Question 1

How to build a command-line tool with Upaya?

Accepted Answer

Use the linkCommandLineArtifact method in build.zig to skip GUI dependencies like Sokol and Dear ImGui, then manually initialize the temp allocator with upaya.mem.initTmpAllocator(). Check the texture_packer_cli example for a full implementation.

Question 2

Upaya vs using Dear ImGui directly in C++?

Accepted Answer

Upaya bundles Dear ImGui with Zig conveniences, making it ideal for Zig developers to avoid C++ complexity. However, C++ offers a more mature ecosystem and libraries for large-scale, performance-critical applications.

Question 3

Can I use Upaya for mobile app development?

Accepted Answer

No, Upaya is focused on desktop game development tools using Sokol for cross-platform desktop graphics. It lacks built-in support for mobile platforms like iOS or Android.

Question 4

What are the performance trade-offs with Upaya's immediate-mode GUI?

Accepted Answer

Dear ImGui is lightweight and efficient for tools, but for data-heavy UIs with thousands of elements, it can have performance bottlenecks compared to retained-mode GUIs. Upaya inherits this limitation.

Question 5

How to handle custom rendering in Upaya?

Accepted Answer

Upaya relies on Sokol for rendering, so you can use Sokol's APIs for custom graphics. The framework provides a base, but advanced rendering requires diving into Sokol's documentation and possibly writing additional Zig or C code.

Question 6

Is Upaya good for beginners in Zig?

Accepted Answer

Not ideal, as Upaya assumes familiarity with Zig and C interop, plus it requires nightly builds. Beginners might struggle with setup and the niche focus on game tool development.

Upaya

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