Preparing for Gtk+ version 4



Dear List,

We have only recently rationalized Balsa's git structure for Gtk+ version 3, and version 4 is already in 
development. Trying to build Balsa in jhbuild against Gtk+ master shows that the API, still unstable, has 
changed materially. We need a strategy to take advantage of the new version, while continuing to support 
building with the stable version 3.

Options include:
• adding a configure option --with-gtk-api-version, defaulting to 3, and using conditional compilation to 
have a single tree that will build with either version;
• creating a gtk4 branch for experimental building with version 4;
• creating a gtk3 branch for continuing to build with version 3, and using master to prepare for version 4.

The first option looks clumsy; the GtkBox API has changed, and requires 200+ changes in 30+ files, and that's 
just one change! The second option mirrors how we handled the version 2 => version 3 transition, and that 
became painful because of delays in the transition for dependencies. So I'm inclined towards the third option; 
the downside is that enhancements and bug fixes need to be applied to both branches, and the enthusiasm for that 
fades over time.

Thoughts about how to proceed?

Thanks,

Peter

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