RGFW is a free multi-platform single-header very simple-to-use framework library for creating GUI Libraries or simple GUI programs. it is meant to be used as a very small and flexible alternative library to GLFW.
The window backend supports XLib (UNIX), Cocoas (MacOS) and WinAPI (Windows)
The graphics backend supports OpenGL (EGL, software, OSMesa, GLES), Vulkan, DirectX and software rendering buffers.
RGFW was designed as a backend for RSGL, but it can be used standalone or for other libraries, such as Raylib which uses it as an optional alternative backend.
This library
- is single header and portable (written in C89 in mind)
- is very small compared to other libraries
- only depends on system API libraries, Winapi, X11, Cocoa
- lets you create a window with a graphics context (OpenGL, Vulkan or DirectX) and manage the window and its events only with a few function calls
This library does not
- Handle any rendering for you (other than creating your graphics context)
- do anything above the bare minimum in terms of functionality
The examples can be compiled by using make debug, which compiles them in debug mode and then runs them
or make which simply compiles them.
The dx11 example has its own Makefile functions because it is Windows only, those include
make DX11 and make debugDX11
A basic example can be found in examples/basic, it includes a basic OpenGL example of just about all of RGFW's functionalities.
examples/dx11 is a minimalistic example of the use of DirectX with RGFW
examples/gl33 is a minimalistic example of the use of OpenGL 3.3 with RGFW, this example was made by AICDG
examples/vk10 is a minimalistic example of the use of Vulkan with RGFW, this example was made by AICDG
A basic example can be found in examples/basic, it includes a basic OpenGL example of just about all of RGFW's functionalities.
examples/buffer is an example that shows how you can use software rendering with RGFW using RGFW_BUFFER mode which allows you to render directly to the window's draw buffer.
#define RGFW_IMPLEMENTATION
#include "RGFW.h"
u8 icon[4 * 3 * 3] = {0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00, 0x00, 0xFF};
int main() {
RGFW_window* win = RGFW_createWindow("name", 500, 500, 500, 500, (u64)0);
RGFW_window_setIcon(win, icon, 3, 3, 4);
i32 running = 1;
while (running) {
while (RGFW_window_checkEvent(win)) {
if (win->event.type == RGFW_quit || RGFW_isPressedI(win, RGFW_Escape)) {
running = 0;
break;
}
}
RGFW_window_swapBuffers(win);
glClearColor(0xFF, 0XFF, 0xFF, 0xFF);
glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);
}
RGFW_window_close(win);
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There is a lot of in-header-documentation, but more documentation can be found here
If you wish to build the documentation yourself, there is also a Doxygen file attached.
RGFW is more portable, in part because single-header library. It does not use callbacks and focuses on trying to be straightforward. RGFW tries to work with the programmer rather than forcing the programmer to work around it. It also uses far less RAM and storage than GLFW.
| Feature | RGFW | GLFW |
|---|---|---|
| .o size (avg) | 46kb | 280kb |
| .so size (avg) | 94kb | 433kb |
| .h size | 152kb | 256kb |
| basic demo lines | ~130 | ~160 |
| memory ussage (linux) | 47 Mib | 55.9 Mib |
| --- | --- | --- |
| fps counter | ✓ | X |
| multi-threading | ✓ | X |
| drag and drop (input) | ✓ | ✓ |
| drag and drop (output) | X | X |
| joystick input | ~ (no macos support) | ✓ |
| live window struct | ✓ | X |
| event pipeline (dynamic) | ✓ | X |
| multi-buffering | ✓ | ✓ |
| set icon based on bitmap | ✓ | ✓ |
| clipboard I/O | ✓ | ✓ |
| multi-window support | ✓ | ✓ |
| hide/show mouse | ✓ | ✓ |
| no resize window | ✓ | ✓ |
| no border window | ✓ | X |
| transparent window | ✓ | ✓ |
| key strings | ✓ | ✓ |
| custom cursors | ✓ | ✓ |
| wayland | ~ (backwards comp.) | ✓ |
| OpenGL | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vulkan | ✓ | ✓ |
| OpenGL ES | ✓ | ✓ |
| EGL | ✓ | ✓ |
| OSMesa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Direct X | ✓ | X |
Projects that use RGFW in some way
Feel free to do a PR if you want something added to the list
RSGL is A modular simple-to-use cross-platform GUI library for easily creating GUI apps and games. It combines the freedom of lower-level GUI libraries with modern C techniques, offering both simplicity and convenience.
It uses RGFW as a backend.
Raylib is a simple and easy-to-use library to enjoy videogames programming.
Raylib uses RGFW as an optional alternative platform.
PureDOOM-RGFW is an example of the PureDOOM source port, using RGFW and miniaudio.
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RGL is a simple ultra-lightweight OpenGL version abstraction layer HEAVILY based on RLGL that uses the OpenGL pipeline style.
It uses RGFW for it's examples
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RFont is a simple-to-use single-header modular font rendering library written in C.
It uses RGFW for it's examples
RGFW uses the Zlib/libPNG license, this means you can use RGFW freely as long as you do not claim you wrote this software, mark altered versions as such and keep the license included with the header.
Permission is granted to anyone to use this software for any purpose,
including commercial applications, and to alter it and redistribute it
freely, subject to the following restrictions:
1. The origin of this software must not be misrepresented; you must not
claim that you wrote the original software. If you use this software
in a product, an acknowledgment in the product documentation would be
appreciated but is not required.
2. Altered source versions must be plainly marked as such, and must not be
misrepresented as being the original software.
3. This notice may not be removed or altered from any source distribution.
