Makepad is a Rust-based platform for building cross-platform UIs, targeting web (Wasm/WebGL), macOS (Metal), Windows (DX11), and Linux (OpenGL). It aims to provide a unified development experience for native and web applications, simplifying UI creation for developers familiar with Rust.

How It Works

Makepad utilizes a custom DSL for UI description and a Rust-centric architecture. It compiles Rust code to various native and web targets, leveraging platform-specific graphics APIs for rendering. This approach allows for a single codebase to target diverse platforms, potentially reducing development effort and increasing code reuse.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Install Rust (nightly toolchain recommended).
• Install cargo-makepad: cargo install --path=./tools/cargo_makepad
• Install target toolchains: cargo makepad <target> install-toolchain (e.g., wasm, apple ios).
• Run Makepad Studio: cargo run -p makepad-studio --release or cargo install makepad-studio.
• Demo apps like UI Zoo and IronFish are available for reference.

Highlighted Details

• Cross-platform compilation to Wasm, Metal, DX11, and OpenGL.
• Custom DSL for UI definition.
• Includes example applications like IronFish (synthesizer) and Robrix (Matrix client).
• Supports multiple Rust targets via cargo-makepad.

Maintenance & Community

• Active development with key contributors listed.
• Discord server available for community interaction.

Licensing & Compatibility

• MIT License.
• Compatible with commercial and closed-source applications.

Limitations & Caveats

Web builds currently require the nightly Rust toolchain. Some runtime errors may lack line information without nightly.