This is a simple project template that you can use to quickly start developing simple, single-window GUI apps for Microsoft Windows. It uses Dear ImGui library and heavily utilizes its multi-viewports functionality. Read here why.
Pros:
- Compiles into a single 500kb .exe file with zero dependencies.*
- If you are familiar with Dear ImGui, you will be able to get from concept to working app in a matter of minutes.
Cons:
- Only single-window apps are supported (currently, though it's easy to extend yourself).
- Since Dear ImGui is an immediate-mode GUI library, your GPU will need to constantly re-render frames even if nothing changes.
*DirectX 11 comes preinstalled on Windows 10+, MFC static linking required.
Those two example windows are implemented in the project.
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Download Visual Studio 2022 (Community Edition is fine).
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When installing, select "Desktop development with C++."
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If you want to statically link MFC, also select "MFC for latest vXXX build tools (x86 & x64)" in the "Individual components" tab.
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Open "App.sln" and build the solution. The "x64\Release" folder will contain "App.exe" if everything goes well.
- Dear ImGui is licensed under MIT.
- Files written by me are also under MIT (see App/Source/LICENSE.txt).