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A GTK (GTK4/GTK3) UI/UX specialist that crafts beautiful, native-feeling desktop applications following GNOME Human Interface Guidelines. Use this skill when working with GTK widget composition, Libadwaita theming, CSS styling, accessible layouts, and modern GTK4 features like GtkListView, property bindings, and event controllers. Handles visual design decisions, layout composition, responsive designs, and theme-aware styling for Linux desktop applications.
npx skill4agent add gotar/opencode-config gtk-ui-ux-engineervar(--variable)@variablecolor-mix()filter: brightness()@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark)var(--window-bg-color)/* ❌ GTK3 syntax - breaks in GTK4 */
@define-color my_color red;
@define-color window_bg var(--window-bg);
color: @my_color;/* ✅ GTK4 syntax - correct */
:root {
--my-color: red;
--window-bg: var(--window-bg-color);
}
.card {
background-color: var(--my-color);
color: var(--window-bg);
}references/libadwaita-styling.md/* Use system fonts for platform consistency */
window {
font-family: "Cantarell", system-ui, sans-serif;
font-weight: 400;
}
/* Headlines get emphasis */
.title {
font-family: "Cantarell", system-ui, sans-serif;
font-weight: 700;
font-size: 24pt;
}
/* Monospace for code */
.code {
font-family: "JetBrains Mono", "Monospace", monospace;
}document-symbolicedit-find-symboliccolor: var(--accent-bg-color);// Add symbolic icon to button
GtkWidget *button = gtk_button_new_from_icon_name("document-open-symbolic");
gtk_button_set_icon_name(GTK_BUTTON(button), "document-save-symbolic");/* Use CSS variables for theme integration */
:root {
/* Override accent color for brand identity */
--accent-bg-color: var(--accent-blue);
--accent-fg-color: white;
}
/* Custom accent color - e.g., purple brand */
:root {
--accent-bg-color: var(--accent-purple);
--accent-color: oklab(from var(--accent-bg-color) var(--standalone-color-oklab));
}
/* Dark mode overrides */
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
.card {
background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05);
}
}
/* High contrast mode */
@media (prefers-contrast: more) {
.card {
border: 2px solid currentColor;
}
}/* Cards with subtle shadows */
.card {
background-color: var(--card-bg-color);
border-radius: 12px;
padding: 16px;
box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08);
}
/* Primary buttons use accent color */
.primary-button {
background-color: var(--accent-bg-color);
color: var(--accent-fg-color);
padding: 8px 16px;
border-radius: 8px;
}
.primary-button:hover {
/* GTK4: Use color-mix() instead of filter: brightness() */
background-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent-bg-color) 90%, white);
}/* 4px base unit */
.space-xs { padding: 4px; }
.space-sm { padding: 8px; }
.space-md { padding: 12px; }
.space-lg { padding: 16px; }
.space-xl { padding: 24px; }
.space-2xl { padding: 32px; }/* Match Adwaita conventions */
button {
border-radius: 8px;
}
window {
border-radius: 12px;
}
.card {
border-radius: 12px;
}/* Smooth property transitions */
button {
transition: background-color 200ms ease,
transform 100ms ease,
box-shadow 200ms ease;
}
button:hover {
transform: translateY(-1px);
box-shadow: 0 4px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
}
button:active {
transform: translateY(0);
}/* Fade in for new content */
fade-in {
animation: fadeIn 300ms ease-out;
}
@keyframes fadeIn {
from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(8px); }
to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
}
/* Avoid excessive animations - use sparingly for emphasis *//* Use AdwLeaflet for mobile-first layouts */
GtkWidget *leaflet = adw_leaflet_new();
adw_leaflet_set_collapsed(GTK_LEAFLET(leaflet), TRUE);
/* Content adapts based on fold state */
g_signal_connect(leaflet, "notify::folded",
G_CALLBACK(on_fold_changed), NULL);/* Compact layouts for narrow windows */
window {
min-width: 360px;
min-height: 240px;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.sidebar {
display: none;
}
}
/* Use AdwBreakpoint for more complex responsive behavior */// Ensure all interactive elements are keyboard focusable
gtk_widget_set_can_focus(widget, TRUE);
// Set focus order
gtk_widget_set_focus_on_click(button, TRUE);
// Mnemonic shortcuts
