JavaFX | Canvas Class

Introduction

JavaFX is a powerful framework for building rich and interactive applications for desktop, mobile, and web platforms. It comes with a wide range of tools and APIs that make it easy for developers to create stunning visual experiences.

One of the core components of JavaFX is the Canvas class. This class provides a Drawing API that lets developers create and manipulate graphics in real-time. The Canvas class uses an object-oriented approach to graphics programming, which allows developers to create complex visualizations with ease.

What is the Canvas Class?

The Canvas class in JavaFX is a low-level drawing surface that provides a platform-agnostic way to render graphical content. This means that developers can use the Canvas class to create interactive graphics that work on any platform, including desktop, web, and mobile devices.

The Canvas class provides a set of methods that developers can use to draw shapes, lines, and other graphical elements. These methods include:

• getGraphicsContext2D() - Returns the graphics context that is used to draw on the canvas.
• setOnMouseClicked() - Enables developers to handle mouse click events on the canvas.
• setWidth() and setHeight() - Set the dimensions of the canvas.

How to Use the Canvas Class

Using the Canvas class is easy. To get started, you need to create a new instance of the Canvas class and add it to a container, such as a VBox or HBox. You can then use the graphics context to draw shapes and other graphical elements on the canvas.

Here is an example of how to create a canvas and draw a rectangle on it:

Canvas canvas = new Canvas(500, 500);
GraphicsContext gc = canvas.getGraphicsContext2D();
gc.setFill(Color.RED);
gc.fillRect(50, 50, 100, 100);

In this example, we create a new instance of the Canvas class with a width and height of 500 pixels. We then get the graphics context for the canvas and use it to draw a red rectangle with a size of 100 pixels by 100 pixels, starting at the point (50, 50).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Canvas class is a powerful component of the JavaFX framework that lets developers create interactive and visually appealing applications. Its object-oriented approach to graphics programming, coupled with its wide range of tools and APIs, make it easy for developers to create complex visualizations with ease.