What does GTK v4 with Default theme look like?

[andre1 (Andre)]

What does vanilla GTK v4 application (without Libadwaita, Granite, etc) look like?

[ebassi (Emmanuele Bassi)]

You can install and run the gtk4-demo application and see the default GTK theme.

In general, if you’re using GTK without any platform library it is expected that you style your application as you wish.

[andre1 (Andre)]

@ebassi

You can install and run the gtk4-demo application and see the default GTK theme.

Thanks, what is the difference between gtk-4demo-application and gtk4-demo?

It seems that GTK4 is pretty similar to what GTK3+Gnome-specific-libraries were. Now Gnome want very own design (GTK4+libadwaita apps). What is the reason for that? Why Gnome not want use generic GTK design? No offense, just interested.

@ebassi

In general, if you’re using GTK without any platform library it is expected that you style your application as you wish.

Yup

btw is GTK good for making cross-platform applications? Can GTK use to make websites? gtk.org doesn’t use GTK?

[ebassi (Emmanuele Bassi)]

@andre1

Thanks, what is the difference between gtk-4demo-application and gtk4-demo?

gtk4-demo-application is a separate binary used to demo an application.

@andre1

What is the reason for that? Why Gnome not want use generic GTK design?

GTK is used by more environments, and on more platforms, than just GNOME. Applications targeting GNOME should follow the GNOME interface guidelines, but if those guidelines are implemented in GTK, applications targeting other GTK-based environments—like Elementary, Xfce, etc—will have to undo what GTK does in order to follow the interface guidelines of those environments.

@andre1

btw is GTK good for making cross-platform applications?

GTK is a portable toolkit: its main job is to allow writing applications that can be ported to non-Linux platforms. It’s not for making applications that have no platform, or that seamlessly integrate with whatever other platforms do.

@andre1

Can GTK use to make websites? gtk.org doesn’t use GTK?

GTK is not a toolkit for making websites. It’s a native toolkit for native applications.

[andre1 (Andre)]

@ebassi

gtk4-demo-application is a separate binary used to demo an application.

But also gtk4-demo is application that demonstrate GTK4 features? gtk4-demo-application seems very limited.

@ebassi

GTK is used by more environments, and on more platforms, than just GNOME. Applications targeting GNOME should follow the GNOME interface guidelines, but if those guidelines are implemented in GTK, applications targeting other GTK-based environments—like Elementary, Xfce, etc—will have to undo what GTK does in order to follow the interface guidelines of those environments.

Of course, but I didn’t ask that. I think it makes sense that we have own libarary that makes easier to implement Adwaita design, but I asked why Adwaita has to be so different from GTK Default? We could be closer to GTK Default, vanilla GTK.

@ebassi

It’s not for making applications that have no platform, or that seamlessly integrate with whatever other platforms do.

What do you mean? Why?

[ebassi (Emmanuele Bassi)]

@andre1

But also gtk4-demo is application that demonstrate GTK4 features? gtk4-demo-application seems very limited.

gtk4-demo-application is part of gtk4-demo.

@andre1

I think it makes sense that we have own libarary that makes easier to implement Adwaita design, but I asked why Adwaita has to be so different from GTK Default? We could be closer to GTK Default, vanilla GTK.

Then you failed to understand the purpose of libadwaita altogether. If GTK’s default theme is managed by the GNOME design team as the default for GNOME, then the theme cannot change, and everyone using GTK will need to undo it. Additionally, all the widgets provided by libadwaita will still need to style by libadwaita, because GTK knows nothing about them.