gtk_label_set_mnemonic_widget(label, entry);// Label widgets properly
gtk_accessible_update_property(GTK_ACCESSIBLE(widget),
GTK_ACCESSIBLE_PROPERTY_LABEL, "Save changes",
-1
);
// Add descriptions for complex widgets
gtk_accessible_update_property(GTK_ACCESSIBLE(widget),
GTK_ACCESSIBLE_PROPERTY_DESCRIPTION,
"Saves the current document to disk",
-1
);@media (prefers-contrast: more) {
* {
border: 1px solid currentColor;
}
button {
background-color: transparent;
border: 2px solid currentColor;
}
}// Subclass GtkApplication
struct _MyApp {
GtkApplication parent;
GSettings *settings;
};
G_DEFINE_TYPE(MyApp, my_app, GTK_TYPE_APPLICATION);
static void my_app_activate(GApplication *app) {
GtkWindow *window = gtk_application_window_new(GTK_APPLICATION(app));
// Create window content
MyWindow *my_window = my_window_new(GTK_APPLICATION(app));
gtk_window_present(GTK_WINDOW(my_window));
}// Class init - load UI from resource
static void my_window_class_init(MyWindowClass *klass) {
GtkWidgetClass *widget_class = GTK_WIDGET_CLASS(klass);
gtk_widget_class_set_template_from_resource(widget_class,
"/org/example/app/ui/window.ui");
// Bind widgets
gtk_widget_class_bind_template_child(widget_class, MyWindow, header_bar);
gtk_widget_class_bind_template_child(widget_class, MyWindow, content_box);
}
// Instance init - initialize template
static void my_window_init(MyWindow *self) {
gtk_widget_init_template(GTK_WIDGET(self));
}// Create reusable composite widgets
struct _MyCompositeWidget {
GtkBox parent;
GtkLabel *title_label;
GtkButton *action_button;
};
G_DEFINE_TYPE(MyCompositeWidget, my_composite_widget, GTK_TYPE_BOX);
static void my_composite_widget_init(MyCompositeWidget *self) {
gtk_orientable_set_orientation(GTK_ORIENTABLE(self),
GTK_ORIENTATION_VERTICAL);
gtk_box_set_spacing(GTK_BOX(self), 6);
// Create children
self->title_label = gtk_label_new(NULL);
gtk_widget_add_css_class(GTK_WIDGET(self->title_label), "title");
gtk_box_append(GTK_BOX(self), GTK_WIDGET(self->title_label));
self->action_button = gtk_button_new_with_label("Action");
gtk_box_append(GTK_BOX(self), GTK_WIDGET(self->action_button));
}// Modern GtkListView pattern
static void setup_listitem_cb(GtkListItem *list_item, gpointer user_data) {
GtkWidget *label = gtk_label_new(NULL);
gtk_list_item_set_child(list_item, label);
}
static void bind_listitem_cb(GtkListItem *list_item, gpointer user_data) {
GObject *item = gtk_list_item_get_item(list_item);
GtkWidget *label = gtk_list_item_get_child(list_item);
const char *text = my_item_get_text(MY_ITEM(item));
gtk_label_set_text(GTK_LABEL(label), text);
}
// Create list view
GtkListItemFactory *factory = gtk_signal_list_item_factory_new();
g_signal_connect(factory, "setup", G_CALLBACK(setup_listitem_cb), NULL);
g_signal_connect(factory, "bind", G_CALLBACK(bind_listitem_cb), NULL);
GtkSelectionModel *model = gtk_single_selection_new(G_LIST_MODEL(create_model()));
GtkWidget *listview = gtk_list_view_new(model, factory);// Define action entries
static GActionEntry app_entries[] = {
{ "quit", on_quit, NULL, NULL },
{ "preferences", on_preferences, NULL, NULL },
{ "about", on_about, NULL, NULL }
};
// Add actions in startup
static void on_startup(GApplication *app) {
g_action_map_add_action_entries(G_ACTION_MAP(app),
app_entries,
G_N_ELEMENTS(app_entries),
app);
// Set accelerators
const char *quit_accels[] = { "<Control>q", NULL };
gtk_application_set_accels_for_action(GTK_APPLICATION(app),
"app.quit",
quit_accels);
}<!-- Define menu in .ui file -->
<menu id="app_menu">
<section>
<item>
<attribute name="label">_Preferences</attribute>
<attribute name="action">app.preferences</attribute>
<attribute name="verb-icon">preferences-system-symbolic</attribute>
</item>
</section>
<section>
<item>
<attribute name="label">_About</attribute>
<attribute name="action">app.about</attribute>
</item>
</section>
</menu>// Create settings
GSettings *settings = g_settings_new("org.example.app");
// Bind to widget properties
g_settings_bind(settings, "window-width",
window, "default-width",
G_SETTINGS_BIND_DEFAULT);
// Watch for changes
g_signal_connect(settings, "changed::theme",
G_CALLBACK(on_theme_changed), NULL);// Bidirectional binding between widgets
g_object_bind_property(
entry, "text",
label, "label",
G_BINDING_BIDIRECTIONAL | G_BINDING_SYNC_CREATE
);
// Transform bindings with transform functions
g_object_bind_property_full(
