UI Development with Slint

A GUI toolkit written in Rust

Slint is a modern, declarative GUI toolkit for native user interfaces on embedded and desktop systems, and KDAB supports it end‑to‑end from evaluation and architecture to implementation and training.​

Where Slint shines

Slint lets you describe your UI in a declarative language and bind it to business logic written in Rust, C++, JavaScript, or other supported languages. It targets embedded, desktop, and even web environments, with a focus on low footprint and predictable performance on constrained hardware.

• Designed for resource‑constrained devices, with a runtime that fits in well under a megabyte and is optimized for low memory usage.
• Suitable for cross‑platform products where a shared UI layer should run on different operating systems and screen sizes from a single code base.
• Supports modern workflows such as live preview, responsive layouts, and integration with design tools (for example via a Figma‑to‑Slint plugin).

Compared to more mature frameworks like Qt, Slint deliberately trades some breadth of built‑in functionality for lower overhead, a simpler architecture, and a pleasant developer experience.​

Why work with KDAB on Slint

KDAB was one of the earliest adopters of Slint and is an official service partner, bringing long‑standing expertise from complex embedded and desktop UI projects into the Slint ecosystem. This combination makes KDAB a strong partner both for new projects and for teams exploring Slint alongside existing technologies such as Qt or Flutter.

• Proven track record in high‑performance, modern UIs across industrial, automotive, medical, and consumer devices, including projects that combine 2D and 3D requirements.
• Experience comparing and integrating several frameworks; for instance, KDAB has implemented the same demo on an i.MX 8 board in Qt, Slint, and Flutter to help customers understand trade‑offs.​​
• Ability to cover the full stack, from hardware‑aware rendering and OS integration to UX design, tooling, and developer training.

Typical Slint use cases KDAB supports

Slint is particularly attractive when you need a lightweight, responsive UI that still feels native and polished.

• Embedded HMIs on MPUs and MCUs where memory, CPU, and storage budgets are tight but the visual design must still be modern and touch‑friendly.
• Industrial devices, EV charging stations, and IoT products that benefit from low maintenance overhead and a long product lifetime on stable, efficient technology.
• Cross‑platform tools and appliances where the same UI needs to run on both desktop and embedded targets, with consistent behavior and styling.

KDAB helps you choose when Slint is the right fit in relation to other options, and can also support mixed setups (for example, Slint for the main HMI and specialized 3D or native components where needed).

How KDAB can help your Slint project

KDAB offers a broad spectrum of services around Slint, aligned with the way modern embedded and desktop products are built.

• Architecture and design: Evaluating Slint for your use case, designing the UI architecture, and planning integrations with existing code bases and toolchains.
• Implementation and optimization: Developing new Slint‑based UIs or porting from other frameworks, profiling performance, and tuning memory and startup behavior on target hardware.
• Long‑term support: Assisting your in‑house team over the full product lifecycle, from early prototypes to deployment and maintenance.

If you are considering Slint for a new HMI or planning a migration from an existing Qt or custom UI, KDAB can help you assess feasibility, prototype quickly, and build a robust solution tailored to your hardware and domain.