As a CS Student, if you are confident about your Java Programming Skills and want to explore some Super Advanced Concepts in Java, then learning “JavaFX for GUI Development” will be the best to kick start.
JavaFX is the latest tool in Java that can be used to develop Graphical User Interfaces. In this article, we will first learn about JavaFX along with its application structure and some UI Controls.
Later, we will see some Practical Implementations of JavaFX for GUI purposes. So, let us start our discussion.
Summary Or Key Highlights:
- With the JavaFX Framework, we can develop Modern and High-performance GUIs.
- JavaFX is the latest framework in Java that helps to develop Graphical User Interfaces.
- The JavaFX Application Structure is made off of 4 important components.
- There are some UI Controls like Button, Label, TextFields, CheckBox, etc., in JavaFX Framework.
- From Financial Applications to IoT, the list of Real-world applications of JavaFX is long.
What Is JavaFX In GUI Development? Read Below
As a developer, when we are implementing any Desktop Applications with Java Programming, we need to provide Graphical User Interfaces there to make the application more attractive. That insertion of GUI is done with the help of the JavaFX Framework which is the latest.
As the JavaFX is the latest in the Java GUI, it comes up with some advanced capabilities like CSS Styling, and FXML Support. The best thing with JavaFX is that, we can use it across different Operating Systems like Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.
Historical Evolution Of JavaFX In GUI Development:
- 1990s: The Java GUI was first introduced with the AWT where we can do Limited Customizations.
- 2000s: The AWT was replaced with the Swing where we used to get better UI Elements and Flexibility.
- 2010s: The JavaFX was introduced as the Modern Framework with modern and enhanced capabilities.
- 2020s: The JavaFX has replaced all the older toolkits and become the Standalone Framework.
What Is The JavaFX Application Structure?
Now, after having a basic definition of the JavaFX Framework, it is time to move ahead to some deeper concepts. In this section, we will talk about the Structure of the JavaFX Applications. The JavaFX Application Structure is the main concept that we have to learn before starting the Practical Implementation process.
These are some key components that work together to build the Graphical User Interfaces using the JavaFX Framework. Let us check the following list to know more about those important components.
- Application Class: Whenever, we will write the JavaFX program, we have to start by extending to the Application Class. Inside the Application Class, we will find all other components that are required to implement the GUI.
- Stage (Window): The Stage is the Main Application Window. Whenever, we execute any JavaFX Program, that UI Window that will open is the Stage. The Stage acts as the Top-level Container that can hold every element.
- Scene (UI Container): The Scene is the component that helps to show Visual Elements inside the Stage. The Scene can hold all types of User Interface Components. That is the reason, it is known as the UI Container.
- Nodes (UI Elements): The Nodes are the Basic Building Blocks of the JavaFX Application. Every UI Element is known as the Node in JavaFX. From Buttons to Different Shapes, all are assumed as each node that is placed in the Scene.
What Are Some User Interface (UI) Controls In JavaFX?
Now, after discussing the Structure of the JavaFX Application, it is time to move ahead for some User Interface or UI Controls in the JavaFX Frameworks which are considered as the Nodes in the JavaFX Structure.
As we are moving towards the JavaFX Implementation Process, we should know some highly used JavaFX UI Controls before we start implementing JavaFX. Let us check the following list to know more.
- Button: This is the Basic Button Concept that can be used while Submitting a Form.
- Label: Using the Label Component, we can show some Text which are not editable.
- TextField: Using the TextField Component, we can take 1 Line Input from the User.
- TextArea: To take Multi-line Input Data from the user, the TextArea Component will be used.
- CheckBox: This is the Simple CheckBox Component which helps to pick multiple options.
- TableView: To show any data in the Table Format, the TableView component is used.
- ListView: If we use the ListView, the data will come in the List Format which we also can choose.
What Are Some Practical Ways To Use JavaFX Applications For GUI Development?
We hope whatever we have discussed till now will be enough to clear your basic understanding of the JavaFX Framework. So, in this section, we can move to some Practical Implementation Processes.
