JavaFX is a Java library used to build Rich Internet Applications. The applications written the usage of this library can run constantly throughout more than one platforms . The purposes developed the use of JavaFX can run on a number of devices such as Desktop Computers, Mobile Phones, TVs, Tablets, etc..
To boost GUI Applications the usage of Java programming language, the programmers rely on libraries such as Advanced Windowing Tool package and Swing. After the advent of JavaFX, these Java programmers can now improve GUI applications effectively with rich content.
YOU WILL LEARN
ABOUT JAVAFX
WHY JAVAFX
FEATURES
JAVAFX USE CASES
PACKAGES
ARCHITECTURE OF JAVAFX API
WHAT IS JAVAFX
JavaFX is a Java library used to enhance Desktop purposes as well as Rich Internet Applications (RIA). The purposes built-in JavaFX can run on multiple platforms which include Web, Mobile, and Desktops.
JavaFX is meant to replace swing in Java applications as a GUI framework. However, It affords more functionalities than swing. Like Swing, JavaFX additionally provides its very own elements and would not rely upon the operating system. It is lightweight and hardware-accelerated. It helps a number of operating systems including Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
WHY JAVAFX?
There are a number of reasons why JavaFX is an exquisite GUI application platform. First of all, Java is still one of the most famous programming languages in the world, with a massive set of standard classes, and a rich set of open-source toolkits developed through the Java developer community.
Second, JavaFX can run on all of the following OS’es and devices:
Windows
Linux
Mac
iOS
Android / Chromebook
Raspberry Pi
This makes JavaFX a versatile cross-OS and cross-system application toolkit.
Third, JavaFX comes with a rich set of GUI controls, and open-source toolkits add even greater tools to the complete ecosystem.
FEATURES OF JAVAFX
The important features of JavaFX :
Written in Java: The JavaFX library is written in Java and is accessible for the languages that can be carried out on a JVM, which consist of − Java, Groovy and JRuby.
These JavaFX functions are also platform independent.
FXML: JavaFX elements a language known as FXML, which is an HTML like declarative markup language. The sole cause of this language is to outline a user Interface.
Scene Builder: JavaFX offers an application named Scene Builder. On integrating this application in IDE’s such as Eclipse and NetBeans, the customers can access the drag and drop design interface, which is used to advance FXML applications (just like Swing Drag & Drop and DreamWeaver Applications).
Swing Interoperability: In a JavaFX application, you can embed Swing content using the Swing Node class. Similarly, you can replace the current Swing applications with JavaFX aspects like embedded web content and rich graphics media.
Built-in UI controls: JavaFX library caters UI controls the use of which we can develop a full-featured application.
CSS like Styling: JavaFX affords a CSS like styling. By using this, you can improve the design of your application with simple information of CSS.
Canvas and Printing API − JavaFX provides Canvas, an instant mode style of rendering API. Within the package javafx.scene.canvas it holds a set of classes for canvas, the usage of which we can draw at once within an area of the JavaFX scene. JavaFX additionally offers training for Printing purposes in the package javafx.print.
Rich set of API’s : JavaFX library gives a rich set of API’s to enhance GUI applications, 2D and 3D graphics, etc. This set of API’s additionally consists of capabilities of Java platform. Therefore, the usage of this API, you can access the features of Java languages such as Generics, Annotations, Multithreading, and Lambda Expressions. The usual Java Collections library used to be enhanced and concepts like observable lists and maps have been covered in it. Using these, the users can have a look at the modifications in the data models.
Integrated Graphics library: JavaFX offers instructions for 2d and 3d graphics.
Graphics pipeline: JavaFX helps graphics primarily based on the Hardware- accelerated graphics pipeline acknowledged as Prism. When used with a supported Graphic Card or GPU it presents smooth graphics. In case the device does not assist graphic card then prism defaults to the software rendering stack.
JAVAFX USE CASES
I have been asked a number of instances if not desktop applications are useless – if there are definitely any use cases left for some thing like JavaFX. It is true, that many applications fit well as web applications, due to the fact you access them rarely, and the sources you access are stored on a server anyways. But, there are additionally several kinds of functions that are better carried out as desktop applications.
As cited in the introduction we at Nanosai are truly developing a desktop application for the use of JavaFX. We do so because that app wants access to the local disk, wants to be in a position to communicate through different network protocols than HTTP, and needs various different elements a standard web browser truly does not provide.
