JAVA provides a rich set of libraries to create Graphical User Interface in platform independent way. In this article we’ll look in AWT (Abstract Window Toolkit).
Graphical User Interface
Graphical User Interface (GUI) offers user interaction via some graphical components. For example our underlying Operating System also offers GUI via window,frame,Panel, Button, Textfield, TextArea, Listbox, Combobox, Label, Checkbox etc. These all are known as components. Using these components we can create an interactive user interface for an application.
GUI provides result to end user in response to raised events.GUI is entirely based events. For example clicking over a button, closing a window, opening a window, typing something in a textarea etc. These activities are known as events.GUI makes it easier for the end user to use an application. It also makes them interesting.
Examples of GUI based Applications
Following are some of the examples for GUI based applications.
> Automated Teller Machine (ATM)
> Airline Ticketing System
> Information Kiosks at railway stations
> Mobile Applications
> Navigation Systems
Advantages of GUI over CUI
GUI provides graphical icons to interact while the CUI (Character User Interface) offers the simple text-based interfaces.
GUI makes the application more entertaining and interesting on the other hand CUI does not.
GUI offers click and execute environment while in CUI every time we have to enter the command for a task.
New user can easily interact with graphical user interface by the visual indicators but it is difficult in Character user interface.
GUI offers a lot of controls of file system and the operating system while in CUI you have to use commands which is difficult to remember.
Windows concept in GUI allow the user to view, manipulate and control the multiple applications at once while in CUI user can control one task at a time.
GUI provides multitasking environment so as the CUI also does but CUI does not provide same ease as the GUI do.
Using GUI it is easier to control and navigate the operating system which becomes very slow in command user interface. GUI can be easily customized.