After going through the Practical Ways to use JavaFX Framework for GUI Development, your basic understanding will become more concrete on this topic. So, let us check the following programs.
1. JavaFX With CSS Styles:
With JavaFX, we can work with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). Working with the CSS with JavaFX is similar to implementation in Web Development. When CSS is used with JavaFX, there will be no need to change the Java Code, we just need to insert the CSS File there.
Hellojav.java File:
package abc;
import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.control.Label;
import javafx.scene.layout.VBox;
import javafx.stage.Stage;
public class HelloJav extends Application // HelloJav Is Extending To Application
{
@Override // Override Annotation Is Used
public void start(Stage primaryStage)
{
// Creating The Label For The JavaFX Application
Label l = new Label("JavaFX With CSS In CodingZap");
l.getStyleClass().add("custom-label");
// Implementing A Custom Button
Button b = new Button("Check Our Blogs");
b.getStyleClass().add("custom-button");
// The VBOX Layout Is Calling With Label And Button
VBox v = new VBox(20, l, b);
v.getStyleClass().add("root-container");
// We Will Create A Scene With VBOX Layout
Scene s = new Scene(v, 400, 200);
// Calling The CSS File
s.getStylesheets().add(getClass().getResource("zap.css").toExternalForm());
primaryStage.setTitle("JavaFX with CSS");
primaryStage.setScene(s); // Calling The Scene
primaryStage.show();
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
launch(args);
}
}
The Zap.css File:
.root-container
{
-fx-background-color: Blue;
-fx-padding: 20px;
-fx-alignment: center;
}
.custom-label
{
-fx-font-size: 20px;
-fx-text-fill: white;
}
.custom-button
{
-fx-background-color: #3498DB;
-fx-text-fill: white;
-fx-font-size: 16px;
}
Steps Of The Application:
- At first, in the Java File, the Packages for Application, Scene, Stage, Button, and Label will be called.
- Now, the HelloJav Class will be extended to the Application Class to start the JavaFX Program.
- The execution will start from the Start() Function where a Label will be created to print a message.
- Now, a Button will be created that will display the Message “Check Our Blogs”.
- Later, the VBox or Root Container will be called in the program using the Label and Button.
- At last, we will call the Zap.css File and call the Scene to display all the elements.
- Also, the CSS File will be created just as we do in the Web Development Process.
Output:
2. JavaFX With FXML For Design:
The FX Markup Language or FXML is the XML-based Language that helps to do design in different applications. The Implementation of FXML with JavaFX is similar to the JavaFX with CSS. In this case, as well, there is no need to change the Java Code, we just need to insert the FXML File there.
Hellojav.java File:
package abc;
import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader;
import javafx.scene.Parent;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.control.Label;
import javafx.stage.Stage;
public class HelloJav extends Application // HelloJav Is Extending To Application
{
@Override // Override Annotation Is Used
public void start(Stage primaryStage) throws Exception
{
// Calling The FXML File
FXMLLoader l = new FXMLLoader(getClass().getResource(“zap.fxml”));
Parent r = l.load();
// We Will Find The UI Elements From The FXML File
Label z = (Label) r.lookup(“#z”);
Button o = (Button) r.lookup(“#o”);
// We Will Handle The Button-Click Event With A Message
o.setOnAction(event -> z.setText(“The CodingZap Button Clicked!”));
Scene s = new Scene(r);
primaryStage.setTitle(“JavaFX with FXML”);
primaryStage.setScene(s); // Calling The Scene
primaryStage.show();
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
launch(args);
}
}
The Zap.fxml File:
Steps Of The Application:
- In the Java File, the Packages for Application, FXML, Stage, Scene, Label, and Button will be called.
- Now, the HelloJav Class will be extended to the Application, and the Start() function will be called.
- At first, we will call the Zap.fxml File and the elements of the FXML will be loaded.
- Later, the UI Elements from the FXML will be called in the Java Program.
