Introduction
Qt Bridge for C# connects a C# backend with a QML frontend. It is designed for .NET developers who want to keep application logic, models, and domain code in familiar C# while using Qt Quick for the user interface.
QML is Qt's declarative UI language: concise, binding-driven, and purpose-built for animated, fluid interfaces. Qt Quick is the rendering and UI framework behind it. The bridge lets those two worlds meet without requiring you to start from a full C++ Qt application.
Why use it?
Qt Quick is useful for building fluid, modern user interfaces, but the traditional Qt way can feel unfamiliar to a C# team. Qt Bridge for C# lowers that initial barrier by letting you:
- Keep business logic and application state in C#
- Describe the visual layer with QML and Qt Quick
- Expose C# types, models, and resources to the UI layer
- Evaluate Qt UI technology without committing to a full C++ application
Who is it for?
Use Qt Bridge for C# if your application logic belongs naturally in C#, but you want to explore Qt Quick as the UI layer. You do not need to know Qt or QML before you start; the early guides explain the Qt concepts through the lens of a .NET project.
The current release is especially relevant if you are:
- Looking for a cross-platform way to build desktop UIs for C# applications
- Evaluating Qt Bridge for C# as an early adopter
- Building desktop applications with .NET
- Exploring QML for the first time
- Using VS Code or Visual Studio and want QML editor support in the same workflow
- Looking for examples that show how C# models connect to QML views
How it fits together
A Qt Bridge for C# application has two main sides:
- QML describes the user interface that Qt Quick renders.
- C# contains the application logic, data models, bridge attributes, and resources.
When you build your application, Qt Bridge for C# produces the bridge information and native support needed for the QML side to understand the C# types you expose. The Qt Extension for VS Code and the Visual Studio extension use this information to provide QML diagnostics, completion, and project-aware imports. In VS Code, you can also preview and debug the QML code.
What is included?
The repository and packages provide the main pieces needed to evaluate and build Qt Bridge for C# applications:
- NuGet packages for consuming the bridge from C# projects
- Bridge attributes and APIs for controlling what is exposed to QML
- Model helpers for list, table, and item-based data
- Resource helpers for packaging application assets
- .NET CLI templates and example applications
- A Visual Studio extension with project/item templates and QML Language Server integration
- Generated API reference pages for namespaces, types, properties, methods, and attributes
Current product status
Qt Bridge for C# is currently in beta. APIs, workflows, and documentation may evolve as feedback arrives. For beta expectations, licensing, terms, and dependency notes, see Release Status.
Where to go from here
- See Getting Started to choose a workflow and create your first project.