For several years, Letux has been working with tools for multi-platform application development. To make this possible, the C++ Qt library quickly turned out to be the right choice.

Qt is a C++ framework that makes it possible to develop multi-platform graphics applications based on the following approach: Write once, compile anywhere.

Extract from the preface on Qt4 and C++ in Programmation d'interfaces GUI (“Programming GUI Interfaces”) – published by Pearson Education France

The Qt library, published by Qt Software, enables developers to write a single source code that will be compiled on different platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac OSX. It consists of all the components (called widgets) needed for the creation of graphics interfaces, but also classes for access to databases, reading/writing XML files, thread management, etc...

This very comprehensive library is used for the KDE desktop environment in particular. The Qt API is clear and well documented, and is available in different forms:

• Qt, the multi-platform library, Linux, Windows, Mac
  
  
• Qtopia, the embedded version of Qt, offering its own windows system based on Linux, but also available for Windows CE
  
  
• Qt Jambi, the Java version of Qt
  
  
• Many other bindings exist and are maintained by third parties: Python, Ruby, PHP...

"In June 2008 Nokia acquired Trolltech ASA to enable the acceleration of their cross-platform software strategy for mobile devices and desktop applications, and to develop its Internet services business. On September 29, 2008 Nokia renamed Trolltech to Qt Software"