markup language
Markup language refers to a text-encoding system consisting of a set of symbols inserted in a text document to control its structure, formatting, or the relationship between its parts. Markup is often used to control the display of the document ...
that renders and describes
graphical
Graphics () are visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone, to inform, illustrate, or entertain. In contemporary usage, it includes a pictorial representation of data, as in design and manufacture, ...
user interfaces and controls. Many of these markup languages are dialects of XML and are dependent upon a pre-existing scripting language engine, usually a JavaScript engine, for rendering of controls and extra scriptability.
The concept of the user interface markup languages is primarily based upon the desire to prevent the " re-invention of the wheel" in the design, development and function of a user interface; such re-invention comes in the form of coding a script for the entire user interface. The typical user interface markup language solidifies often re-used program or script code in the form of markup, making it easier to focus upon design of a user interface in an understandable dialect as opposed to focus on function.
User interface markup languages, like most markup and programming languages, rely upon sub-application runtimes to interpret and render the markup code as program code that can be processed and put out in the desired form. In XML-based user interface markup languages, the markup is usually interpreted and represented as a tree of nodes that may be manipulated at runtime by the application's code or dynamically loaded user
script
Script may refer to:
Writing systems
* Script, a distinctive writing system, based on a repertoire of specific elements or symbols, or that repertoire
* Script (styles of handwriting)
** Script typeface, a typeface with characteristics of handw ...
.
User interface markup languages
XFD
XFD, which stands for XML Form Definition is the user interface markup language behind
STARLIMS
STARLIMS Corporation (Starlims) is a subsidiary of Francisco Partners that provides web-based laboratory information management systems.
History
The company was founded by Itschak Friedman and Dinu Toiba in Israel in 1986, and developed and sol ...
product , developed by Abbott Informatics. STARLIMS product has an entire ecosystem of runtime and design time tools to run and create visual forms using XFD language. STARLIMS v10 is powered by an XFD runtime developed using Microsoft .NET Framework and hosted in Internet Explorer browser. STARLIMS v11 introduces an additional XFD engine based on a server-side transformation engine that transforms the XFD into HTML5 compatible data designed to run on any HTML5 compliant browser. XFD is programmable in JavaScript based language.
QML
QML
QML (Qt Modeling Language) is a user interface markup language. It is a declarative language (similar to CSS and JSON) for designing user interface–centric applications. Inline JavaScript code handles imperative aspects. It is associated wi ...
is a cross-platform markup language for creating hardware-accelerated OpenGL-powered user interfaces for devices ranging from mobile to desktop. QML interfaces are manipulated using the JavaScript language. QML is part of the
Qt Project
The Qt Project is an open collaboration effort to coordinate the development of the Qt software framework. Initially founded by Nokia in 2011, the project is now led by The Qt Company.
History
Haavard Nord and Eirik Chambe-Eng (the origina ...
, created by Trolltech, then owned by Nokia and now owned by Digia.
MXML
MXML is the XML-based user interface markup language introduced by Macromedia in March 2004. It is now part of the
Open Source
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
(http://opensource.adobe.com) Adobe Flex SDK version 4. MXML files compile into Flash
SWF
SWF ( ) is an Adobe Flash file format used for multimedia, vector graphics and ActionScript.Open Screen Pr ...
via the Flex SDK, and are rendered either on the internet browser, via Adobe Flash plug-in, or as stand-alone cross-platform applications, via the Open Source Adobe AIR SDK.
UIML
OASIS
UIML
UIML (User Interface Markup Language) is an XML-based user interface markup language for defining user interfaces on computers.
Basically UIML tries to reduce the work needed to develop user interfaces. It allows you to describe the user interface ...
is an XML-based standard user interface markup languages. It is an
open standard
An open standard is a standard that is openly accessible and usable by anyone. It is also a prerequisite to use open license, non-discrimination and extensibility. Typically, anybody can participate in the development. There is no single definition ...
where implementation is not restricted to a single vendor.
