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Choosing an Embedded GUI: Comparative Analysis of UI Frameworks
The document provides a comparative analysis of various GUI frameworks suitable for embedded systems, discussing their features, licensing, and suitability for different platforms and programming languages. It emphasizes the importance of selecting the right toolkit to impact development costs, reliability, and time to market. The analysis includes summaries of numerous toolkits, highlighting their pros and cons to assist in making informed decisions.
Choosing an Embedded GUI: Comparative Analysis of UI Frameworks
- 1. Choosing an Embedded GUI: AComparative Analysis of UI Frameworks Jeff Tranter jtranter@ics.com Integrated Computer Solutions (www.ics.com) December 12, 2024
- 2. Introducing ICS Powering Innovationfor High-Impact Products
- 3. About ICS Established in1987, Integrated Computer Solutions, Inc. (ICS) delivers innovative software solutions with a full suite of services to accelerate development of successful next-gen products. ICS is headquartered outside Boston in Waltham, Mass. with offices in California, Canada and Europe. Currently 160 people.
- 4. ● Many GUIframeworks and toolkits available for embedded systems. ● Vary widely (functionality, cost, platforms supported, programming languages, etc.) ● Selection can be critical to your project (development cost, time to market, performance, reliability, etc.) ● No single best choice; all have pros and cons and trade-offs Introduction 4
- 5. ● In thistalk will discuss the key features of embedded GUI frameworks. ● Define just what is meant by an embedded GUI framework or toolkit. ● Discuss considerations for deciding which one is the best fit for your project. ● Compare a number of popular GUI toolkits and their characteristics. Hopefully, you will find this helpful in making the right decision for your project! Introduction 5
- 6. ● Jeff Tranter,Consultant and Consulting Manager at Integrated Computer Solutions (www.ics.com) ● ICS offers software development, UX design, device cybersecurity, cloud, and regulatory services for high-performance industries, including medical, transportation, manufacturing, aerospace and defense, and IoT. Who Am I? 6
- 7. What is aGUI Toolkit or Framework? Toolkit Versus Framework? What Makes a GUI Framework Suitable for Embedded Systems? Why is it Important to Select a Suitable Framework? Criteria for Selecting Toolkits for Comparison Overview of Each Toolkit Comparison Table Strategies for Selecting a Toolkit Considerations for Safety-Critical and Regulated Devices Licensing Cybersecurity Outline 7
- 8. ● Software thatsupports developing graphical user interfaces. ● Typically today this is an LCD display with touchscreen, keyboard, hardware keys, or mouse. ● Usually implemented as one or more software libraries. ● May include additional support tools like GUI builder, IDE, test and debug tools, etc. What is a GUI Toolkit or Framework? 8
- 9. ● A toolkittypically just provides facilities for developing user interfaces. ● A framework can provide additional support for non-GUI facilities (file i/o, containers, string support, math functions, threads, networking, etc.). ● A cross-platform framework can allow your application to be portable across multiple platforms. ● No clear dividing line between the two (sometimes more product marketing). Toolkit Versus Framework 9
- 10. ● A simpledefinition of an embedded system is a dedicated device that performs a single function. ● Range of embedded systems today varies widely from $1 microcontrollers to very expensive multi-core servers with specialized hardware. ● Toolkit/framework features that are desirable for embedded systems: ○ Support the specific hardware platform (e.g. cross-compiled for CPU, support for rendering to display). ○ Support the chosen operating system (e.g. embedded OS, RTOS, bare metal). ○ Often desire "pixel perfect" touchscreen interface rather than using standard UI components from the OS. ○ Optimize performance of hardware (compiled language, leverage multiple CPU cores, GPU). ○ High level of reliability. What Makes a GUI Framework Suitable For Embedded Systems? 10