Here is a listing of some of common use cases I see for JavaFX:
Developer tools
IDE
Editors
File compression / encryption tools
Tools scanning the local disk
Local device maintenance tools
Backup tools
Virus scans
Utility apps
Skype / Messenger / Chat
Screenshot tools
Photo and video editing
Video players
Audio editing
Audio players
Games
Data Science Tools
Here are some of the desktop apps I use regularly:
IntelliJ IDEA
Notepad++
SourceTree
SnagIt
Putty
WinSCP
Skype
Signal
Telegram
PhotoShop
Premiere Pro
VideoLAN (VLC)
EDraw
Additionally, a number of corporations that have commenced with web applications have later added native / local desktop applications. Some of these are:
YouTube Music
Spotify
Microsoft Teams
Slack
Google Drive
PACKAGES
JavaFX presents a entire API with a rich set of classes and interfaces to build GUI applications with rich graphics. The necessary packages of this API are −
javafx.animation − Contains classes to add transition primarily based animations such as fill, fade, rotate, scale and translation, to the JavaFX nodes.
javafx.application − Contains a set of instructions responsible for the JavaFX application life cycle.
javafx.css − Contains classes to add CSS–like styling to JavaFX GUI applications.
javafx.event − Contains classes and interfaces to supply and deal with JavaFX events.
javafx.geometry − Contains classes to outline 2D objects and perform operations on them.
javafx.stage − This package holds the top level container classes for JavaFX application.
javafx.scene − This package gives instructions and interfaces to assist the scene graph. In addition, it additionally offers sub-packages such as canvas, chart, control, effect, image, input, layout, media, paint, shape, text, transform, web, etc. There are a number of elements that help this rich API of JavaFX.
The following illustration indicates the architecture of JavaFX API. Here you can see the components that support JavaFX API.
ARCHITECTURE OF JAVAFX API
Scene Graph
In JavaFX, the GUI Applications have been coded the usage of a Scene Graph. A Scene Graph is the starting factor of the development of the GUI Application. It holds the (GUI) application primitives that are termed as nodes.
A node is a visual/graphical object and it may additionally consist of :
Geometrical (Graphical) objects − (2D and 3D) such as circle, rectangle, polygon, etc.
UI controls − such as Button, Checkbox, Choice box, Text Area, etc.
Containers − (layout panes) such as Border Pane, Grid Pane, Flow Pane, etc.
Media elements − such as audio, video, and image objects.
In general, a series of nodes makes a scene graph. All these nodes are arranged in hierarchical order as shown below.
Scene Graph
Each node in the scene graph has a single parent, and the node which does not contain any parents is recognized as the root node.
In the same way, each node has one or more children, and the node without children is termed as leaf node; a node with children is termed as a branch node.
A node instance can be brought to a scene graph only once. The nodes of a scene graph can have Effects, Opacity, Transforms, Event Handlers, Event Handlers, Application Specific States.
Prism
Prism is high-performance hardware–and accelerated graphical pipeline that is used to render the graphics in JavaFX. It can render both 2-D and 3D graphics.
To render graphics, a Prism makes use of :
DirectX 9 on Windows XP and Vista.
DirectX 11 on Windows 7.
OpenGL on Mac and Linux, Embedded Systems.
In case the hardware assist for graphics on the device is not sufficient, then
Prism uses the software to render direction to process the graphics. When used with a supported Graphic Card or GPU, it affords smoother graphics.
Just in case the device does no longer supports a graphic card, then Prism defaults to the software rendering stack (either of the above two).
GWT (Glass Windowing Toolkit)
As the name suggests, GWT gives services to manage Windows, Timers, Surfaces, and Event Queues. GWT connects the JavaFX Platform to the Native Operating System.
Quantum Toolkit
It is an abstraction over the low-level factors of Prism, Glass, Media Engine, and Web Engine. It ties Prism and GWT collectively and makes them accessible to JavaFX.
WebView
Using JavaFX, you can additionally embed HTML content into a scene graph. WebView is the factor of JavaFX which is used to process this content. It makes use of a technology known as Web Kit, which is an internal open-source internet browser engine.
This issue supports special web technologies like HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, DOM, and SVG.
Using WebView, you can −
Render HTML content from a local or remote URL.
Support history and provide Back and Forward navigation.
Reload the content.
Apply outcomes to the web component.
Edit the HTML content.
Execute JavaScript commands.
Handle events.
In general, the use of WebView, you can manage internet content from Java.
Media Engine
The JavaFX media engine is primarily based on an open-source engine known as a Streamer. This media engine helps the playback of video and audio content. The package javafx.scene.media includes the classes and interfaces to provide media functionality in JavaFX. It is provided in the form of three components, which are −
Media Object − This represents a media file
Media Player − To play media content.
Media View − To display media.
