Qt Group is progressing with the development of Qt/.NET, a new toolkit aimed at improving interoperability between C++ and Microsoft’s .NET platform. The toolkit, designed to facilitate seamless communication between the two technologies, promises to enhance the way C++ and .NET developers can work together on projects. The core of the toolkit is a custom native host based on Qt, which manages assemblies and provides an adapter module that bridges the gap between native and managed code. This setup allows for instance method invocation, event notification, and object-lifecycle management, according to Qt’s August 30 blog post.
One of the key features of the Qt/.NET toolkit is the ability to implement C# interfaces in C++ and extend .NET types to inherit Qt classes. This capability opens up new possibilities for developers working across both platforms, as it enables them to use Qt objects within .NET environments. The integration is achieved through the QDotNETInterface, which encapsulates C++ objects and makes them accessible in .NET as implementations of C# interfaces. This is done by creating a proxy object in managed code that represents the native C++ implementation, ensuring that method invocations and property accesses are handled smoothly across the two environments.
In addition to object encapsulation, Qt/.NET allows for more advanced interactions between C++ and .NET, such as the ability to extend Qt classes within .NET. This means that developers can work within the .NET ecosystem while still leveraging the power and flexibility of Qt’s framework. The toolkit supports converting .NET events into Qt signals and accessing .NET properties as if they were QObject properties in C++, making the transition between the two worlds even more seamless. This integration adds significant value for developers who want to combine the strengths of both C++ and .NET in their applications.
Ongoing development of the Qt/.NET project also includes automated code generation for native code, which simplifies the process of working with both platforms. A blog post from June 2023 showcased how Qt/.NET could generate QObject-based wrapper classes for managed types, offering even greater flexibility and reducing the need for manual coding. With these advancements, Qt/.NET is set to become a powerful tool for developers looking to bridge the gap between C++ and .NET, paving the way for more versatile and cross-platform applications.