A graphical user interface builder (or GUI builder), also known as GUI designer or sometimes RAD IDE, is a

software development tool A programming tool or software development tool is a computer program that software developers use to create, debug, maintain, or otherwise support other programs and applications. The term usually refers to relatively simple programs, that can ...

that simplifies the creation of GUIs by allowing the designer to arrange

graphical control element A graphical widget (also graphical control element or control) in a graphical user interface is an element of interaction, such as a button or a scroll bar. Controls are software components that a computer user interacts with through dir ...

s (often called widgets) using a

drag-and-drop In computer graphical user interfaces, drag and drop is a pointing device gesture in which the user selects a virtual object by "grabbing" it and dragging it to a different location or onto another virtual object. In general, it can be used to ...

WYSIWYG In computing, WYSIWYG ( ), an acronym for What You See Is What You Get, is a system in which editing software allows content to be edited in a form that resembles its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product, such as a printed d ...

editor. Without a GUI builder, a GUI must be built by manually specifying each widget's parameters in source-code, with no visual feedback until the program is run. Such tools usually called the term RAD IDE. User interfaces are commonly programmed using an

event-driven architecture Event-driven architecture (EDA) is a software architecture paradigm promoting the production, detection, consumption of, and reaction to events. Overview An ''event'' can be defined as "a significant change in state". For example, when a consumer p ...

, so GUI builders also simplify creating event-driven code. This supporting code connects

software widget A software widget is a relatively simple and easy-to-use software application or component made for one or more different software platforms. A desk accessory or applet is an example of a simple, stand-alone user interface, in contrast with a m ...

s with the outgoing and incoming

events Event may refer to: Gatherings of people * Ceremony, an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion * Convention (meeting), a gathering of individuals engaged in some common interest * Event management, the organization of ev ...

that trigger the functions providing the application logic. Some graphical user interface builders automatically generate all the

source code In computing, source code, or simply code, is any collection of code, with or without comments, written using a human-readable programming language, usually as plain text. The source code of a program is specially designed to facilitate the ...

for a

. Others, like Interface Builder or Glade Interface Designer, generate serialized object instances that are then loaded by the application.

List of GUI builders

C Language Based

GTK GTK (formerly GIMP ToolKit and GTK+) is a free and open-source cross-platform widget toolkit for creating graphical user interfaces (GUIs). It is licensed under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License, allowing both free and propriet ...

/ Glade Interface Designer *

XForms (toolkit) XForms is a GUI toolkit based on Xlib for the X Window System. It features a rich set of objects, such as buttons, scrollbars, and menus etc. In addition, the library is extensible and new objects can easily be created and added to the library. ...

fdesign * Intrinsics * Motif

C# Based

* UWP /

Windows Presentation Foundation Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) is a free and open-source graphical subsystem (similar to WinForms) originally developed by Microsoft for rendering user interfaces in Windows-based applications. WPF, previously known as "Avalon", was initia ...

WinForms Windows Forms (WinForms) is a free and open-source graphical (GUI) class library included as a part of Microsoft .NET, .NET Framework or Mono Framework, providing a platform to write client applications for desktop, laptop, and tablet PCs. Whi ...

** Microsoft Visual Studio XAML Editor,

XAML Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML ) is a declarative XML-based language that Microsoft developed for initializing structured values and objects. It is available under Microsoft's Open Specification Promise. XAML is used extensively ...

based GUI layout ** Microsoft

Expression Blend Microsoft Blend for Visual Studio (formerly Microsoft Expression Blend) is a user interface design tool developed and sold by Microsoft for creating graphical interfaces for web and desktop applications that blend the features of these two type ...

** SharpDevelop *

Xamarin.Forms Xamarin is a Microsoft-owned San Francisco-based software company founded in May 2011 by the engineers that created Mono, Xamarin.Android (formerly Mono for Android) and Xamarin.iOS (formerly MonoTouch), which are cross-platform implementati ...

.NET Core The domain name net is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) used in the Domain Name System of the Internet. The name is derived from the word ''network'', indicating it was originally intended for organizations involved in networking technologies ...

** Xamarin Studio

C++ Based

* UWP /

** Microsoft Visual Studio XAML Editor,

based GUI layout ** Microsoft Blend *

Qt (toolkit) Qt (pronounced "cute") is cross-platform software for creating graphical user interfaces as well as cross-platform applications that run on various software and hardware platforms such as Linux, Windows, macOS, Android or embedded systems w ...

Qt Creator Qt Creator is a cross-platform C++, JavaScript and QML integrated development environment (IDE) which simplifies GUI application development. It is part of the SDK for the Qt GUI application development framework and uses the Qt API, which e ...

* FLTK **

FLUID In physics, a fluid is a liquid, gas, or other material that continuously deforms (''flows'') under an applied shear stress, or external force. They have zero shear modulus, or, in simpler terms, are substances which cannot resist any shear ...

wxWidgets wxWidgets (formerly wxWindows) is a widget toolkit and tools library for creating graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for cross-platform applications. wxWidgets enables a program's GUI code to compile and run on several computer platforms with mini ...

