Convert UI projects to applications

Qt Quick UI prototype projects are useful for creating user interfaces. To use them for application development in Qt Creator, you have to add:

• A CMakeLists.txt project configuration file
• C++ code (.cpp)
• Resource files
• Code needed for deploying applications to devices

For more information about integrating QML and C++, see Overview - QML and C++ Integration.

Build Qt Quick applications with CMake

Qt Design Studio project wizard templates can generate projects that you can build with CMake. You can open the CMakeLists.txt project file in Qt Creator to continue developing the project.

Add Studio Components to Qt installations

In Qt Design Studio, you can use Qt Quick Studio components, which are not available in Qt installations by default. To use them in Qt Creator, you must install the module manually.

For example:

1. Clone the module repository.

   git clone https://code.qt.io/qt-labs/qtquickdesigner-components.git

2. Install the Qt Quick Studio Components module.

   mkdir build
   cd build
   cmake -GNinja -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=<path_to_qt_install_directory> <path_to_qtquickdesigner-components>
   cmake --build .
   cmake --install .

   Note: Replace <path_to_qt_install_directory> and <path_to_qtquickdesigner-components> with the real location on your computer. For example, /Qt/6.11.0/msvc2022_64 and ../qtquickdesigner-components/.

Handle large data files

Graphical assets used in the UI, such as images, effects, or 3D scenes are a typical cause for performance problems in UIs. Even building the application requires huge amounts of memory if you try to include large asset files, such as 100-MB 3D models or 64-MB textures, into the .qrc file for compiling them into the binary.

First try to optimize your assets, as described in Optimizing designs.

Large assets should either be loaded directly from the file system or by using the Qt resource system dynamically. For more information, see The Qt Resource System.