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Frequently Asked Questions:

General

Where does the name come from?

The name Slint is derived from our design goals: Straightforward, Lightweight Native Toolkit.

Why are you creating a new markup language?

We are creating a markup language which is both editable by humans and machines. We hope it is possible to pick up and understand, and at the same time strict enough for our tools to analyze and optimize to provide a smooth interface on the screen. In our experience, a domain specific, declarative language suits this purpose best. Strictly typed binding expressions offer a powerful and robust way for humans to declare relationships between properties, even in complex user interfaces.

Will there be API bindings to integrate with my favorite programming language?

We want to make it possible to use Slint with any programming language. We do not favor one programming language over another. We have chosen to start with three languages:

  • Rust, our implementation language.
  • C++, another systems programming language we have a lot of experience with.
  • JavaScript, a popular dynamically typed language.

This choice builds the foundation that allows us to create bindings for most types of programming languages.

Licensing

Slint is available under two licenses:

  • GPLv3, for the growing ecosystem of Free and Open Source Software.
  • Commercial, for use in closed-source projects. See https://slint-ui.com/#offering

The commercial license is free if you help us promote Slint: Check out our ambassador license.

What is the commercial licensing model?

The basic principle behind our commercial licensing is that you start for free and pay when you're shipping.

We offer a perpetual license option and we generally deploy a per-product license, regardless of how many developers, designers, Q&A engineers are using Slint.

If this doesn't fit you, don't hesitate to contact us and we'd be happy to work together to find a solution.

You can find a more detailed overview of our commercial licensing and the pricing at https://slint-ui.com/pricing.html.

Can I try Slint using the GPL version and then switch to the commercial license later?

Yes. The GPL is a distribution license that applies only when you ship your application. You can evaluate Slint and develop your product internally using the GPL license, and only acquire a commercial license when you want to ship your product. If you choose a per seat licensing model, the time spent developing needs to be accounted for. However, support for bug fixes requires a commercial license.

Is there a discount or reduction for independent developers or small businesses?

Yes, check out our Ambassador program

I want to develop a free software product using Slint, but I don't like the GPL and prefer to use a non-copyleft license.

You can still publish your own source code under a permissive license compatible with the GPL, such as BSD, MIT, or Apache license. The distribution of a binary or a package containing Slint still needs to be licensed under the GPL. It is up to those who want to distribute a non-free version of the application to acquire a commercial license.