# Is GLFW "open loop" versus glutMainLoop?

**URL:** <https://discourse.glfw.org/t/is-glfw-open-loop-versus-glutmainloop/1509>\
**Category:** dev\
**Created:** [March 14, 2020, 2:45am UTC](https://discourse.glfw.org/t/is-glfw-open-loop-versus-glutmainloop/1509 "2020-03-14T02:45:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![anneranch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@anneranch](https://discourse.glfw.org/u/anneranch)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 2:45am UTC](https://discourse.glfw.org/t/is-glfw-open-loop-versus-glutmainloop/1509/1 "2020-03-14T02:45:48Z")

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After "using glut " for less then a weak I realized that “glutMainLoop” is difficult to control eternally. I call it “closed loop”.  
My very first question to the forum , before I ditch “glut” -  
Does GLFW runs “closed loop” AKA not user friendly to eternal events?  
By events i do not mean keyboard , mouse ect.

For example - can I SIMPLY change window text after I get data via socket ?  
Can I run my application independently of GLFW “updating (graphics) window contents”?

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**Author:** ![dougbinks](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.glfw.org/dougbinks/32/39_2.png) [@dougbinks](https://discourse.glfw.org/u/dougbinks)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 9:35am UTC](https://discourse.glfw.org/t/is-glfw-open-loop-versus-glutmainloop/1509/2 "2020-03-14T09:35:48Z")

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Here’s a [link to a simple GLFW example](https://www.glfw.org/documentation.html).

As you can see unlike GLUT you have complete over flow control. You can register callbacks for events but GLFW leaves the main loop to the developer to implement.