Modern declarative EDSL for graphic user interface in C++? Not QML or XAML.

Hello everyone,

I have been investigating lately (after using NiceGUI for a real project) and learning Jetpack Compose (not writing any real code with it, would do it with Jetpack Multiplatform if ever).

I am really impressed by Jetpack Compose approach, especially UDF.

I thought there could possibly not be a better way than MVVM tbh, after using it for years.

But after seeing how declarative composition inside the language, not with XAML or QML can be done, I am sold in the amount of boilerplate that can be saved, plus the better integration when the dsl is in the host language.

So I wanted to mention I found this, which I think could be a good start for some experiments, on top of wxWidgets: https://github.com/rmpowell77/wxUI

I think it has a talk in CppCon2025 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu4pI72zlO4

Kudos to the author for bringing something like this to C++! Definitely useful.

I would like to hear your opinions on this style of EDSL GUI embedding and pros/cons you find for those of you who do GUI programming all the time.

Also, wild idea: with the power of compile-time C++ programming and C++26 reflection, it would be possible to get existing xaml interfaces and convert it into regular C++ at compile-time via #embed or #include and not even changing the EDSL itself and making it directly embedded and reusable in C++? That would be plenty useful.


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