title: What is the difference between a cross-platform and platform-independant framework? Particular case of the Qt application framework
body: <p>I am a novice runner in Qt. Reading what Qt it is, I get confused in the meaning of some terms in web sites. Indeed I meet the term <strong>cross-platform</strong> framework, often <strong>platform-independant</strong> framework. I'd really like to understand the difference between these two group of words. </p>
  
  <p>In the specific case of Qt, it is said that it is a cross-platform application framework<br>
  Please, Let me give you my thinking. I'd like to confirm that by someone else.<br>
  By Qt is a <strong>cross-platform</strong> framework, I myself understand the Qt source code is the same for each OS (Windows, Linux, Mac OS ...), but compilers used to build the source code which are different depending on OS. Is that true?<br>
  Contrary to a framework like java, that is an <strong>independant-platform</strong> since compiler is the same on any platform or OS.</p>
  
  <p>Please tell me if my understanding is right/wrong about Qt and the meaning both a cross-platform and an independant-platform framework.</p>