ue5-umg

name	ue5-umg
description	Use when building HUDs, menus, inventory screens, settings panels, or any widget-based interface in Unreal Engine 5. Also use when connecting C++ logic to UMG Blueprint visuals, handling gamepad or keyboard focus navigation, managing UI state, creating widget animations, or troubleshooting UMG performance issues like frame drops, hitches, or widget memory leaks.
version	1.3.0

UE5 UMG Studio

Orchestrate C++ logic and Blueprint visuals for production UE5 user interfaces. Work in two layers: C++ for architecture and data binding, Blueprints for layout and polish.

Overview

Build production-ready Unreal Engine 5 user interfaces using a hybrid C++/Blueprint approach. C++ handles widget architecture, data binding, lifecycle, and performance; Blueprints handle layout, styling, animation, and visual state management.

When to Use

• Creating HUDs, menus, inventories, settings panels, or any widget-based interface
• Binding C++ properties to Blueprint widget components via BindWidget
• Handling gamepad or keyboard focus navigation and input modes
• Designing responsive UMG layouts, animations, and visual states
• Optimizing UI performance (widget pooling, ListView, Tick abuse, material overhead)
• Troubleshooting memory leaks from widget pools or dangling delegate references

When NOT to Use

• Editor tools, debug overlays, or custom Slate drawing — see references/slate-fundamentals.md
• Deep Common UI Plugin specifics — refer to official Epic documentation
• General gameplay programming unrelated to UI

Core Pattern: Hybrid C++/Blueprint Workflow

Without separation: Blueprint-only logic becomes spaghetti, C++-only UI is slow to iterate. With separation: C++ owns data, state, and lifecycle; Blueprints own layout, style, and animation.

// C++ Logic Layer: data binding and state
UCLASS(Abstract)
class UMyWidget : public UUserWidget
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

protected:
    UPROPERTY(meta = (BindWidget))
    TObjectPtr<UProgressBar> HealthBar;

    virtual void NativeConstruct() override;
    virtual void NativeDestruct() override;
};

void UMyWidget::NativeConstruct()
{
    Super::NativeConstruct();
    if (HealthBar)
    {
        HealthBar->SetPercent(1.0f);
    }
}

The Blueprint subclass of UMyWidget places a ProgressBar named HealthBar in the Designer and styles it without any logic nodes.

Quick Reference

Task	Reference File
C++ base class, BindWidget, pooling, ListView, input modes	references/umg-cpp-patterns.md
Layout containers, anchors, animation, styling, materials	references/blueprint-visuals.md
Common mistakes and how to fix them	references/common-pitfalls.md
Slate direct usage for editor tools	references/slate-fundamentals.md

Key Rules

C++ Logic:

• Always use UCLASS(Abstract) on base classes meant for Blueprint subclassing
• BindWidget names must match Blueprint component names exactly (case-sensitive)
• Bind delegates in NativeConstruct, unbind in NativeDestruct
• Override ReleaseSlateResources when using FUserWidgetPool

Blueprint Visuals:

• Design at your minimum supported resolution (e.g. 1280x720)
• Use Collapsed visibility for hiding; Hidden only to preserve layout space
• Use WidgetSwitcher for mutually exclusive pages, not Visibility toggling
• Never use Blueprint "Bind" properties — they run every frame

Performance:

• Use UListView / UTileView for scrollable lists with 10+ items
• Avoid NativeTick for polling; use delegates and events
• Call SetVisibility only when state actually changes

Quality Gates

• UCLASS(Abstract) on base classes; BindWidget names match exactly
• Delegates bound in NativeConstruct, unbound in NativeDestruct
• Input mode and focus set when showing or hiding UI
• ReleaseSlateResources implemented if using widget pools
• ListView used for scrollable lists with 10+ items
• No Blueprint "Bind" properties used for dynamic values
• UI designed at minimum target resolution; anchors used for responsiveness