Топ-5 лучших библиотек графического интерфейса Python
В этой статье мы рассмотрим 5 лучших библиотек графического интерфейса Python, которые вы можете использовать в своих проектах. Продолжайте читать, чтобы узнать о них больше.
- Автор записи
В этой статье мы рассмотрим 5 лучших библиотек графического интерфейса Python, которые вы можете использовать в своих проектах. Продолжайте читать, чтобы узнать о них больше.
- Что такое графический интерфейс?
- Список лучших библиотек графического интерфейса Python
- 1. PyQt5
- 2. Python Tkinter
- 3. PySide 2
- 4. Киви
- 5. wxPython
Что такое графический интерфейс?
Графический интерфейс пользователя-это интерактивная среда для получения ответов от пользователей в различных ситуациях, таких как формы, документы, тесты и т.д. Он предоставляет пользователю хороший интерактивный экран, чем традиционный интерфейс командной строки (CLI).
Список лучших библиотек графического интерфейса Python
Давайте сразу перейдем к этому и рассмотрим лучшие библиотеки графического интерфейса для Python.
1. PyQt5
PyQt5-это графический пользовательский интерфейс (GUI) для Python. Он очень популярен среди разработчиков, и графический интерфейс может быть создан с помощью кодирования или QT-дизайнера. Фреймворк разработки QT-это визуальный фреймворк, который позволяет перетаскивать виджеты для создания пользовательских интерфейсов.
Это бесплатное программное обеспечение с открытым исходным кодом для привязки и реализовано для кросс-платформенной платформы разработки приложений. Он используется в Windows, Mac, Android, Linux и Raspberry PI.
Для установки PyQt5 вы можете использовать следующую команду:
Здесь демонстрируется простой код:
Вывод приведенного выше кода выглядит следующим образом:
Команда разработчиков ScienceSoft Python подчеркивает преимущества использования PyQt:
PyQt-это зрелый набор привязок Python к Qt для кросс-платформенной разработки настольных приложений. Он предлагает богатый выбор встроенных виджетов и инструментов для создания пользовательских виджетов для формирования сложных графических интерфейсов, а также надежную поддержку баз данных SQL для подключения к базам данных и взаимодействия с ними.
2. Python Tkinter
Другой графический фреймворк называется Tkinter . Tkinter – одна из самых популярных библиотек графического интерфейса Python для разработки настольных приложений. Это комбинация стандартного графического интерфейса TK и python.
Tkinter предоставляет различные виджеты , такие как метки , кнопки, текстовые поля, флажки, которые используются в приложении с графическим пользовательским интерфейсом.
Виджеты управления кнопками используются для отображения и разработки приложений, в то время как виджет canvas используется для рисования фигур, таких как линии, полигоны, прямоугольники и т. Д. В приложении. Кроме того, Tkinter-это встроенная библиотека для Python, поэтому вам не нужно устанавливать ее, как другие графические фреймворки. Ниже приведен пример кодирования с использованием Tkinter.
Вывод приведенного выше кода выглядит следующим образом:
3. PySide 2
Третья библиотека графического интерфейса Python, о которой мы будем говорить, – это PySide2, или вы можете назвать ее QT для python. Qt для Python предлагает официальные привязки Python для Qt (PySide2), позволяющие использовать его API в приложениях Python, и инструмент генератора привязок (Shiboken2), который можно использовать для представления проектов C++ в Python.
Qt для Python доступен под лицензией LGPLv3/GPLv3 и коммерческой лицензией Qt.
Итак, теперь позвольте мне показать вам процесс установки, а также пример. Таким образом, для установки вы можете просто использовать:
Вот пример настройки графического фрейма с помощью PySide2.
Вывод приведенного выше кода выглядит следующим образом:
4. Киви
Еще один графический фреймворк, о котором мы будем говорить, называется Kivy. Kivy-это библиотека Python с открытым исходным кодом для быстрой разработки приложений, использующих инновационные пользовательские интерфейсы, такие как мультитач-приложения.
Kivy работает на Linux, Windows, OS X, Android, iOS и Raspberry Pi. Вы можете запустить один и тот же код на всех поддерживаемых платформах. Он может изначально использовать большинство входов, протоколов и устройств, включая WM_Touch, WM_Penn, трекпад Mac OS X и Magic Mouse, Netdev, ядро Linux HID.
Kivy на 100% бесплатен в использовании по лицензии MIT.
