Qt-is-Good
Qt is good because…
Help creating a list of points explaining why Qt is good compared to other alternatives for application developers. Let’s focus on specifics: contrastable proof points and experiences from developers working in different platforms are greatly appreciated.
See also the related discussion [qt.io] at the DevNet forum.
In no particular order:
A great development environment
Everybody agrees that the combo Qt Creator + Qt API + Qt Documentation + Qt Community is just great to work with. There are many testimonials of developers used to to work with other development platforms and landing in Qt, for mobile, embedded and desktop.
Qt Creator is a top class IDE
Free of charge, runs in Linux, Windows and Mac OS X. Best simulator out there, including location and device sensors. More details coming.
A solid API evolved over years
Qt provides a very powerful and at the same time exceptionally clean and consistent API to application programmers. Newcomers generally find it easy to learn and pleasantly predictable, while veteran developers appreciate that among the available application frameworks for any given task, Qt tends to simply “get in your way the least”.
A reputation for good documentation
The reference documentation is easy to read and easy to understand. And most important, its complete. There are also many tutorials and videos covering all aspects of Qt development. In addition, there is a wide collection of code examples and open source applications showing best practices.
Easy to learn and progress
Reusable skills, professional path
Getting into Qt development is easy with a standard background on C++ or HTML5. Your Qt development skills can be applied not only on mobile apps or desktop applications for several industries, but also on professional UI and product development for Smart TV, Automotive, Health Care and multiple specialized devices.
Open source libraries, apps & community = better learning
All the source code of the Qt libraries is open source and well written with good API references. This is already useful to learn better to develop with Qt and to squeeze the possibilities of the framework, but there is more: a passionate and well consolidated Qt developer community offering great support and opportunities for collaboration.
A rich & wide community
Thanks to the combination of open source background and commercial customers in a variety of industries, the Qt community is called home by developers with very diverse profiles, from young mobile hobbyists to C++ professional oldtimers. Qt Project offers great community support while Qt Partners can offer commercial support at any level. Nokia provides extensive support specific to Qt mobile development.
Cross platform = multiple targets & user sectors
No two users are alike. Qt lets you target Android, Symbian, iOS, RIM (BlackBerry) and Linux mobile devices, as well as Mac OS X, Windows and Linux desktops. Nokia have committed to Qt as part of their “next billion” strategy. If you want to get your app as a tier-1 application on multiple platforms, Qt is the only way to go.
UI & backend development can be autonomous
With Qt Quick a technical designer can work on a great UI with real code for fast prototyping. In the meantime, a developer can focus on the backend logics with C++ or Javascript. This increases the collaboration and productivity on both sides.
Open development = better planning
The fact that Qt 5 is being developed openly sharing the code, the roadmap and the release plans helps planning ahead the development of current applications and the ones that need to start being developed now.
A commercial surrounding
The combination of open source community and commercial surrounding brings a lot of flexibility to all kinds of motivations and contributions. It offers a path of professionalization for those focused in hobbyist open source development. It brings an open attitude, commercial friendly.