What is the fastest, lightest weight GUI framework?

This page summarizes the projects mentioned and recommended in the original post on /r/cpp_questions

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  • imgui

    Dear ImGui: Bloat-free Graphical User interface for C++ with minimal dependencies

  • Check out these: https://github.com/ocornut/imgui https://github.com/mikke89/RmlUi

  • RmlUi

    RmlUi - The HTML/CSS User Interface library evolved

  • Check out these: https://github.com/ocornut/imgui https://github.com/mikke89/RmlUi

  • WorkOS

    The modern identity platform for B2B SaaS. The APIs are flexible and easy-to-use, supporting authentication, user identity, and complex enterprise features like SSO and SCIM provisioning.

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  • Ultralight

    Lightweight, high-performance HTML renderer for game and app developers.

  • If you are interested in writing your UI code using HTML and JavaScript and embedding that UI in your C++ app, I believe the cheapest way to go is UltraLight. Full disclosure, I have not used Ultralight but I have used it's predecessor, Awesomium in personal projects. I have also used Coherent GT in professional projects. I can say this is a great workflow and is fast enough to be used in modern AAA games. It also means that you can be as creative as you can be if you are a web dev.

  • I'm surprised no one has mentioned it but I've been using SciterJS (website) for my most recent project. I wouldn't ever claim it's the best UI framework out there, but it's lightweight and I've never felt so productive - I've rapidly developed my UI and integrated it with my native C++ far faster than I thought possible. I will note that it is far, far cheaper and has so many more features than Ultralight does.

  • sciter

    Sciter: the Embeddable HTML/CSS/JS engine for modern UI development

  • I'm surprised no one has mentioned it but I've been using SciterJS (website) for my most recent project. I wouldn't ever claim it's the best UI framework out there, but it's lightweight and I've never felt so productive - I've rapidly developed my UI and integrated it with my native C++ far faster than I thought possible. I will note that it is far, far cheaper and has so many more features than Ultralight does.

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NOTE: The number of mentions on this list indicates mentions on common posts plus user suggested alternatives. Hence, a higher number means a more popular project.

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