slider, "value",
label, "label",
G_BINDING_DEFAULT,
slider_to_label_transform,
label_to_slider_transform,
NULL, NULL
);// Use event controllers instead of signals
GtkEventController *key_controller = gtk_event_controller_key_new();
gtk_widget_add_controller(widget, key_controller);
g_signal_connect(key_controller, "key-pressed",
G_CALLBACK(on_key_pressed), self);// Click gesture
GtkGesture *click = gtk_gesture_click_new();
g_signal_connect(click, "pressed", G_CALLBACK(on_click_pressed), widget);
gtk_widget_add_controller(widget, GTK_EVENT_CONTROLLER(click));
// Drag gesture
GtkGesture *drag = gtk_gesture_drag_new();
gtk_gesture_single_set_button(GTK_GESTURE_SINGLE(drag), GDK_BUTTON_PRIMARY);
g_signal_connect(drag, "drag-begin", G_CALLBACK(on_drag_begin), NULL);
g_signal_connect(drag, "drag-update", G_CALLBACK(on_drag_update), NULL);
gtk_widget_add_controller(drawing_area, GTK_EVENT_CONTROLLER(drag));GtkWidget *child = gtk_button_new_with_label("Click");
gtk_box_append(GTK_BOX(box), child);
g_object_unref(child); // DANGER: May leak or crashGtkWidget *child = gtk_button_new_with_label("Click");
gtk_box_append(GTK_BOX(box), child);
// Box takes ownership - no unref neededstatic void my_widget_init(MyWidget *self) {
g_signal_connect(self->button, "clicked",
G_CALLBACK(on_clicked), self);
}
// Never disconnects - memory leak!static void my_widget_dispose(GObject *object) {
MyWidget *self = MY_WIDGET(object);
g_clear_signal_handler(&self->button_clicked_id, self->button);
G_OBJECT_CLASS(my_widget_parent_class)->dispose(object);
}g_signal_connect(widget, "key-press-event",
G_CALLBACK(old_handler), NULL); // GTK3 patternGtkEventController *controller = gtk_event_controller_key_new();
gtk_widget_add_controller(widget, controller);
g_signal_connect(controller, "key-pressed",
G_CALLBACK(modern_handler), NULL);GtkWidget *window = gtk_window_new(); // GTK3
GtkApplicationWindow *app_win = gtk_application_window_new(app); // GTK4GtkWidget *app_win = gtk_application_window_new(app);void on_data_changed(void) {
gtk_widget_queue_draw(widget); // Triggers full redraw
}void on_data_changed(void) {
gtk_widget_notify(widget, "content"); // More efficient
}void update_list(void) {
gtk_list_view_set_model(listview, create_new_model()); // Slow
}void update_list(void) {
GListStore *store = get_current_store();
g_list_store_remove(store, old_item);
g_list_store_append(store, new_item); // Fast
}references/gnome-hig.mdgtk4-best-practices.mdlibadwaita-styling.mdaccessibility.md// UI resource (window.ui)
<interface>
<template class="MyWindow" parent="AdwApplicationWindow">
<property name="default-width">800</property>
<property name="default-height">600</property>
<child>
<object class="AdwBreakpoint">
<condition>max-width: 600sp</condition>
</object>
</child>
<property name="content">
<object class="AdwToolbarView">
<child type="top">
<object class="AdwHeaderBar">
<property name="title-widget">
<object class="AdwViewSwitcherTitle">
<property name="stack">view_stack</property>
</object>
</property>
</object>
</child>
<property name="content">
<object class="GtkStack" id="view_stack">
<!-- Stack children added here -->
</object>
</property>
</object>
</property>
</template>
</interface>// C implementation
G_DEFINE_TYPE(MyWindow, my_window, ADW_TYPE_APPLICATION_WINDOW);
static void my_window_class_init(MyWindowClass *klass) {
GtkWidgetClass *widget_class = GTK_WIDGET_CLASS(klass);
gtk_widget_class_set_template_from_resource(widget_class,
"/org/example/app/ui/window.ui");
}
static void my_window_init(MyWindow *self) {
gtk_widget_init_template(GTK_WIDGET(self));
// Load custom CSS
GtkCssProvider *provider = gtk_css_provider_new();
gtk_css_provider_load_from_resource(provider,
"/org/example/app/styles/style.css");
gtk_style_context_add_provider_for_display(
gdk_display_get_default(),
GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER(provider),
GTK_STYLE_PROVIDER_PRIORITY_APPLICATION
);
}/* Custom styling (style.css) */
window {
background-color: var(--window-bg-color);
}
.title {
font-weight: 700;
font-size: 24pt;
}
.primary-button {
background-color: var(--accent-bg-color);
color: var(--accent-fg-color);
}
.primary-button:hover {
/* GTK4: Use color-mix() instead of filter: brightness() */
background-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent-bg-color) 90%, white);
}