# NodeGui
[](https://spectrum.chat/nodegui)
[](#contributors)
[](https://changelog.com/jsparty/96)
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Build **performant**, **native** and **cross-platform** desktop applications with **Node.js** and **CSS like styling**.π
NodeGUI is powered by **Qt5** π which makes it CPU and memory efficient as compared to other chromium based solutions like electron.
If you are looking for **React** based version, check out: **[React NodeGUI](https://github.com/nodegui/react-nodegui)**.
If you are looking for **Vue** based version, check out: **[Vue NodeGUI](https://github.com/nodegui/vue-nodegui)**.
If you are looking for **Svelte** based version, check out: **[Svelte NodeGUI](https://github.com/nodegui/svelte-nodegui)**
Visit: https://nodegui.github.io/nodegui for docs.
## How does it look?
**More screenshots?**
### More Examples:
https://github.com/nodegui/examples
---
## Features
- 𧬠Cross platform. Should work on major Linux flavours, Windows and MacOS.
- π Low CPU and memory footprint. Current CPU stays at 0% on idle and memory usage is under 20mb for a hello world program.
- π Styling with CSS (includes actual cascading). Also has full support for Flexbox layout (thanks to Yoga).
- β Complete Nodejs api support (Currently runs on Node v12.x - and is easily upgradable). Hence has access to all nodejs compatible npm modules.
- πͺ Native widget event listener support. Supports all events available from Qt / NodeJs.
- πΈ Can be used for Commercial applications.
- π΅οΈββοΈ Good Devtools support.
- π Good documentation and website.
- π§ββοΈ Good documentation for contributors.
- π¦Ήπ»ββοΈ Good support for dark mode (Thanks to Qt).
- π First class Typescript support. (Works on regular JS projects too π).
## Getting Started
- Check out [nodegui-starter](https://github.com/nodegui/nodegui-starter) to get up and running with your own React NodeGUI app!
- Read through the [docs](https://nodegui.github.io/nodegui).
- Checkout the examples: https://github.com/nodegui/examples .
- [Tutorial: Build a native Meme Search Desktop app with Javascript (NodeGui) and Giphy API](https://www.sitepoint.com/build-native-desktop-gif-searcher-app-using-nodegui/)
## Installation
NodeGui requires CMake and Compilation Tools as it is a wrapper for a native C++ widget toolkit QT.
Detailed instructions here: https://www.sitepoint.com/build-native-desktop-gif-searcher-app-using-nodegui/
TL;DR:
MacOS
```
brew install cmake
brew install make
```
Windows
https://cmake.org/download/
Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)
```
sudo apt-get install pkg-config build-essential
sudo apt-get install cmake make
sudo apt-get install mesa-common-dev libglu1-mesa-dev
```
Linux (Fedora/RHEL/CentOS)
```
sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools" "Development Libraries"
sudo dnf groupinstall "C Development Tools and Libraries"
sudo dnf install mesa-libGL mesa-libGL-devel
```
Then install NodeGui from your command line:
#### To install latest stable release:
```
npm install @nodegui/nodegui
```
#### To install the latest version available on master branch:
```
npm install https://github.com/nodegui/nodegui/releases/download/v0.0.0-latest-master/nodegui-master.tgz
```
or a shorter version:
```
npm i http://master-release.nodegui.org
```
If the installation fails to download the Qt binaries, a mirror can be used by setting the following environment variable and running the install command again:
```sh
QT_LINK_MIRROR= # eg. QT_LINK_MIRROR=https://qt-mirror.dannhauer.de
npm install @nodegui/nodegui
```
See [FAQs](https://github.com/nodegui/nodegui/tree/master/website/docs/faq.md#why-does-installation-fail-at-minimal-qt-setup) for more details.
#### Using your own custom Qt installation (Optional)
**Compiling Qt from source**
You will need to download and install Qt from source since there are no binaries from Qt for M1 yet.
(https://www.reddit.com/r/QtFramework/comments/ll58wg/how_to_build_qt_creator_for_macos_arm64_a_guide/)
```
git clone git://code.qt.io/qt/qt5.git
cd qt5
git checkout 5.15
./init-repository --module-subset=essential -f
git submodule init qtsvg
git submodule update qtsvg
cd ..
mkdir qt5-5.15-macOS-release
cd qt5-5.15-macOS-release
../qt5/configure -release QMAKE_APPLE_DEVICE_ARCHS=arm64 -opensource -confirm-license -nomake examples -nomake tests -skip qt3d -skip webengine -skip qtactiveqt -skip qtcanvas3d -skip qtdeclarative -skip qtdatavis3d -skip qtdoc -skip qtgamepad -skip qtcharts -skip qtgraphicaleffects -skip qtlocation -skip qtpurchasing -skip qtquickcontrols -skip qtquickcontrols2 -skip qtremoteobjects -skip qtscxml -skip qtsensors -skip qtserialbus -skip qtserialport -skip qtspeech -skip qtvirtualkeyboard -skip qtscript
make -j15
make install
```
This should install Qt into something like this `/usr/local/Qt-5.15.3` (your directory can change. This will be displayed when running make)
**Pointing nodegui to use your custom Qt installation**
Now just set `export QT_INSTALL_DIR=` . In the above example it would look something like this `export QT_INSTALL_DIR=/usr/local/Qt-5.15.3`. Add this in your .zshrc or .bashrc so that you dont need to repeat this process again.
Now just `rm -rf node_modules` and do `npm install` again.
The logs should say something like `CustomQt detected at . Hence, skipping Mini Qt installation`.
**Community guides**
- [Tutorial: Build a native Meme Search Desktop app with Javascript (NodeGui) and Giphy API](https://www.sitepoint.com/build-native-desktop-gif-searcher-app-using-nodegui/)
- https://blog.logrocket.com/electron-alternatives-exploring-nodegui-and-react-nodegui/ - Electron alternatives: Exploring NodeGUI and React NodeGUI by [Siegfried Grimbeek](https://blog.logrocket.com/author/siegfriedgrimbeek/).
- https://hibbard.eu/node-gui/ - Excellent guide from [James Hibbard](https://github.com/jameshibbard).
**Talks/Podcasts**
- [NodeGui and React NodeGui at KarmaJS Nov 2019 meetup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jH5gaEEDv4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jH5gaEEDv4)
-
## Docs for contributing
```
It is easier than you think, try it
```
Looking to contribute? If you wish to implement a new widget/add more features and need help understanding the codebase, you can start here: [Contributing developer docs](https://github.com/nodegui/nodegui/tree/master/website/docs/development).
Please read https://github.com/nodegui/.github/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md
## Building
`npm run build`
Optionally set `QT_INSTALL_DIR='/path/to/qt'` environment variable to build using your own version of Qt.
## Updating docs
`npm run docs`
then followed by:
`cd website && GIT_USER= yarn deploy`
## Funding
NodeGui is an open source project and requires your support. If you like this project, please consider supporting my work by clicking on the Sponsor button on this Github repository or via Ko-Fi.
Alternatively, Issues on NodeGui can be funded by anyone via Issuehunt and the amount will be distributed to respective contributors.
## Special Thanks
- [Logo: Thanks to Vishwas Shetty from the Noun Project.](https://github.com/nodegui/nodegui/blob/master/extras/legal/logo/thanks.md)
## Code of Conduct
https://github.com/nodegui/.github/blob/master/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
## License
MIT
## Backers π
Thanks goes to these wonderful people.