Rust GUI Development for Linux

Overview

Learn to build graphical user interfaces (GUIs) in Rust, the fast and memory-safe systems programming language. This 4-week course covers:

Setting up a Rust development environment on Kubuntu Linux
Using the Iced library to create a calculator, counter, and to-do list
Exploring other GUI frameworks like GTK and Relm4
Building games like Pong and Simon Says
Creating quizzes with the eGUI framework

Gain hands-on experience as you progress from simple UIs to more complex, interactive applications. Learn best practices for Rust GUI development that you can apply to your own projects.

The course consists of short video lessons, readings, and practical coding labs. By the end, you'll have a portfolio of GUI projects and the skills to build more!

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction to Rust GUI Programming

Setting up a Rust development environment on Kubuntu Linux
Introduction to the Iced GUI framework
Building a simple hello world application and a counter app in Iced
Diving deeper into Iced by creating a calculator application
Unit testing the calculator GUI

Week 2: Advanced Iced Concepts & Building a To-Do App

Understanding the core components and architecture of Iced
Detailed walkthrough of Iced's built-in components
Structuring larger Iced applications
Implementing a to-do list application using Iced, with features like input, display, and task management

Week 3: Exploring Other Rust GUI Frameworks

Introduction to the FLTK framework and its capabilities
Building a Pong game using FLTK, with incremental improvements like start/stop functionality, speed control, and scoring
Overview of the GTK framework and its Rust bindings
Creating a password generator application with GTK, featuring password visibility toggle and copy functionality

Week 4: Building Games & Quizzes with Relm4 and eGUI

Introduction to the Relm4 framework and its reactive programming model
Developing a Simon Says game clone using Relm4, with game logic and sequence tracking
Overview of the eGUI framework for quick prototyping
Building a quiz application with eGUI, including timed questions, scoring, and extensibility to load various quiz files