Libart

Libart
Developer	Raph Levien
Final release	2.3.21 / April 1, 2010 (2010-04-01)
Repository	{{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
Written in	C
Engine
Operating system	Cross-platform
Type	Graphics library
License	LGPL or GPL
Website	levien.com

Libart is a free software graphics library of functions for 2D graphics supporting a superset of the PostScript imaging model. Libart was designed to be integrated with graphics, artwork, and illustration programs. It is written in optimized C and is fully compatible with C++. With a small footprint of 10,000 lines of code, it is especially suitable for embedded applications.

Libart provides a vector graphics-based API. Cairo obsoletes almost all uses of libart.

Libart supports a very powerful imaging model, basically the same as SVG and the Java 2D API. It includes all PostScript imaging operations, and adds antialiasing and alpha-transparency.

History

Libart was a library for high-performance 2D graphics. Prior to being replaced with Cairo, it had been used as the anti-aliased rendering engine for the Gnome Canvas and for Gill, the Gnome Illustration app.

Gdk-pixbuf used to be a wrapper around libart.

A component of Libart, containing all functions needed for printing and running GNOME Canvas, was released under the LGPL. The version maintained under the GPL contained enhancements for unspecified specific applications.

Notable usage

• Eye of GNOME used libart
• The also abandoned GNOME Canvas widget uses Libart as its rendering API.
• GIMP used Libart for vector rendering.
• Dia could use Libart for antialiasing and PNG export.

External links

• Gnome Illustration app Archived 2021-12-05 at the Wayback Machine (levien.com)
• The libart library – a tutorial Archived 2021-10-27 at the Wayback Machine (gnome.org)