Using web technologies for UI

Question

It fascinates me how rich the UI of web applications has become. It is really easy to build great UIs with HTML, CSS and JavaScript, but I just want to use C++ for my logic. Is there a way to build applications in C++ or Java and use Web technologies for the UI?

I am not talking about Web Applications but standalone Applications without a web browser.

Answer 1

Check my Sciter engine: http://sciter.com Sciter (essentially) is HTML/CSS/script embeddable engine designed specifically to be used as UI layer of applications.

Here is Sciter integration in 21 minutes document and I'd also recommend to read this one.

This application for example:

is using Sciter for its UI so HTML/CSS/and script (e.g. the map drawing) is what you actually see there.

Answer 2

Some examples:

In native Win32 programming on Windows, you can host an HTML window (which is actually Internet Explorer running as a control) with your own HTML and even expose your own objects (written in C++) into Javascript. And/or use the old ActiveX stuff.

Good example: The old "MSN Messenger" app was written entire in C++, but would host p2p games written by 3rd parties within a child window. In the picture below, the little board game is an HTML window. The rest is native Win32.

The new "modern" Windows 8 apps offer HTML+JavaScript+WinRT as a complete development solution and can interop with C++ or C# code as the platform portion of the app.

Other people answering this question might suggestion WebKit as another instance of an HTML framework that can be hosted within a native app.

Most all mobile platforms offer some sort of web browser control as part of their UI framework.