI state is managed inline within the game loop, avoiding complex state variables and making it easy to integrate UI logic with game code.

Built-in Layout Management

Provides a row-based layout system that automatically positions elements downward and rightward from defined origins, reducing manual coordinate calculations.

Input Event Forwarding

Seamlessly forwards LÖVE's text input, keypress, and IME events to UI components, ensuring responsive interactions without extra setup.

Cons

Limited Widget Set

Only includes core widgets like buttons, labels, and text inputs, lacking advanced components such as sliders or lists, which requires manual implementation.

LÖVE-Specific Dependency

Tied exclusively to the LÖVE framework, making it unsuitable for projects that might switch engines or target non-LÖVE platforms.

Performance Overhead

Immediate mode requires redrawing the UI every frame, which can be inefficient for static interfaces and may impact performance in resource-constrained games.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SUIT?

Target Audience

Value Proposition

Use Cases

Best For

Adding simple menus and HUD elements to LÖVE games
Creating in-game configuration or settings screens
Building text input interfaces for player names or chat systems
Implementing immediate mode GUIs without external dependencies
Developing prototype UIs quickly during game jams
Adding basic UI widgets to 2D games with minimal overhead

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring complex, hierarchical UI layouts with nested containers
Games needing advanced, pre-styled widgets like sliders, dropdowns, or progress bars out of the box
Developers using game engines other than LÖVE 2D
Applications where UI performance is critical and minimizing per-frame redraw overhead is a priority

Pros & Cons

Pros

Seamless LÖVE Integration

Directly hooks into LÖVE's update, draw, and input events, as shown in the Hello World code where love.update and love.textinput forward to SUIT, simplifying event handling.

Immediate Mode Simplicity

UI state is managed inline within the game loop, avoiding complex state variables and making it easy to integrate UI logic with game code.

Built-in Layout Management

Provides a row-based layout system that automatically positions elements downward and rightward from defined origins, reducing manual coordinate calculations.

Input Event Forwarding

Seamlessly forwards LÖVE's text input, keypress, and IME events to UI components, ensuring responsive interactions without extra setup.

Cons

Limited Widget Set

Only includes core widgets like buttons, labels, and text inputs, lacking advanced components such as sliders or lists, which requires manual implementation.

LÖVE-Specific Dependency

Tied exclusively to the LÖVE framework, making it unsuitable for projects that might switch engines or target non-LÖVE platforms.

Performance Overhead

Immediate mode requires redrawing the UI every frame, which can be inefficient for static interfaces and may impact performance in resource-constrained games.

Frequently Asked Questions

SUIT

What is SUIT?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

SUIT

What is SUIT?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?