The state of Rust GUI libraries

Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) offer an intuitive way for users to interact with computers using visual elements, unlike Command Line Interfaces (CLIs) that rely on text-based interactions. Rust, a programming language known for its flexibility and strong open-source community, is increasingly popular for developing GUIs due to its robust library ecosystem. This article reviews several Rust GUI libraries, including Tauri, Druid, Xilem, Slint, gtk-rs, fltk-rs, iced, relm, Azul, egui, and Yew, highlighting their unique features and suitability for different development scenarios. Tauri is noted for its lightweight, web-based desktop applications, while Druid, although now discontinued, was valued for its layout system. Newer projects like Xilem focus on performance and organization, while Slint offers cross-platform support and prebuilt components. GTK and fltk-rs provide Rust bindings for broader toolkit applications, and iced offers a reactive programming model inspired by the Elm Architecture. Relm simplifies GTK usage with an Elm-like experience, and Azul leverages WebRender for a web-like GUI development. Egui aims to be the easiest library for web applications, and Yew focuses on web application UIs with WebAssembly support. Many of these libraries are still in development, with varying levels of stability and production readiness. Developers are encouraged to test these libraries thoroughly before deploying them in production environments, considering factors like compatibility and community support.