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Slint-node (Beta)

Slint is a UI toolkit that supports different programming languages. Slint-node is the integration with Node.js.

To get started you use the walk-through tutorial. We also have a Getting Started Template repository with the code of a minimal application using Slint that can be used as a starting point to your program.

Warning: Beta Slint-node is still in the early stages of development: APIs will change and important features are still being developed.

Slint Language Manual

The Slint Language Documentation covers the Slint UI description language in detail.

Prerequisites

To use Slint with Node.js, ensure the following programs are installed:

• Node.js (v16. or newer)
• npm
• Rust compiler (1.70 or newer)

Depending on your operating system, you may need additional components. For a list of required system libraries, see https://github.com/slint-ui/slint/blob/master/docs/building.md#prerequisites.

Getting Started

1. In a new directory, create a new Node.js project by calling npm init.
2. Install Slint for your project using npm install slint-ui.
3. Create a new file called main.slint with the following contents:

import { AboutSlint, Button, VerticalBox } from "std-widgets.slint";
export component Demo {
    in-out property <string> greeting <=> label.text;
    VerticalBox {
        alignment: start;
        label := Text {
            text: "Hello World!";
            font-size: 24px;
            horizontal-alignment: center;
        }
        AboutSlint {
            preferred-height: 150px;
        }
        HorizontalLayout { alignment: center; Button { text: "OK!"; } }
    }
}

This file declares the user interface.

4. Create a new file called index.mjs with the following contents:

import * as slint from "slint-ui";
let ui = slint.loadFile("main.slint");
let demo = new ui.Demo();

await demo.run();

This is your main JavaScript entry point:

• Import the Slint API as an ECMAScript module module. If you prefer you can also import it as CommonJS module.
• Invoke loadFile() to compile and load the .slint file.
• Instantiate the Demo component declared in main.slint.
• Run it by showing it on the screen and reacting to user input.

5. Run the example with node index.mjs

For a complete example, see /examples/todo/node.

API Overview

Instantiating a Component

Use the {@link loadFile} function to load a .slint file. Instantiate the exported component with the new operator. Access exported callbacks and properties as JavaScript properties on the instantiated component. In addition, the returned object implements the {@link ComponentHandle} interface, to show/hide the instance or access the window.

The following example shows how to instantiating a Slint component from JavaScript.

ui/main.slint

export component MainWindow inherits Window {
    callback clicked <=> i-touch-area.clicked;

    in property <int> counter;

    width: 400px;
    height: 200px;

    i-touch-area := TouchArea {}
}

The exported component is exposed as a type constructor. The type constructor takes as parameter an object which allow to initialize the value of public properties or callbacks.

main.js

import * as slint from "slint-ui";
// In this example, the main.slint file exports a module which
// has a counter property and a clicked callback
let ui = slint.loadFile("ui/main.slint");
let component = new ui.MainWindow({
    counter: 42,
    clicked: function() { console.log("hello"); }
});

Accessing a Properties

Properties declared as out or in-out in .slint files are visible as JavaScript properties on the component instance.

main.slint export component MainWindow { in-out property name; in-out property age: 42; }

let ui = slint.loadFile("main.slint");
let instance = new ui.MainWindow();
console.log(instance.age); // Prints 42
instance.name = "Joe";

Setting and Invoking Callbacks

Callbacks declared in .slint files are visible as JavaScript function properties on the component instance. Invoke them as function to invoke the callback, and assign JavaScript functions to set the callback handler.

ui/my-component.slint

export component MyComponent inherits Window {
    callback clicked <=> i-touch-area.clicked;

    width: 400px;
    height: 200px;

    i-touch-area := TouchArea {}
}

main.js

import * as slint from "slint-ui";

let ui = slint.loadFile("ui/my-component.slint");
let component = new ui.MyComponent();

// connect to a callback
component.clicked = function() { console.log("hello"); };
// emit a callback
component.clicked();

Type Mappings

The types used for properties in .slint design markup each translate to specific types in JavaScript. The follow table summarizes the entire mapping:

.slint Type	JavaScript Type	Notes
int	Number
bool	Boolean
float	Number
string	String
color	{@link RgbaColor}
brush	{@link Brush}
image	{@link ImageData}
length	Number
physical_length	Number
duration	Number	The number of milliseconds
angle	Number	The angle in degrees
relative-font-size	Number	Relative font size factor that is multiplied with the Window.default-font-size and can be converted to a length.
structure	Object	Structures are mapped to JavaScript objects where each structure field is a property.
array	Array or any implementation of {@link Model}

Arrays and Models

Array properties can be set from JavaScript by passing either Array objects or implementations of the {@link Model} interface.

When passing a JavaScript Array object, the contents of the array are copied. Any changes to the JavaScript afterwards will not be visible on the Slint side. Similarly, reading a Slint array property from JavaScript that was previously initialised from a JavaScript Array, will return a newly allocated JavaScript Array.

component.model = [1, 2, 3];
// component.model.push(4); // does not work, because assignment creates a copy.
// Use re-assignment instead.
component.model = component.model.concat(4);

Another option is to set an object that implements the {@link Model} interface. Rreading a Slint array property from JavaScript that was previously initialised from a {@link Model} object, will return a reference to the model.