Introducing KDDockWidgets 2.0 A Leap Forward in Flexibility and Integration

11.12.2023 Sebastian Springer No comments

We’re happy to announce KDDockWidgets version 2.0, a major milestone that brings many improvements and architectural enhancements to our powerful docking library.

KDDockWidgets is a versatile framework for custom-tailored docking systems in Qt written by KDAB’s Sérgio Martins. For more information about its rich set of features, take a gander at its GitHub repository.

What motivated the rewrite?

In the 1.x series, the integration of QtQuick/QML support in KDDockWidgets was a bit of a hack. Maintaining and adding new features for QtQuick proved challenging and risked introducing regressions in the QtWidgets code. The 2.0 release marks a comprehensive architecture rewrite, addressing these issues. Now, fixing bugs in the QtQuick frontend is more straightforward, without impacting the stability of the QtWidgets implementation. This rewrite not only enhances the overall robustness of the library but also paves the way for non-Qt frontends, such as Slint and Flutter.

If you’ve been using QtQuick in the 1.x series, we strongly recommend updating to KDDockWidgets 2.0 The 2.0 release ensures a smoother experience and better compatibility with QtQuick. However, if you’re content with QtWidgets in version 1.x, you’re welcome to stick with version 1.7. While version 1.7 will continue to receive necessary build and crash fixes, the focus will shift towards version 2.0 for future developments.

About Version 2.0

The process of porting from KDDockWidgets version 1 to version 2 is generally straightforward, involving minor changes in namespaces and includes. However, if you’ve been using private APIs, the process might be more involved. For detailed guidance on porting, we refer to our porting guide.

The cornerstone of this release is a comprehensive architecture rewrite, laying the foundation for broader frontend compatibility. Developers can now effortlessly extend KDDockWidgets to support a myriad of GUI frameworks beyond QtWidgets and QtQuick, opening up new possibilities for cross-platform development.

Exciting times lie ahead as we work towards integrating KDDockWidgets with Slint as well as Flutter. While these frameworks are still in progress, we eagerly anticipate their support for multi-window functionality before finalizing the implementation.

Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting your coding journey, KDDockWidgets 2.0 offers a world of possibilities. Dive into the new architecture, explore enhanced integration options, and leverage the flexibility to tailor your user interface to perfection.

Visit our GitHub repository to download the latest release and check out the documentation.

More information about KDDockWidgets

• • A manual on installation and usage written by KDAB’s Sérgio Martins.
  • Find out more about KDAB’s Qt tools.
  • A YouTube video about KDDockWidgets: