Concept for getting Visual and Code application building tools in a single application

What is the benefit? Why is this valuable?

We have learned that a significant group of the Qt Design Studio user are using both Qt Design Studio and Qt Creator for achieving their goals. They create frontend with Qt Design Studio and then the application logic with Qt Creator. Some are using Qt Design Studio for just getting their assets from Figma to qml. However, there's still disconnect with this workflow and how Qt Creator and Qt Design Studio co-operate.

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To enable end-to-end project development, frontend (qml) with Qt Design Studio, backend (C++) with Qt Creator, a concept and user testing would be needed to understand how the workflow would be and how the UI adapts when working in Visual Application Creation mode (QDS) vs IDE mode (Qt Creator) if we would have just one tool for both. Qt Creator would be the basis where selected Qt Design Studio features would be accessible in a meaningful way. User personas can be very different and this should be considered in the concept i.e. IDE mode and Visual mode should likely be kept separate.

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What are common use cases?

• User wants to use IDE features only
• User wants to use Visual tools only
• User want to use both IDE and Visual tools

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Technical information

• Create concept for working on single project in Qt Creator which considers both visual and code application building workflows.
• Test the concept with users and have NPS higher than 60
• Concept finalised and next steps for Q4/23 and 1Q/24 planned for roadmap
• Improve Qt Creator capability to load / unload plugins without restart
• Define plugin categories (Design and IDE) and allow viewing, enabling / disabling those easily from Qt Creator plugin manager
• Build system research: qmlproject vs qmake / cmake. How to maintain compatibility when switching back and forth between visual and code application building modes.

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