** wxGlade **

wxFormBuilder wxFormBuilder is an open source GUI designer application for wxWidgets toolkit, which allows creating cross-platform applications. A streamlined, easy to use interface enables faster development and easier maintenance of software. It is written ...

** wxCrafter (plugin for CodeLite) * Projucer * Ultimate++

Objective-C / Swift Based

Cocoa Cocoa may refer to: Chocolate * Chocolate * ''Theobroma cacao'', the cocoa tree * Cocoa bean, seed of ''Theobroma cacao'' * Chocolate liquor, or cocoa liquor, pure, liquid chocolate extracted from the cocoa bean, including both cocoa butter an ...

(modern) and

Carbon Carbon () is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalent—its atom making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table. Carbon ma ...

(deprecated). **

Xcode Xcode is Apple's integrated development environment (IDE) for macOS, used to develop software for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS. It was initially released in late 2003; the latest stable release is version 14.2, released on December 13, ...

GNUstep GNUstep is a free software implementation of the Cocoa (formerly OpenStep) Objective-C frameworks, widget toolkit, and application development tools for Unix-like operating systems and Microsoft Windows. It is part of the GNU Project. GNUste ...

(formerly

OpenStep OpenStep is a defunct object-oriented application programming interface (API) specification for a legacy object-oriented operating system, with the basic goal of offering a NeXTSTEP-like environment on non-NeXTSTEP operating systems. OpenStep wa ...

) ** Gorm

Java-Based

Android Studio Android Studio is the official integrated development environment (IDE) for Google's Android operating system, built on JetBrains' IntelliJ IDEA software and designed specifically for Android development. It is available for download on Win ...

, XML based GUI layout * NetBeans GUI design tool *SceneBuilder

HTML/Javascript Based

DreamWeaver Adobe Dreamweaver is a proprietary web development tool from Adobe Inc. It was created by Macromedia in 1997 and developed by them until Macromedia was acquired by Adobe Systems in 2005. Adobe Dreamweaver is available for the macOS and Windo ...

from Adobe (Web Application User Interface Builders) — Obsolete as of 2022 *

Apache Cordova Apache Cordova (formerly PhoneGap) is a mobile application development framework created by Nitobi. Adobe Systems purchased Nitobi in 2011, rebranded it as PhoneGap, and later released an open-source version of the software called Apache Cordova. ...

PhoneGap Apache Cordova (formerly PhoneGap) is a mobile application development framework created by Nitobi. Adobe Systems purchased Nitobi in 2011, rebranded it as PhoneGap, and later released an open-source version of the software called Apache Cordova ...

Object Pascal Based

Delphi Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The orac ...

/ VCL (

Visual Component Library The Visual Component Library (VCL) is a visual component-based object-oriented framework for developing the user interface of Microsoft Windows applications. It is written in Object Pascal. History The VCL was developed by Borland for use i ...

) * Lazarus / LCL (

Lazarus Component Library The Lazarus Component Library, abbreviated ''LCL'' is a visual software component library for the Lazarus IDE. Description The LCL consists of a collection of units that provide components and classes especially for visual tasks. It is base ...

)

Flutter Framework Based

* Flutter (software) ** FlutterFlow, ** FlutterStudio, ** Nowa App builder,

Tk Framework Based

Tk (framework) Tk is a free and open-source, cross-platform widget toolkit that provides a library of basic elements of GUI widgets for building a graphical user interface (GUI) in many programming languages. Tk provides a number of widgets commonly needed ...

ActiveState Komodo Komodo Edit is a free and open source text editor for dynamic programming languages. It was introduced in January 2007 to complement ActiveState's commercial Komodo IDE. As of version 4.3, Komodo Edit is built atop the Open Komodo project. Komodo ...

(No longer has a GUI builder)

Visual Basic Based

* UWP /

** Microsoft Visual Studio XAML Editor,

based GUI layout ** Microsoft

Misc

Adobe Animate Adobe Animate (formerly Adobe Flash Professional, Macromedia Flash, and FutureSplash Animator) is a multimedia authoring and computer animation program developed by Adobe Inc. Animate is used to design vector graphics and animation for televisi ...

App Inventor for Android MIT App Inventor is a web application integrated development environment originally provided by Google, and now maintained by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It allows newcomers to computer programming Computer programming i ...

AutoIt AutoIt is a freeware programming language for Microsoft Windows. In its earliest release, it was primarily intended to create automation scripts (sometimes called macros) for Microsoft Windows programs but has since grown to include enhancements ...

* Axure RP * Interface Builder * Crank AMETEK Storyboard *

Creately Creately is a SaaS visual collaboration tool with diagramming and design capabilities designed by Cinergix. Creately has two versions: an online cloud edition and a downloadable offline edition for desktop which is compatible with Windows, Mac an ...

