Fenster: Most minimal cross-platform GUI library
11 comments
·August 25, 2025socalgal2
> API is designed to be a polling loop
IMO this is a mistake. The most popular platform in the world does not allow using a polling loop. You can hack things to simulate it but eventually you'll run into where this will break for you. Better to start with something more forward compatible.
CyberDildonics
The most popular platform in the world does not allow using a polling loop
I don't know what that means, but just because something else doesn't use a polling loop doesn't mean it's a mistake or the wrong fit.
Something like this so simple there is likely to be a lot that gets done inside the main loop, not the least of which is drawing into the buffer which is most of the point.
rmonvfer
Looks neat! I’m using C in a little side project and it would benefit from a simple GUI, let’s see what I can do with this. Also, just a recommendation but there isn’t even a single screenshot and I’d say that’s pretty important in a GUI library.
vmsp
There's an accompanying blog post at https://zserge.com/posts/fenster/
This author has some pretty cool stuff, like a tiny alternative to Firebase https://zserge.com/posts/pennybase/
thisislife2
I chuckled at, "And, yes, it can run Doom!"
CyberDildonics
Could be cool, but if it is supposed to be a single header file it should say that instead of 'minimal'.
Also if it's just about getting a single window up with a pixel buffer it should say that.
Top priority should be getting screenshots on the github landing page.
ijidak
This is exciting. This is great for data visualization and financial applications!
That's not a GUI. It's something a GUI might be implemented in.