- 11. ● Impact ontime to market (learning curve, developer productivity). ● Impact on product cost (licensing cost of tools and run-time). ● Impact on product reliability. ● Impact on ability to support software over your product's lifetime. Why Is It Important To Select A Suitable Framework? 11
- 12. For purposes ofthis talk, selected toolkits that: ● Run on multiple embedded platforms. ● Support native/compiled development (e.g. C, C++). ● Actively being maintained. ● Open Source/free or commercial/proprietary. Criteria For Selecting Toolkits For Comparison 12
- 13. For each toolkitI summarize it in these areas: ● Name ● Latest Version ● Vendor ● Web Site ● Platforms Supported ● Programming Languages Supported ● License Model ● Cost ● Key Features ● Pros Overview Of Each Toolkit 13
- 14. Name: Crank Storyboard LatestVersion: 8.1 Vendor: Crank Software Inc. (division of AMETEK) Web Site: https://www.cranksoftware.com Platforms Supported: Linux, Windows, Android, FreeRTOS, iOS, bare metal. GUI demo images for a number of hardware platforms (NXP, ST, TI, Toradex, Boundary Devices, etc.) Programming Languages Supported: Lua or JavaScript. Optional C API for hardware backend. License Model: Commercial with free trial version, dev licenses, run-time. Subscription and perpetual license models. Cost: Need to request quote Key Features: GUI builder that supports flow, events, properties, animation effects. Can import UX designs from tools like Figma, PhotoShop, Sketch. Simulator. GUI executes under a run-time engine. Pros: GUI builder and run-time minimize amount of coding needed. Support for MCUs. Commercially supported. Supported by a number of hardware vendors. Cons: License cost. Requirement to use scripting language (Lua). GUI toolkit only. Crank Storyboard 14
- 15. Name: Dear ImGui LatestVersion: 1.91.5 (or git) Vendor: n/a Web Site: https://www.dearimgui.com or https://github.com/ocornut/imgui Platforms Supported: Platforms that support DirectX, Metal, OpenGL, or Vulkan. Programming Languages Supported: C++ (other language bindings available) License Model: Open Source (MIT license) Cost: Free Key Features: Optimized for GPU rendering and visualization. Pros: Lightweight. Leverages GPU for rendering. Cons: Relies on GPU. Small development team. Incomplete documentation. GUI toolkit only. Comments: Primary use cases are games and other applications with a GPU and 3D pipeline. Dear ImGui 15
- 16. Name: Embedded Wizard LatestVersion: V13 Vendor: TARA Systems Web Site: https://www.embedded-wizard.de Platforms Supported: Bare Metal and OS independent (tools generate platform package specific to chipset). Programming Languages Supported: Chora. Tools generate C or JavaScript. License Model: Commercial and Free Editions. Developer and run-time license. Cost: Free/evaluation: €0, Professional (IDE plus platform): €8,300 per year, Small Business: €2,990. Key Features: Embedded Wizard Studio WYSIWYG IDE. Pros: Suitable for microcontrollers. Embedded Wizard 16
- 17. Name: emWin Latest Version:6.46 Vendor: SEGGER Microcontroller Web Site: https://www.segger.com/products/user-interface/emwin Platforms Supported: Many MCUs. RTOS and bare metal. Programming Languages Supported: C, C++. License Model: Commercial. Cost: Need to request quote ($3,000 to $15,000 per developer) Key Features: GUI creation tool (AppWizard), 2D graphics, Fonts, Bitmaps, Widgets, Window Manager, Animations. Pros: Commercially supported. AppWizard GUI builder. Cons: Cost. Not a full cross-platform framework. emWin 17