XUL
The primary interface language of Mozilla Foundation products is XUL. XUL documents are rendered by the
Gecko
Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, geckos are found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from .
Geckos ar ...
engine, which also renders XHTML and SVG documents. It cooperates with many existing standards and technologies, including
CSS
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a style sheet language used for describing the presentation of a document written in a markup language such as HTML or XML (including XML dialects such as SVG, MathML or XHTML). CSS is a cornerstone techno ...
UsiXML UsiXML (USer Interface eXtensible Markup Language) is an XML-based markup language for defining user interfaces on computers.
UsiXML is a specification language for user interface design. It allows the designer to describe a user interface at diffe ...
(which stands for User Interface Extensible Markup Language) is an XML-compliant markup language that describes the UI for multiple contexts of use such as Character User Interfaces (CUIs), Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs), Auditory User Interfaces, and Multimodal User Interfaces.
In other words, interactive applications with different types of interaction techniques, modalities of use, and computing platforms can be described in a way that preserves the design independently from peculiar characteristics of physical computing platform.
WTKX
WTKX is an XML-based markup language used for building
Apache Pivot
Apache Pivot is an open-source platform for building rich web applications in Java or any JVM-compatible language. It is released under the Apache License version 2.0.
Architecture
Its classes are divided in the following categories:
* Core cl ...
applications. Though it is most commonly used for defining the structure of an application's user interface, it can be used to declaratively construct any type of Java object hierarchy.
XAL
eXtensible Application Language is the Markup language of Nexaweb's Enterprise Web 2.0 Suite. Developers can use this language to define applications that will run as a Java Client or an Ajax Client.
SVG
Scalable Vector Graphics is a markup language for graphics proposed by the W3C that can support rich graphics for web and mobile applications. While SVG is not a user interface language, it includes support for vector/raster graphics, animation, interaction with the
DOM Dom or DOM may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Dom (given name), including fictional characters
* Dom (surname)
* Dom La Nena (born 1989), stage name of Brazilian-born cellist, singer and songwriter Dominique Pinto
* Dom people, an et ...
and CSS, embedded media, events and scriptability. When these features are used in combination, rich user interfaces are possible.
SVG can also be superimposed upon another XML-compatible user interface markup language, such as XUL and XForms, as the graphics-rich portion of a user interface.
TUIX
TUIX is an XML based markup language for defining user interfaces in Tribiq CMS. Developers can define both the appearance of the interfaces and their interactions. The TUIX files from different Plugins are merged before rendering facilitating easy modification of existing interfaces and addition of new functionality.
XAML
XAML is a markup system that underlies user interface components of Microsoft's
.NET Framework
The .NET Framework (pronounced as "''dot net"'') is a proprietary software framework developed by Microsoft that runs primarily on Microsoft Windows. It was the predominant implementation of the Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) until bein ...
3.0 and above. Its scope is more ambitious than that of most user interface markup languages, since program logic and styles are also embedded in the XAML document. Functionally, it can be seen as a combination of XUL, SVG, CSS, and JavaScript into a single XML schema.
Some people are critical of this design, as many standards (such as those already listed) exist for doing these things. However, it is expected to be developed with a visual tool where developers do not even need to understand the underlying markups.
I3ML
I3ML is a proprietary thin client Application Delivery mechanism developed b CoKinetic Systems Corp with client support provided by a browser plugin that will render windows-like applications over an HTTP infrastructure with minimal bandwidth needs.
OpenLaszlo (LZX)
OpenLaszlo
OpenLaszlo is a discontinued open-source platform for the development and delivery of rich web applications. It is released under the Open Source Initiative certified Common Public License (CPL).
