JavaFX vs Swing

Sheeraz Gul Jan 30, 2023
  1. Advantages of JavaFX
  2. Advantages of Java Swing
  3. Disadvantages of JavaFX
  4. Disadvantages of Java Swing
  5. Key Differences of JavaFX Vs. Swing
  6. Comparisons Based on Properties of JavaFX Vs. Swing
JavaFX vs Swing

JavaFX is a web platform that helps developers develop modern user interfaces for web, mobile, and desktop applications. On the other hand, Java Swing is a Toolkit for GUI, which Sun Microsystems designs; Java Swing is one of Java’s most popular GUI toolkits.

This article compares both tools and states the differences between JavaFX and Swing to decide which one will be feasible for you.

Advantages of JavaFX

Developed by Adobe Systems in 2005, JavaFX has steadily progressed. JavaFX has a few advantages:

  1. JavaFX is a standard compatible class library included in IDEs like Eclipse.
  2. JavaFX enables developers to preview and test UI for different applications.
  3. JavaFX supports compositing controls, inputs, and a wide range of graphics.

Advantages of Java Swing

Sun Microsystems developed Swing; it has some advantages over JavaFX.

  1. Java Swing is compatible with every platform and is supported by many plugins.
  2. Java Swing is one of the most popular GUI toolkits and best for mobile app development.
  3. With Java Swing, it is easy to migrate legacy apps, which means you can reuse your code anytime.

Disadvantages of JavaFX

JavaFX has a few disadvantages, which are listed below.

  1. Limitation in Technical Capability requires proficient technical knowledge to use.
  2. Not suitable for applications with high-level complexity.
  3. The Community of JavaFX is limited, which is a barrier when you are stuck at some problem in JavaFX.

Disadvantages of Java Swing

Java Swing also has a few disadvantages.

  1. Java Swing is directly connected to JVM, which means desktop to mobile cross-platform Java application is impossible.
  2. Java Swing is not compatible with Java 7 and the previous version.

Key Differences of JavaFX Vs. Swing

The table below states the key differences between JavaFX and Swing.

JavaFX Java Swing
JavaFX supports MVC very friendly. Swing supports MVC but is not consistent with components.
JavaFX also has some UI components but is lesser than Swing. Swing has a more sophisticated set of GUI items.
JavaFX is platform support for GUI Applications. Swing is a standard toolkit for GUI.
JavaFX has UI Components but still evolving. It also has several components built over the Swing. Swing is the legacy library for GUI.
JavaFX can help to create rich internet applications with modern UI. Swing can help to create UI components with a decent look.
JavaFX is also supported by IDEs but not as good as Swing. Various IDEs support Swing.

Comparisons Based on Properties of JavaFX Vs. Swing

Here is a comparison of both techniques based on a few major properties.

Property JavaFX Java Swing
User Interface (UI) Rich UI can be designed with JavaFX. Standard UI can be designed with JavaFX.
Components Less number of Components A large number of components provided.
Functionality Future scope for newer functionalities No introduction of future functionalities.
Development JavaFX scripts the UI development with screen builder. Swing APIs are used to write the UI components.
Category Always has a gape for upcoming feature-rich UI components. Fully featured legacy UI library.

JavaFX is used to develop the UI of the applications and the Swing. Both techniques are used largely based on the requirements.

Swing has more components, and JavaFX is developed on the components of Swing. JavaFX is a software platform where Swing is just a suite of APIs.

Swing can provide an advantage to a developer with its vast UI component library, where the JavaFX provides the support to design rich internet and modern applications. It is based on the developer’s requirement which one they want to use.

Author: Sheeraz Gul
Sheeraz Gul avatar Sheeraz Gul avatar

Sheeraz is a Doctorate fellow in Computer Science at Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xian, China. He has 7 years of Software Development experience in AI, Web, Database, and Desktop technologies. He writes tutorials in Java, PHP, Python, GoLang, R, etc., to help beginners learn the field of Computer Science.

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