- Also, we will implement a Button that will show some event messages when we click on it.
- In the end, we will call the Scene to show all the elements that we have implemented.
- Also, the FXML File will have to be created with the same UI Elements Name.
Output Before Clicking The Button:
Output After Clicking The Button:
3. Smooth Animations With JavaFX:
With the JavaFX, we can implement some Animations as well. In JavaFX, we can find some Build-in animations like Fade, Path Movements, etc. In the following program, we are going to implement one Java program on JavaFX that will show Smooth Animation.
Package abc;
import javafx.animation.FadeTransition;
import javafx.animation.TranslateTransition;
import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.scene.Scene;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.layout.StackPane;
import javafx.stage.Stage;
import javafx.util.Duration;
public class HelloJav extends Application // HelloJav Is Extending To Application
{
@Override // Override Annotation Is Used
public void start(Stage primaryStage)
{
Button b = new Button(“Click On CodingZap”);
// We Are Implementing Smooth Move Animation
TranslateTransition m = new TranslateTransition(Duration.seconds(1), b);
m.setByX(200); // We Will Move 200 Pixels In The X-Axis
m.setAutoReverse(true);
m.setCycleCount(2);
// We Are Implementing The Fade Animation Effect
FadeTransition f = new FadeTransition(Duration.seconds(1), b);
f.setFromValue(1.0);
f.setToValue(0.3);
f.setAutoReverse(true);
f.setCycleCount(2);
// The Animation Will Be Done When We Click On The Button
button.setOnAction(e -> {
m.play();
f.play();
});
StackPane r = new StackPane(b);
r.setStyle(“-fx-padding: 20px;”);
Scene s = new Scene(r, 400, 300); // We Are Creating The Scene
primaryStage.setTitle(“JavaFX Animations”);
primaryStage.setScene(s); // We Are Calling The Scene
primaryStage.show();
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
launch(args);
}
}
Steps Of The Application:
- At first, the Packages for Application, Stage, Button, Scene, Fade Animation, and Transitional Animation will be imported.
- In this case, as well, we have to extend the HelloJav Class to the Application Class and implement the Start() Function.
- At first, we will make a Button that will display the Message “Click on CodingZap”.
- Now, the Transitional Animation will be created where the Button will move to the Right in 200 Pixels after clicking on it.
- After that, the Fade Animation will be implemented where the Button will be back at the Original Position after transition in a Fade Way.
- In the end, the Scene will be called at the Stage, and all the implemented processes will be displayed.
Comparison Table Between JavaFX And Other GUI Frameworks:
Now, we have seen that before appearing JavaFX, some other Frameworks helped in Java GUI Development. In this section, we are going to see the differences between them using a Comparison Table.
In this Comparison Table, we will show differences between JavaFX and Swing, AWT, and Web-based GUIs based on criteria like UI Complexity, Performance, Learning Curve, etc.
Criteria | JavaFX | Swing | AWT | Web-based UIs |
UI Complexity | Modern | Classic | Basic | Flexible |
Performance | High | Medium | Low | Varies |
Learning Curve | Moderate | Easy | Simple | Diverse |
Platform Support | Multi | Multi | Multi | Universal |
Customization Support | High | Medium | Low | Extensive |
What Are Some Real-World Applications Of JavaFX?
Whatever we have discussed till now, from there you can understand that JavaFX is a very important framework to develop GUIs. This thing can also be proved in this section where we will discuss Real-world Applications of JavaFX.
Let us check the following points, where we will disclose some important domains where the use of JavaFX is high.
1. Financial Applications:
One of the most important domains is the Financial Sector. In different Financial Applications, JavaFX is used to get Real-time Data Visualization and Analytics, which is very important.
When To Use In Real-World Applications:
- In different Trading Platforms, the JavaFX is used to get interactive charts on Live Stock Market Data.
- To develop a Financial Dashboard, JavaFX is used to receive Real-time Updates on Transactions
2. Enterprise Software Solutions:
When we are developing any Software Product for an Enterprise, the use of JavaFX is needed to implement Attractive and Appealing User Interfaces that help to sell the product easily.
