Overview
JUCE is the definitive C++ framework for audio application development, powering the majority of the world's leading VST, AU, and AAX plugins. In 2026, its technical architecture has evolved significantly with the JUCE 8 update, introducing a high-performance WebView-based UI engine that allows developers to bridge modern web-stack frontend technologies (HTML5, CSS, JS) with high-efficiency C++ backends. This hybrid approach enables rapid prototyping of complex interfaces while maintaining the low-latency signal processing required for professional audio. Its core architecture revolves around the AudioProcessor and AudioProcessorEditor classes, providing a standardized environment for digital signal processing (DSP) and GUI management. JUCE's market position is cemented by its extensive module system, which handles everything from MIDI 2.0 implementation and multi-channel routing to hardware acceleration via Direct2D, Metal, and Vulkan. It remains the essential tool for developers creating DAW software, mobile synthesisers, and AI-integrated audio tools, offering a robust abstraction layer that ensures code portability across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android platforms.