The OpenLaszlo platform consists of the LZX pro ...
is a runtime environment that comprises a runtime environment and an interface definition language (Laszlo XML - LZX). LZX is a declarative user interface language which defines the widgets, application layout and scripting elements (using JavaScript) to create your application. LZX is runtime agnostic with the currently supported runtime being within Macromedia/Adobe Flash. An experimental runtime called Laszlo "Legals" that will allow OpenLaszlo (LZX) applications run in multiple runtime environments, such as DHTML/AJAX.
HMVCUL
Hierarchical Model View Controller User Interface Language (HMVCUL) is an XML markup user interface language which supports the creation and chaining of atomic MVC triad components used in constructing HMVC GUI applications. The associated runtime provides methods which enable configuration of properties, data binding and events of each of the MVC triad elements (widget, controller, model). The runtime accomplishes this by mapping XML elements defined in an HMVCUL file to objects inside the framework, attributes to properties or to events. Chaining is accomplished by following the tree structure described inside the HMVCUL file.
WasabiXML
WasabiXML is an XML markup language that is used to define the graphical interface in Wasabi powered applications. It is most commonly used with Winamp for making Winamp skins. WasabiXML had been developed by
Nullsoft
Nullsoft, Inc. was an American software house founded in Sedona, Arizona, in 1997 by Justin Frankel. Its products included the Winamp media player and the SHOUTcast MP3 streaming media server. In later years, their open source installer syste ...
for Winamp, but it is also usable with other applications with the Wasabi SDK.
The root element in WasabiXML is (for Winamp skins, it is also ). The element shows the information for a skin. The graphical interface is held by the element and the basic viewable GUI element is . Following is an example for a simple
GUI
The GUI ( "UI" by itself is still usually pronounced . or ), graphical user interface, is a form of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and audio indicator such as primary notation, inste ...
with a button element:
1mySkinOoo LalaSome Person[email protected]http://www.example.org
WasabiXML supports many GUI elements including:
*
*
*
*
*
*
* used in conjunction with allows the developer to define a group of GUI objects which can be re-used anywhere in the skin. Wasabi also supports XUI's which are nothing but powered by a MAKI script allowing developers to create GUI components (widgets) of their own adding to modularity.
WasabiXML has an XML namespace 'Wasabi::' which defines common GUI's without having the need to declare their image paths.
FXML
FXML is an XML-based user interface markup language created by Oracle Corporation for defining the user interface of a JavaFX application.
FXML presents an alternative to designing user interfaces using procedural code, and allows for abstracting ...
is a XML-based language for defining the user interface of JavaFX applications.
Other
Other markup languages incorporated into existing frameworks are:
* VTML for Macromedia HomeSite
Apple's Interface Builder .xib format
Some of these are compiled into binary forms.
In avionics, the
ARINC 661
ARINC 661 is a standard which aims to normalize the definition of a Cockpit Display System (CDS), and the communication between the CDS and User Applications (UA) which manage aircraft avionics functions. The GUI definition is completely defined ...
standard prescribes a binary format to define user interfaces in
glass cockpit
A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. While a traditional cockpit relies on numerous mech ...
s.
Borland VCL forms (.dfm and .lfm) are text files describing the windows of
Delphi
Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracle ...
and Lazarus applications. They are compiled into the final executable in binary format, and use
RTTI In computer programming, run-time type information or run-time type identification (RTTI) is a feature of some programming languages (such as C++, Object Pascal, and Ada) that exposes information about an object's data type at runtime. Run-time ty ...
List of user interface markup languages
The following is a list of user interface markup languages.
By vendor or platform Flash
*MXML
*OpenLaszlo
Java
* Thinletbr>* ZK Framework, ZUML Ajax web application UI generator
*FXML/JavaFX
See alsOpen Source XML UI Toolkits in Java Microsoft
* ...
*
Comparison of user interface markup languages The following tables compare general and technical information for some user interface markup languages. Please see the individual markup languages' articles for further information.
General information
Basic general information about the markup la ...
*
Interface description language
interface description language or interface definition language (IDL), is a generic term for a language that lets a program or object written in one language communicate with another program written in an unknown language. IDLs describe an inter ...