https://github.com/eclipse-platform/eclipse.platform.swt
Eclipse SWT - The Standard Widget Toolkit
https://github.com/eclipse-platform/eclipse.platform.swt
cross-platform-gui eclipse gui java swt ui
Last synced: 8 months ago
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Eclipse SWT - The Standard Widget Toolkit
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/eclipse-platform/eclipse.platform.swt
- Owner: eclipse-platform
- License: epl-2.0
- Created: 2022-03-28T08:31:40.000Z (almost 4 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2025-05-12T09:11:59.000Z (8 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-05-12T10:06:20.391Z (8 months ago)
- Topics: cross-platform-gui, eclipse, gui, java, swt, ui
- Language: Java
- Homepage: https://eclipse.dev/eclipse/swt/
- Size: 77.2 MB
- Stars: 142
- Watchers: 27
- Forks: 164
- Open Issues: 354
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Contributing: CONTRIBUTING.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
[](https://github.com/eclipse-platform/eclipse.platform.swt/actions/workflows/maven.yml)
[](https://github.com/eclipse-platform/eclipse.platform.swt/actions/workflows/junit.yml)
[](https://github.com/eclipse-platform/eclipse.platform.swt/blob/master/LICENSE)
# About
SWT is a cross-platform GUI library for JVM based desktop applications.
The best known SWT-based application is [Eclipse](https://www.eclipse.org).
## Getting Started
SWT comes with platform-specific jar files.
Download them from https://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/downloads/index.html and add the jar file to your classpath.
### Example
```java
import org.eclipse.swt.SWT;
import org.eclipse.swt.layout.GridData;
import org.eclipse.swt.layout.GridLayout;
import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Button;
import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Display;
import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Label;
import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Shell;
import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Text;
public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
final Display display = new Display();
final Shell shell = new Shell(display);
shell.setText("Hello World");
shell.setLayout(new GridLayout(2, false));
final Label label = new Label(shell, SWT.LEFT);
label.setText("Your &Name:");
label.setLayoutData(new GridData(SWT.FILL, SWT.CENTER, false, false));
final Text text = new Text(shell, SWT.BORDER | SWT.SINGLE);
final GridData data = new GridData(SWT.FILL, SWT.CENTER, true, false);
data.minimumWidth = 120;
text.setLayoutData(data);
final Button button = new Button(shell, SWT.PUSH);
button.setText("Say Hello");
shell.setDefaultButton(button);
button.setLayoutData(new GridData(SWT.END, SWT.CENTER, false, false, 2, 1));
final Label output = new Label(shell, SWT.CENTER);
output.setLayoutData(new GridData(SWT.FILL, SWT.CENTER, true, false, 2, 1));
button.addListener(SWT.Selection, event -> {
String name = text.getText().trim();
if (name.length() == 0) {
name = "world";
}
output.setText("Hello " + name + "!");
});
shell.setSize(shell.computeSize(SWT.DEFAULT, SWT.DEFAULT));
shell.open();
while (!shell.isDisposed()) {
if (!display.readAndDispatch()) {
display.sleep();
}
}
display.dispose();
}
}
```
First, a `Display` is created which is something like the central place of all GUI-related code.
Then a `Shell` is created which in our example is a top-level window.
Then all child controls and listeners are created, including their layout information.
Finally, we set the window's size determines by its child controls and open the window.
The `while`-loop processes all GUI related events until the shell is disposed which happens when closing.
Before exiting, any claimed GUI resources needs to be freed.
# Contributing to SWT
Thanks for your interest in this project.
For information about contributing to Eclipse Platform in general, see the general [CONTRIBUTING](https://github.com/eclipse-platform/.github/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) page.
[](
https://www.eclipse.org/setups/installer/?url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/eclipse-platform/eclipse.platform.swt/master/bundles/org.eclipse.swt.tools/Oomph/PlatformSWTConfiguration.setup&show=true
"Click to open Eclipse-Installer Auto Launch or drag into your running installer")
## Developer Resources
See the following description for how to contribute a feature or a bug fix to SWT.
-
Information regarding source code management, builds, coding standards, and more and be found under the following link.
-
Also see in the SWT section of the Eclipse FAQ for more background information about SWT.
-
## Contributor License Agreement
Before your contribution can be accepted by the project, you need to create and electronically sign the Eclipse Foundation Contributor License Agreement (CLA).
-
## Contact
Contact the project developers via the project's "dev" list.
-
## Search for Bugs
SWT used to track ongoing development and issues in Bugzilla .
-
## Create a New Bug
You can register bugs and feature requests in the GitHub Issue Tracker. Remember that contributions are always welcome!
- [View existing SWT issues](https://github.com/eclipse-platform/eclipse.platform.swt/issues)
- [New SWT issue](https://github.com/eclipse-platform/eclipse.platform.swt/issues/new)
Please bear in mind that this project is almost entirely developed by volunteers. If you do not provide the implementation yourself (or pay someone to do it for you), the bug might never get fixed. If it is a serious bug, other people than you might care enough to provide a fix.
# Prototyping on a Single, Cross-Platform SWT Implementation
There is current work on evaluating the feasibility of achieving a single, OS-agnostic implementation of SWT in order to reduce maintenance efforts, enable better look and feel, and improve configurability.
The work on these prototypes and their documentation can currently be found in a dedicated GitHub organization: https://github.com/swt-initiative31
Actual prototyping work has been started on four technologies: Skia with Visual Class Library (VCL), Skia with custom-rendered widgets, GTK, and Swing\
The prototypes for the following technologies are still under investigation, are further developed and can be tried out here:
- Skia with custom-drawn widgets: https://github.com/swt-initiative31/prototype-skija
- Cross-platform GTK: https://github.com/swt-initiative31/prototype-gtk