Qt moves to v. 5.6 for long-term, multi-platform UI applications development
The Qt Company (Helsinki, Finland) has announced that Qt 5.6, the latest version of its cross-platform application and user interface (UI) development framework, is available for download. Qt enables the rapid creation of high-performance, efficient and attrative applications that run natively on multiple platform screens, whether desktop, mobile or embedded. Qt 5.6 delivers a significant level of new functionality that will assist both application development and device creation. This includes cross-platform full support for Windows 10, High-DPI capabilities, and fully leveraging the Yocto Project for embedded software stack builds. Qt 5.6 is a Long-Term Support (LTS) release, which means that users can develop with it secure in the knowledge that the version will receive continued support.
Being an LTS release, Qt 5.6 provides a solid basis for software projects for years to come. It will receive patch releases containing bug fixes and security updates for at least three years, even after later Qt versions are released. After this time additional extended support can be purchased, if required.
With the LTS, effort has been put into improving the Qt APIs all-around. For instance, Qt 5.6 introduces improvements to C++11 support, Qt Multimedia, OpenGL ES 3 compatibility and the Chromium-based browser engine, Qt WebEngine, has been updated to a new version, adding support for Pepper plugins (PPAPI) such as Flash.
Qt 5.6 enables developers to create applications with one technology in order to reach all the screens of the end users, supporting all major desktop and mobile operating systems including Windows, Linux, OS X, Android, iOS and now, with Qt 5.6, Windows 10 devices. Qt 5.6 introduces full support for Windows 10 so that applications built with Qt can run on all Windows 10 desktop PCs, tablets and phones, and be distributed through the Windows Store. With Qt’s cross-platform features, users can take existing Qt-based applications to the new Microsoft platforms and distribute them through Windows Store. In most cases, the migration is just a matter of recompiling the application against the new version of Qt.
Qt 5.6 also adds cross-platform High-DPI support. This allows even older Qt applications to be easily made to automatically scale from standard resolution displays to high pixel density displays. Qt can automatically adjust font sizes, window elements, icons and other graphics based on the pixel density.
Qt 5.6 also sees the introduction of a Start-up offering that enables small companies (with annual revenues of $100,000 or less) to harness the full power of Qt for Application Development in their products on preferential terms. Visit www.qt.io/start-up-plan
Qt 5.6 adds the ability to develop embedded Linux devices using a Windows host computer and also integrates seamlessly with the Yocto Project. This means that developers can easily pull in the full Qt offering to their own Yocto-based software stacks or customise Qt’s Yocto-compliant software stack to meet their production needs.
The release also introduces a new version of the Qt Virtual Keyboard, now supporting handwriting recognition, integrating with Nuance T9 Write and adding traditional Chinese.
The Qt Company; www.qt.io/qt5-6
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