What API do you program Linux apps in?
 

I'm just going back to Linux and I wanna give a shot at some Linux programming, maybe make a simple little calculator to ease my need for a new language. I've heard of GT and GTK but I don't know what those are. Can somebody please explain?

GTK is a tool kit. It usually found in GNOME. Basically it holds all the basic widgets and stuff, ( Windows, Buttons etc ) Think MFC for windows. Qt is another tool kit used by KDE. Their are several others as well but these are the main two. KDE is built on top of Qt. GNOME is built on top of GTK. GT is a type of car ;)

An API is not a visual toolkit, an API is a document defining relevant functions, vairables etc... for any given library.

A toolkit is not API, but it does have an "Application Programming Interface". API's also relate to other things than libraries, IPC for instance. So inferred what he meant from what he asked.

Qt is Object Oriented and it's really well designed in this way. So if you want to code in C++ maybe you should choose this one.

GTK is written in C and so, it's procedural. I know that there's a C++ interface gtkmm or something but I don't know how good it is.

So to make some Linux applications, I would use GTK or GT? What if your under WindowMaker? Does it matter?

OK, I too want to program with Linux GUI. I do not however like "MFC" type stuff, so is there anything for the hard worker who likes to torture himself with meticulous coding? Like Win32, I've finally learned to use it pretty well, even without MSVC++. So, what can I use that is pure coding, not cover up?

You could always use motif, if you really want torture.

The MFC type stuff, is MS equivalent of a tool kit. Microsoft built their toolkit almost directly into windows.

Linux doesn't work like that. Linux->X11(XFree86)->Toolkit is the set up. You usually pick a tool kit to work with. If your using C++ I'd recommend Qt as the toolkit to use.

Many coders have spent many years getting the toolkit right so we don't have to torture ourselves with something like MFC. Its still real coding. It ain't no cover up. Its just our tools are better written.

ah, ok thanks. I was wondering about that. What exactly though is Motif? Is it another toolkit. I like torture ;)

Its probably one of the oldest toolkits, used mainly on Sun Solaris systems with CDE. Its not very popular on Linux. I seriously would stay away from it if I was you. Even the guys who buy Sun Solaris systems usually replace Motif/CDE with Qt/KDE as quickly as possible, even its home market can't stand it :)