Programmers use different frameworks for developing software. Such frameworks consist of code libraries, APIs, and compilers that make software design faster and simpler. One of the most popular frameworks among embedded software developers is Qt.
Qt is a C++ framework for GUI and application design. It is often used in system and application software development, as it has a number of crucial advantages over other toolkits. In this article, we will talk about what makes Qt and C++ so popular.
Advantages of Qt
-
Qt is Cross-Platform
This is one of the most important features of the Qt framework. Programs created on Qt can run on different desktop and mobile environments, as well as embedded devices. With Qt, one doesn’t have to create several native applications for each OS. Instead, you can write code once. This considerably shortens development time and allows you to reach a larger audience at the same time.
-
Open-Source
The Qt toolkits are distributed under commercial and open-source licenses. It reduces development costs. Besides, programmers can share their solutions with their colleagues.
-
Based on C++
Qt is based on C++ which features encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and classes. The framework inherited these features, allowing developers to reuse the code. Also, Qt contains bindings to other languages, such as Python, Java, Ruby, PHP, Go, etc.
-
Mature
The framework was released in 1995. Since then, it has been considerably improved by thousands of professionals. As a result, the toolkit now has functions and features that have made it even more comfortable to use.
-
Large Community & Support
Another advantage of Qt is its huge community as well as strong technical support. As a result, developers can count on detailed API documentation, high-class training, and lots of examples from other engineers.
-
Qt Creator
And finally, Qt has a very powerful and easy-to-use IDE – Qt Creator. It can run on all platforms. It has a rich plugin architecture and build system and is fast and responsive.
7 Advantages of C++
C++ is one of the oldest programming languages. Nevertheless, it remains one of the most popular as well. One of the reasons for it is because C++ is used in Qt. But there are other advantages of writing programs in this language.
-
Similarities to Other Languages
The syntax of C++ is very similar to that of C, C#, and Java. So, if you know one of these languages, it’s easy to switch to one of the others. Additionally, all programs written in C can run as C++ programs.
-
Libraries & Community
C++ has many built-in libraries, which makes programming in this language faster. Moreover, due to its large community, one can always expect to find support.
-
Portability
C++ is platform-independent. It means a program written in C++ can run on different operating systems, which makes it great for cross-platform software development. It also allows developers to switch operating systems with ease without having to start over.
-
C++ is a Mid-Level Language
This language combines the benefits of a higher-level language and low-level data manipulation. It sits between the hardware and the high-level software, which makes it suitable for embedded development.
-
Multi-Paradigm Language
C++ follows three different programming paradigms. Paradigms are models of programming based on how developers design, organize, and write programs. It means a programmer can choose one of the three paradigms when coding in C++ or mix them up. C++ follows Generic, Imperative, and Object-Oriented Programming paradigms.
-
Memory Management
C++ supports Dynamic Memory Allocation (DMA), allowing programmers to allocate the memory at runtime and deallocate memory when it’s not required. On the one hand, it is a liability, as there is no garbage collector. On the other hand, the flexibility of memory allocation and deallocation is useful for certain tasks.
-
Many applications
And finally, C++ can be used for a wide range of tasks, such as embedded software development, kernel and driver development, GUI design, video games development, and so on.
0 Comments