Java GUI framework similar to .NET - java

Is there a similar plugin/framework for GUI creation in Java as it exists in .NET? I am talking about the new XAML/WPF world, with a neat, interactive content panes, which you can pretty much arrange using mouse rather than coding the styles and visual properties.

You can try the plugin for eclipse and the internal plugin of Netbeans with Swing.

There is no analog to WPF, there are Swing GUI, JavaFX, but these frameworks are far to WPF form .NET, just for my opinion.

Have a look at JavaFX and the Scene Builder for JavaFX.

Try this, it is Eclipse plugin.

this JavaFx this is a internal link for viewing GUI part

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How do I desing my application on Java(eclipse)

I'm new with learning Java. I was learning C# and C# has own designer inside it. Like " Add: Button, Label, Timer, TextBox" But in Eclipse there is no such a thing. Should I use and external program for design or I'm blind and can't see it?
Take a look at the Eclipse RCP, that is a good documented environment to create graphical GUI's
https://wiki.eclipse.org/Rich_Client_Platform/FAQ
You can use NetBeans it has all of the features you are looking for (Add: Button, Label, Timer, TextBox), And it supports java. It is very easy to use and it is very similar to eclipse. good luck!

What are the Java GUIs

I'm too far from Java technologies.
Just for curiosity what is the name of the technology/API/class which let us develop desktop applications with Java (like windows forms)?
I heard a toolkit named Swing. Is that the official GUI toolkit and is there any alternatives of Swing?
Is there a technology in Java corresponding to WPF of C#?
Java Swing is the most commonly used GUI toolkit for Java. There are alternatives (JavaFX, AWT, SWT), but Swing is a very good starting point if you start devolping desktop applications with Java. The only thing I would consider is looking at alternative LayoutManagers like MigLayout. But you can easily begin with the standard ones. There is a great visual guide to start off with Java Swing and the various LayoutManagers.
There is AWT, Swing, SWT, JavaFX, Android GUI.
The most common is Swing and while its not the prettiest, I would start with that unless you have specific requirements.
Java FX 2.x demo http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javafx/samples/index.html
Java has the following options for GUI development:
(1) AWT
This is the old GUI development library
(2) Swing
This is the new GUI development library
(3) JavaFX
This is the latest GUI technology of Java,
it comes with FXML for fast UI development.
FXML is not compatible with XAML of .NET, but it can be considered equivalent.
Yes, Swing is the official GUI toolkit of the Java Runtime Environment.
in Java you can use many differen GUI technologies.
Swing is one of the technologies you can use. It is lightweight and it is the offical toolkit for Java.
Furthermore you can take a look at SWT, AWT or JMonkey for 3D stuff.
What do you mean with similar with WPF? The MVVM Pattern?
Something similar to Silverlight but better is the GWT Toolkit.

Any complex example project for Java desktop-style GUI?

I'd like to see how the code is organized and how the various GUI design patterns are applied. Anything Java and in desktop gui style is fine: GWT, Swing, SWT. Thanks.
ArgoUML
(source: tigris.org)
OpenProj
http://openproj.org/themes/bluebreeze/images/OpenProj_big.jpg
LimeWire
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/12/limewire-1234-4.jpg
Those are some I can remember.
Azureus
I was a huge fan of the work done for Aerith. It uses Swing and Java 2D.
Have a look at projects on SourceForge.net that is using Java, there is many. I.e. JBoss, Hibernate and jEdit.

GUI framework Java

I am looking for some framework or toolkit (style drag and drop) for creating gui in Java. I need to do quite complex application with dockings, toolbars, tables etc.
Which one would be best?
The Netbeans Platform might be what you are looking for, it is based on Swing, and the Netbeans IDE can be a showcase for it, check http://platform.netbeans.org/
I think the equivalent on SWT is http://www.eclipse.org/platform/
If you're looking for a GUI builder, NetBeans has a decent one. Otherwise, you can just write it yourself in Swing or SWT?
Start reading Swing Architecture and then use Netbeans UI builder and finally complement it with JIDE Software libraries.
JIDE have several libraries, for instance:
JIDE Docking:
JIDE Grids:
And many more. The only inconvenient I see is, you need a good understanding on how does Swing works before using it ( or you can acquire that knowledge in the process )
eclipse rcp, spring rich client, griffon
all of these frameworks are good to avoid writing boiler-plate code all over again (support for docking, window management, dialog management, preferences management).
i must note that complete drag 'n drop is not supported in none of them out of the box, but there are IDE's that help you in building Swing panels, components, ... in a visual editor. both Eclipse IDE and NetBeans IDE have a GUI Builder/visual editor.
my prefered choice is spring rich client because it's easy to get started, it's swing-based, it integrates with docking frameworks, component libraries, ... and it uses spring.
if you need a pluggable architecture then you should take a look at eclipse, or netbeans.
edited: i mean eclipse rcp

Has anyone got an example of aerith style swing mixed with GUI maintainability of SWT editing?

My boss loves VB (we work in a Java shop) because he thinks it's easy to learn and maintain. We want to replace some of the VB with java equivalents using the Eclipse SWT editor, because we think it is almost as easy to maintain. To sell this, we'd like to use an aerith style L&F.
Can anyone provide an example of an SWT application still being able to edit the GUI in eclipse, but having the Aerith L&F?
Like Heath Borders said, SWT doesn't support L&Fs, so you have to use Swing for that. Aerith however does not base on a look and feel, but on custom painting on the components with a lot of gradients.
If you are looking for a Swing GUI Editor that is (nearly) as easy to use as VB, try the Matisse GUI Builder in NetBeans. There is also a version for Eclipse, but it is shipped with the commercial MyEclipse. If you want to learn more about writing apps with cool a cool GUI, have a look at the Filthy Rich Clients book by Chet Haase and Romain Guy.
If this does not convince your boss, try to resize the VB GUI and then resize the Swing GUI. ;-) And I would say a VB is really not very good to maintain in the long run...
SWT doesn't support look & feels. You can get different L&F's by altering your OS native L&F. The only exception is to using the eclipse forms toolkit. It still has the OS native feel, but strives for a web-browser-like look. It does this mostly by setting everything to SWT.FLAT, and using white backgrounds on everything. Occassionally, they have to manually draw outlines around controls that don't natively support it. If you're looking for custom L&F's that will appear across platforms, you really want Swing.

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