Java FXML Tutorial

Welcome to the Java FXML tutorial. FXML (FXML Markup Language) is a declarative UI language that you can use to define the user interface of your JavaFX applications. It allows you to separate the UI design from the business logic, making your application more maintainable and scalable.

What is FXML?

FXML is a markup language based on XML. It is used to define the layout and behavior of user interface components in JavaFX applications. With FXML, you can create a visually appealing UI without writing a lot of code.

Getting Started

Before you start, make sure you have the following prerequisites:

• Java Development Kit (JDK) installed on your system.
• JavaFX SDK installed.
• An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) like IntelliJ IDEA or Eclipse.

Creating a Simple FXML File

To create an FXML file, follow these steps:

1. Create a new file with a .fxml extension.
2. Define the root element as javafx.scene.layout.VBox.
3. Add child elements to the root element, such as javafx.scene.control.Label, javafx.scene.control.Button, etc.
4. Save the file.

Here's an example of a simple FXML file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<VBox xmlns:fx="http://javafx.com/fxml"
      fx:controller="com.example.MyController">
    <Label text="Hello, FXML!"/>
    <Button text="Click Me"/>
</VBox>

In this example, we have a VBox with a Label and a Button as its children.

FXML Controller

To handle events and perform actions in your JavaFX application, you need to create a controller. The controller is a Java class that implements the javafx.fxml.FXMLController interface.

Creating a Controller

1. Create a new Java class with a name that matches the FXML file name, e.g., MyController.java.
2. Implement the initialize method, which is called when the FXML file is loaded.
3. Define event handlers for UI components in the initialize method.

Here's an example of a controller:

package com.example;

import javafx.fxml.FXML;
import javafx.scene.control.Button;
import javafx.scene.control.Label;

public class MyController {

    @FXML
    private Label label;

    @FXML
    private Button button;

    @FXML
    public void initialize() {
        button.setOnAction(event -> label.setText("Button Clicked!"));
    }
}

In this example, we have a Label and a Button in the FXML file. When the button is clicked, the text of the label changes to "Button Clicked!".

Conclusion

FXML is a powerful tool for creating JavaFX applications. It allows you to separate the UI design from the business logic, making your applications more maintainable and scalable. In this tutorial, we covered the basics of FXML, including creating an FXML file, defining UI components, and handling events.

For more information on JavaFX and FXML, please visit our JavaFX documentation.