When To Use In Real-World Applications:
- To develop HR Management Systems and CRM Applications, JavaFX is needed.
- With JavaFX, we can develop a Desktop-based POS (Point of Sale) with UI Elements.
3. Industrial and IoT Applications:
Not only in the Financial and Software sectors, JavaFX can also be used for Industrial Purposes. Mainly, JavaFX is used to integrate with the IoT Devices to visualize the data easily.
When To Use In Real-World Applications:
- To do Industrial Automation in Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, JavaFX is needed.
- The JavaFX can be used in IoT Dashboards to get Real-time Sensor Data and Analytics.
What Is The Role Of Third-Party Libraries In JavaFX?
There is no doubt that with JavaFX, we can build any Modern GUI Application without any issues. But, if we want to enhance its functionality more, we can use JavaFX with other Third-party Libraries.
There are many Third-party Libraries that can make GUI Development more efficient and visually appealing. Let us check the following list to know a few such important Third-party Libraries.
- If JavaFX is used with the JFoenix Library, we can use different Material Design Components.
- We can use components like Notifications, Progress Indicators, etc. if JavaFX is used with ControlsFX.
- We can simplify the Complex Layouts in JavaFX with flexibility if the MigLayout Library is used.
- To implement Games in JavaFX, we can use FXGL Library, which comes with a Game Engine.
- To generate and edit PDFs in JavaFX, we can use the PDFBox Third-party Library.
What Are Some Performance Considerations In GUI Development With JavaFX?
If you think that working with JavaFX is very simple and easy, then you are thinking wrong. Along with implementation hardness, there are some Performance Considerations that we should keep in mind.
In this section, we will discuss some important Performance Considerations with JavaFX for GUI Development. Let us check the following list to know more about it.
- If the Scene Graph is overcomplicated, then the Rendering Speed will be affected highly.
- If the CSS Styling in the CSS File is excessive, then the Rendering Speed will slow down.
- We have to make sure that the JavaFX is using the GPU Acceleration for Easy Rendering.
- If we create UI Components every time instead of reusing them, it can increase Memory Usage.
- The User Interface Updates will get slow if the Property Binding is excessive.
What Are Some Common Mistakes With GUI Development In JavaFX?
Now, as we are approaching the end, we would like to conclude our discussion with some Common Errors with GUI Development in JavaFX. Once you are aware of these Common Errors, you can easily avoid them while practicing JavaFX.
Let us check the following list where some important Common Mistakes are discussed.
- Sometimes, we forget to extend the Application Class from the Declared Java Class, which causes errors. So, we have to always extend to the Application Class.
- Sometimes, we don’t load the FXML File properly. So, in the Java File, the FXML File can’t be accessed. So, we have to be careful.
- Occasionally, we create the FXML or CSS File in other directories, which causes errors. We have to create the FXML or CSS File in the same directory where the Java File is located.
- Sometimes, we place the Initialization Code outside of the Start() Method where the code throws an error. We have to keep in mind that the Start() Function is the Main Entry Point.
- Occasionally, we create the UI Elements but forget to call the Scene in the Stage. In that case, the UI Elements will not be displayed on the screen. So, we have to be careful.
Conclusion:
In the end, we can say it is very important to know about “JavaFX for GUI Development”.
We recommend mastering the basics of Java before diving into advanced topics like JavaFX for GUI development. You can always reach out to us for help with JavaFX assignment.
Takeaways:
- Application Class, Stage, Scene, Nodes, etc., are some important components in JavaFX Structure.
- We can use the CSS File with JavaFX to do designs like Web Development in Desktop Applications.
- Just like the CSS File, we can integrate the FXML File with JavaFX to do Design and Event Handling.
- We can do different Animations like Fade, Transitional, etc, with JavaFX Framework.
- The functionality of JavaFX can be increased if it is used with some Third-party Libraries.