* Embedded Wizard *

GEM A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, or semiprecious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, an ...

Resource construction set The resource construction set (GEM RCS) is a GUI builder for GEM applications. It was written by Digital Research. RCS was widely used on the Atari ST, Atari STe, Atari TT, Atari MEGA ST, Atari MEGA STE and Atari Falcon The Atari Falcon030 ( ...

Stetic MonoDevelop (also known as Xamarin Studio) is an open-source integrated development environment for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its primary focus is development of projects that use Mono and .NET Framework. MonoDevelop integrates features similar ...

* LucidChart * OpenWindows *

Scaleform Scaleform Corporation is a developer providing middleware for use in the video game industry. As a result of Autodesk's acquisition of the company in March 2011, Scaleform has become part of the Autodesk Gameware line of middleware. Products ...

Wavemaker WaveMaker is an enterprise grade Java low code platform for building software applications and platforms. WaveMaker Inc. is headquartered in Mountain View, California. For enterprises, WaveMaker is a low code platform that aims to accelerate the ...

List of development environments

IDEs with GUI builders ( RAD IDEs)

* 4D *

(No longer has a GUI builder) *

Anjuta Anjuta is an integrated development environment written for the GNOME project. It has support for C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python and Vala programming language. Anjuta DevStudio The goal of Anjuta DevStudio is to provide a customizable and ...

* AutoIt3 * B4X *

C++Builder C++Builder is a rapid application development (RAD) environment, originally developed by Borland and owned by Embarcadero Technologies (a subsidiary of Idera), for writing programs in the C++ programming language currently targeting Windows (bo ...

* Crank AMETEK Storyboard * Clarion * Code::Blocks * CodeLite *

dBase dBase (also stylized dBASE) was one of the first database management systems for microcomputers and the most successful in its day. The dBase system includes the core database engine, a query system, a forms engine, and a programming language ...

* Embedded Wizard *

Eclipse An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three c ...

Gambas Gambas is the name of an object-oriented dialect of the BASIC programming language, as well as the integrated development environment that accompanies it. Designed to run on Linux and other Unix-like computer operating systems, its name is a re ...

IntelliJ IDEA IntelliJ IDEA is an integrated development environment (IDE) written in Java for developing computer software written in Java, Kotlin, Groovy, and other JVM-based languages. It is developed by JetBrains (formerly known as IntelliJ) and is av ...

JDeveloper JDeveloper is a freeware IDE supplied by Oracle Corporation. It offers features for development in Java, XML, SQL and PL/SQL, HTML, JavaScript, BPEL and PHP. JDeveloper covers the full development lifecycle from design through coding, deb ...

KDevelop KDevelop is a free and open-source integrated development environment (IDE) for Unix-like computer operating systems and Windows. It provides editing, navigation and debugging features for several programming languages, and integration with buil ...

LabWindows/CVI LabWindows/CVI (CVI is short for C for Virtual Instrumentation) is an ANSI C programming environment for test and measurement developed by National Instruments. The program was originally released as LabWindows for DOS in 1987, but was soon rev ...

* LANSA * Lazarus *

Liberty BASIC Liberty BASIC (LB) is a commercial computer programming language and integrated development environment (IDE). It has an BASIC interpreter , interpreter, developed in Smalltalk, which recognizes its own Programming language#Dialects, flavors and ...

Microsoft Visual Studio Visual Studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) from Microsoft. It is used to develop computer programs including websites, web apps, web services and mobile apps. Visual Studio uses Microsoft software development platforms such ...

* MonoDevelop * MSEide+MSEgui *

MyEclipse MyEclipse is a commercially available Java EE IDE created and maintained by the company Genuitec, a founding member of the Eclipse Foundation. MyEclipse is built upon the Eclipse platform, and integrates both proprietary and open source code ...

NetBeans NetBeans is an integrated development environment (IDE) for Java. NetBeans allows applications to be developed from a set of modular software components called ''modules''. NetBeans runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and Solaris. In addition to Java ...

OutSystems OutSystems is a Low-code development platform which provides tools for companies to develop, deploy and manage omnichannel enterprise applications. OutSystems was founded in 2001 in Lisbon, Portugal. In June 2018 OutSystems secured a $360M roun ...

PascalABC.NET PascalABC.NET is a Pascal (programming language), Pascal programming language that implements classic Pascal, most Delphi language features, as well as a number of their own extensions. It is implemented on the .NET Framework platform and conta ...

* Purebasic *

* SharpDevelop * Softwell Maker * VisualFBEditor * WinFBE *

* Xojo

References

{{Reflist Graphical control elements Graphical user interfaces *

List of GUI builders

C Language Based

C# Based

C++ Based

Objective-C / Swift Based

Java-Based

HTML/Javascript Based

Object Pascal Based

Flutter Framework Based

Tk Framework Based

Visual Basic Based

Misc

List of development environments

IDEs with GUI builders ( RAD IDEs)

See also

References