- 18. Name: Fast LightToolkit (FLTK) Latest Version: 1.4.0 Vendor: n/a Web Site: https://www.fltk.org Platforms Supported: Linux/X11/Wayland, macOS, Windows Programming Languages Supported: C++ (other bindings available) License Model: Open Source (GNU LGPLV2 with static linking exception) Cost: Free Key Features: Open source widget-based UI toolkit. 3D support. Pros: Small, lightweight. Limited use of advanced C++ features. Includes a GUI designer. Cons: Few widgets supplied. Non-native look and feel. UI toolkit only. Fast Light Toolkit (FLTK) 18
- 19. Name: Flutter Latest Version:3.24.0 Vendor: Google Web Site: http://flutter.dev Platforms Supported: Android, iOS, Google Fuchsia, Web, Linux, macOS, Windows Programming Languages Supported: Dart License Model: Open Source (New BSD license) Cost: Free Key Features: Open source cross-platform toolkit supporting mobile, web, desktop, embedded platforms. Pros: Free. Widely used. Widgets styled for Android (Material Design) and iOS (Cupertino). Some cross- platform support via Dart Foundation library. Cons: Uses Dart language. Not commercially supported. Requires an OS. Not suitable for MCUs. Flutter 19
- 20. Name: LVGL (Lightand Versatile Graphics Library) Latest Version: v9.2.3 (or git) Vendor: LVGL Web Site: https://lvgl.io Platforms Supported: Most MCUs and MPUs. Not dependent on OS. Programming Languages Supported: C. Bindings available for MicroPython, C++, and others. License Model: Open source (MIT license) Cost: Free Key Features: Provides standard widgets, rendering engine, styling, layouts, transformations. Pros: Free. Supports MCUs. Cons: UI toolkit only. No GUI builder. Not commercially supported. LVGL 20
- 21. Name: MicroEJ MicroUI LatestVersion: 14.2.0 Vendor: MicroEJ Web Site: http://microej.com Platforms Supported: Many commercial boards/SOMs/MCUs. MPUs are directly supported. Programming Languages Supported: C, Java, JavaScript, Kotlin. License Model: Commercial. SDK uses license manager tied to machine ID or hardware dongle. Cost: Need to request quote. Key Features: 2D graphics, I18N, test, hardware events, MVC architecture, font engine. IDE support. Pros: Large number of tools and utilities. Cons: Cost. Large and complex. Mostly aimed at Java. MicroEJ 21
- 22. Name: Qt Latest Version:6.8.1 Vendor: The Qt Company Web Site: https://www.qt.io Platforms Supported: Desktop, Mobile, Embedded Programming Languages Supported: C++ (other language bindings available) License Model: Commercial and Open Source Cost: Varies (starts at about $4,000 per year for a developer license) Key Features: Cross-platform UI framework suitable for desktop and embedded. Pros: Full cross-platform framework. Reliable and well-documented. Cons: Cost. Requires adequate C++ knowledge. Proprietary QML language. Learning curve due to large number of classes provided. Different version (Qt for MCUs) for microcontrollers. Qt 22
- 23. Name: Simple DirectMediaLayer (SDL) Latest Version: 2.30.9 Vendor: n/a Web Site: https://www.libsdl.org Platforms Supported: Linux, Windows, macOS/iOS, Android. Programming Languages Supported: C (other language bindings available) License Model: Open Source (zlib license) Cost: Free Key Features: Cross-platform library for video, audio, input devices, threads, networking, timers. Pros: Free. Simple API. Cons: Not a full cross-platform framework. No commercial support. Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL) 23
- 24. Name: Scalable, Lightweight,Intuitive, and Native Toolkit (SLINT) Latest Version: v1.8 Vendor: SixtyFPS Web Site: https://slint-ui.com Platforms Supported: Embedded Linux on ARM, some MCUs. Desktop (Windows, Linux, Mac) in progress. Programming Languages Supported: C++, Rust, JavaScript License Model: Commercial or Open Source (GNU GPLV3) Cost: Free/EUR 59 per month/EUR 5900 per month depending on plan. Key Features: Similar to Qt, but implemented in Rust. Pros: Alternative to commercial Qt for implementing UIs. Supports multiple platforms. Scales from MCUs to desktops. Similar markup language to QML. SLINT 24
