Standard layout and a complete development workflow.
KUI brings HTML/CSS interfaces, native application logic and built-in capabilities together for teams that want control over their desktop runtime, components and delivery.
- Modern web layout: Use familiar Flex, Grid, selectors, CSS variables, typography and animation. Canvas, SVG and DOM events have dedicated APIs, with individual support details in the reference.
- DevTools & automation: Inspect the DOM, computed styles and box model. Edit styles, debug Lua and record performance. Automation APIs and MCP connect a running app to your development tools.
- Built for agent-assisted development: You do not need to learn KUI’s features first. Describe layout, style and actions using HTML/CSS web standards. Your agent can consult the SDK docs, handle integration and inspect the UI and interactions through DevTools/MCP.
- Built-in virtual components: VirtualList, ListView and TreeView are built in. Instantiate rows for the viewport and overscan, with APIs for selection, tree expansion and dynamic data changes.
- An extensible native core: Add an editor, PDF viewer or 3D through standalone extensions. Register your own elements through a pure C ABI, with styling, events and a defined drawing lifecycle.
An independent HTML/CSS engine
Sciter uses its own HTML/CSS engine and JavaScript runtime. Its introduction describes desktop-oriented goals that differ from browsers, with its own CSS layout conventions.
Migrate styles and scripts separately
Inventory Sciter-specific styles such as flow, behaviors, DOM methods and native object bindings, then map them to KUI interfaces. Sciter JavaScript needs rewriting for optional Lua or host code. Validate focus, IME, scrolling and sizing even where HTML structure looks ordinary.
Try tooling and rendering
On the same page, inspect elements, edit styles, check events, record performance and capture output. KUI exposes DevTools/CDP interfaces whose behavior depends on the version. The settings project records an Enter-activation limitation separately; a static screenshot does not establish interaction quality.
Sources and practice
Technical models were checked against official documentation on 2026-11-09. Migration sections are our engineering guidance, without cross-framework benchmark results. Check KUI interfaces, limitations and examples for specific capabilities.
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