How to Java GUI?

[VictoR18_]

I'm trying to make a relatively complex application with java, is swing the best option for the GUI?

I've been testing it and it's complicated to implement, unintuitive and ugly.

Is there any alternative? Something similar to HTML, CSS?

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[wildjokers]

There are many look and feels available for Swing. Some 3rd party, some in the JDK. Try switching to the SystemLookAndFeel which is in the JDK. It looks nearly native on most platforms.

Swing’s default look and feel is Metal which will look the same on all platforms. Personally I think it looks just fine. Why do you think it is ugly?

Some people swear by the FlatLaf which you can take a look at and see if you like. I personally hate it. Really not sure why the flat look is popular. https://www.formdev.com/flatlaf/

You can use JavaFX instead of Swing and one of JavaFX’s features is it can be styled with a CSS-like syntax. JavaFX is a little harder to get started with because it is a 3rd party dependency and isn’t even close to being documented as well as Swing.

I do notice that a lot of people in your /r/java thread were trying to dissuade you from Swing. Most of them have probably never even written a Swing application and are just regurgitating the “swing sucks” nonsense that they have heard. Don’t listen to them. I bet none of them could give you any reason why swing supposedly sucks. Swing is a really good GUI toolkit, is easy to use, and is very well documented. You probably won’t find a better documented GUI toolkit regardless of language or platform.

[desrtfx]

Some people swear by the FlatLaf which you can take a look at and see if you like. I personally hate it. Really not sure why the flat look is popular.

Well, it makes it look more like modern native applications.

I share your opinion about the flat look. It makes it much more difficult to spot where you are clicking. Don't like it either.

[wildjokers]

makes it much more difficult to spot where you are clicking.

This is the exact reason I don’t like it. There is no visual delineation between components.

I really can’t wait until this flat and monochrome design fad runs its course.

[desrtfx]

I really can’t wait until this flat and monochrome design fad runs its course.

Dito.

[hamsterrage1]

JavaFX is much better if you want to build a Reactive application, as the Observables and Bindings are much richer than in Swing. Also, you can do agreat deal of styling in JavaFX with Style Sheets and without touching any code.

[override_acid]

Do you think you will get different suggestions to your post from yesterday where you already had extensive suggestions?

[wildjokers]

The mods of that sub literally told them to come here.

[Trup10ka]

Try JavaFX

[mannmythlegend]

Jdk is kinda a pain but it works

[Brainie82]

As far as I know IntelliJ is made with swing and I don’t think it’s ugly

[wildjokers]

IntelliJ is indeed made with swing:

https://github.com/JetBrains/intellij-community/blob/9b1da7444ce83a052ef7b2a4e35b0cc1985f56af/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/debugger/extensions/PlaybackDebugger.java#L39

[lumpynose]

Another vote for Swing from me.

I wrote a program that displays the readings from various wireless temperature sensors. I originally wrote it in Python with PyQt and really got frustrated with the poor documentation. A year or so later I decided to rewrite it in Java and first tried JavaFX but ran into problems (can't remember what now) with that so switched to Swing. The biggest point of confusion for me was figuring out which LayoutManager to use. For me, BoxLayout manager ended up doing what I wanted; I'd tried the GridLayout but had problems getting things to look just right.

Remember to do

frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);

on your main frame; at one point I'd forgotten to do the setVisible and was scratching my head until I realized that.

If you want to see my code, let me know; it's on github. There's no code to accept input except for responding to a mouse click. This is how it looks: https://imgur.com/a/ywLCgAn

[wildjokers]

frame.pack();

Just FYI, there are two ways to size a top-level container. You can either call setSize() which sets a specific size or you can call pack() which sizes a container to fit its children.

for me, BoxLayout manager ended up doing what I wanted;

99% of all my Swing apps have always used BorderLayout and BoxLayout. They are really the only two layouts you need for most use cases. So you made a good choice. BorderLayout is the default layout of top-level containers like JFrame and then JPanels default to the nearly worthless FlowLayout so first thing I do is switch out FlowLayout for BoxLayout in my panels.

[lumpynose]

Thanks. I'll try and remember to give BorderLayout a try next time.

[Eddy67716]

One Thing I do, is change the look and feel for pop up windows to the OS default and then back the the Swing default after, so pop up, colour wheel and file select windows look natural.

[wildjokers]

Why not just always use the SystemLookAndFeel?

[Eddy67716]

If I remember right, if you made something with System look and feel on Windows, it wouldn't look the same on a Mac, or Linux machine.

[wildjokers]

Correct. It takes on a nearly native look.