- 25. Name: TouchGFX Latest Version:4.24.1 Vendor: STMicroelectronics Web Site: https://www.st.com/en/embedded-software/x-cube-touchgfx.html Platforms Supported: STM32 Microcontrollers Programming Languages Supported: C, C++ License Model: Proprietary Cost: Free Key Features: GUI designer, predefined widgets, animations. Runs on RTOS or bare metal. Pros: Free. Supported by STMicroelectronics. Cons: Supported on STM32 platforms only. Source code not available. TouchGFX 25
- 26. Name: Unity Latest Version:6000.0.28f1 Vendor: Unity Technologies Web Site: https://unity.com Platforms Supported: Mobile (iOS, Android), Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)K, Web (WebGL) and various game and VR platforms. Programming Languages Supported: C# License Model: Free and paid versions. Cost: Varies by version. Key Features: Cross-platform 2D and 3D UX support. Pros: Free (depending on use). Widely used. Cons: Supports C# only. Unity 26
- 27. Name: wxWidgets Latest Version:3.2.6 Vendor: n/a Web Site: https://wxwidgets.org Platforms Supported: Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux. Programming Languages Supported: C++ (other language bindings available) License Model: wxWindows license (similar to LGPL) Cost: Free Key Features: Open source cross-platform widget-based GUI library. Pros: Cost. Stable. Cons: Aimed more at desktop/mouse-driven UIs. wxWidgets 27
- 28. Comparison Table 28 Name TypeCommercial? Open Source? Suitable for MCUs? Primary Language Crank Toolkit Y N Y Lua Dear ImGui Toolkit N Y N C++ Embedded Wizard Toolkit Y N Y Chora emWin Toolkit Y N Y C, C++ FLTK Toolkit N Y N C++ Flutter Toolkit N Y N Dart LVGL Toolkit N Y Y C
- 29. Comparison Table (continued) 29 NameType Commercial? Open Source? Suitable for MCUs? Primary Language MicroEJ Toolkit Y N N Java Qt Framework Y Y Y C++ SDL Toolkit N Y N C SLINT Toolkit Y Y Y Rust TouchGFX Toolkit Y N Y C, C++ Unity Toolkit Y N N C# wxWidgets Toolkit N Y N C
- 30. These were omittedfrom the list but might be worth looking at: ● CEGUI (https://cegui.org.uk) ● GTK/gtkmm (https://gtk.org) ● CopperSpice (https://www.copperspice.com) ● FELGO (https://felgo.com) ● GLUI (https://github.com/libglui/glui) ● neoGFX (https://neogfx.org) ● Tcl/Tk (https://www.tcl.tk) ● TkInter (https://wiki.python.org/moin/TkInter) ● GL Studio (https://disti.com/gl-studio/) Other Toolkits Not Evaluated 30
- 31. Suggest this criteriafor narrowing down the list of options: ● Are you looking for a toolkit or a cross-platform framework? ● Does it support for your hardware and OS platform? ● Does it support your preferred programming language? ● Does it meet your cost target? ● Performance. ● Stability. ● Overall vendor support. Strategies For Selecting A Toolkit 31
- 32. ● Medical. ● In-vehicle. ●Cybersecurity. Considerations for Safety-Critical and Regulated Devices 32
- 33. ● You shouldreview licensing, particularly if using software under an open source/free software license. ● This includes third-party software that may be pulled in as a dependency. ● Subtle differences between GPL, LGPL, and versions of each license. Particularly difficult to comply on embedded systems. ● May also be restrictions on developer and run-time licenses. Licensing 33
- 34. ● Increasingly important(witness a number of recent incidents of outages and data breaches). ● Regulatory agencies like the FDA are now requiring a Cybersecurity plan for medical devices. ● Increasingly important even for consumer products. ● Movement toward memory-safe languages such as Rust. Cybersecurity 34
- 35. ● May driveUI changes in the future. ● Hardware support for LLM, speech recognition, machine vision. AI And Machine Learning 35
- 36. ● Many UItoolkits to choose from. ● All have their pros and cons. ● Making a suitable choice is critical to the success of your project. ● By evaluating some criteria you can limit the number of options. Summary 36
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