Introduction to GUIs

The JavaFX GUI framework allows you to create modern, professional-looking applications. You will begin to see that inheritance and interfaces are going to play a ginormous role here.

Important Packages

• javafx.application This contains the Application class, which will manage the life-cycle of a javaFX app.
• javafx.stage This contains top-level windows, including things such as file choosers, pop-up windows, and Stage, which is the top-level container window for an application.
• javafx.scene This package and its descendants includes a panoply of things we will press into service, These items include buttons, text areas, menus and slider bars. This is the home of many of widgets.
• javafx.event This packages hold classes that are useful in responding to such things as keystrokes, mouse clicks, and the selection of menu items.

What is an Abstract Class? The class Application is abstract; we will explore the meaning of this.

A Minimal Program that Shows a Window We will build this in a couple of dozen lines of code.

The Complete Program Life-Cycle We will write and app that demonstrates this.