Инструментарий профессионально разработан, поддерживается и используется. Вы можете использовать его в коммерческом продукте. Фреймворк стабилен и имеет хорошо документированный API, а также руководство по программированию, которое поможет вам начать работу.
Графический движок Kivy построен на OpenGL ES 2, используя современный и быстрый графический конвейер.
Инструментарий поставляется с более чем 20 виджетами, все они очень расширяемы. Многие части написаны на языке Си с использованием Cython и протестированы с помощью регрессионных тестов.
Приступая к установке Kivy, вам необходимо установить зависимость “glew”. Вы можете использовать команду pip, как показано ниже:
Введите эту команду и нажмите enter, она будет установлена. После этого вам нужно ввести эту команду для установки Kivy:
Поэтому после установки позвольте мне показать вам простой пример Kivy, чтобы показать, насколько это просто.
Вывод приведенного выше кода выглядит следующим образом:
5. wxPython
Итак, последний графический фреймворк, о котором мы будем говорить, – это wxPython. wxPython-это кроссплатформенный графический инструментарий для языка программирования Python.
Это позволяет программистам на Python создавать программы с надежным, высокофункциональным графическим пользовательским интерфейсом, просто и легко. Он реализован в виде набора модулей расширения Python, которые обертывают компоненты графического интерфейса популярной кроссплатформенной библиотеки wxWidgets, написанной на C++.
Как и Python и wxWidgets, wxPython является открытым исходным кодом.
wxPython-это кроссплатформенный инструментарий. Это означает, что одна и та же программа будет работать на нескольких платформах без изменений. В настоящее время поддерживаются следующие платформы: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X и macOS, а также Linux.
Теперь я покажу вам процесс установки и создам простой пример. Поэтому для установки просто введите следующую команду:
Вывод приведенного выше кода выглядит следующим образом:
Вывод
Итак, теперь мы увидели 5 библиотек графического интерфейса Python, и, на мой взгляд, PySide2 и PyQt5 являются более мощными фреймворками графического интерфейса. Но они действительно поставляются с коммерческой лицензией, и это объясняет, почему они многофункциональны. Tkinter, Kivy и wxPython-это бесплатные библиотеки графического интерфейса для Python.
Which Python GUI library should you use?
Comparing the Python GUI libraries available in 2023Python is a popular programming used for everything from scripting routine tasks to building websites and performing complex data analysis. While you can accomplish a lot with command line tools, some tasks are better suited to graphical interfaces. You may also find yourself wanting to build a desktop front-end for an existing tool to improve usability for non-technical users. Or maybe you’re building some hardware or a mobile app and want an intuitive touchscreen interface.
To create graphical user interfaces with Python, you need a GUI library. Unfortunately, at this point things get pretty confusing — there are many different GUI libraries available for Python, all with different capabilities and licensing. Which Python GUI library should you use for your project?
In this article, we will look at a selection of the most popular Python GUI frameworks currently available and why you should consider using them for your own projects. You’ll learn about the relative strengths of each library, understand the licensing limitations and see a simple Hello, World! application written in each. By the end of the article you should feel confident choosing the right library for your project.
Tkinter
Best for simple tool GUIs, small portable applications
Tkinter is the defacto GUI framework for Python. It comes bundled with Python on both Windows and macOS. (On Linux, it may require downloading an additional package from your distribution’s repo.) Tkinter is a wrapper written around the Tk GUI toolkit. Its name is an amalgamation of the words Tk and Interface.
Tkinter is a simple library with support for standard layouts and widgets, as well as more complex widgets such as tabbed views & progressbars. Tkinter is a pure GUI library, not a framework. There is no built-in support for GUIs driven from data sources, databases, or for displaying or manipulating multimedia or hardware. However, if you need to make something simple that doesn’t require any additional dependencies, Tkinter may be what you are looking for. Tkinter is cross-platform however the widgets can look outdated, particularly on Windows.
Installation Already installed with Python on Windows and macOS. Ubuntu/Debian Linux sudo apt install python3-tk
A simple hello world application in Tkinter is shown below.
- Standard
- Class-based
Hello world application built using Tkinter, running on Windows 11Tkinter was originally developed by Steen Lumholt and Guido Van Rossum, who designed Python itself. Both the GUI framework and the language are licensed under the same Python Software Foundation (PSF) License. While the license is compatible with the GPL, it is a ‘permissive’ license (similar to the MIT License) that allows it to be used for proprietary applications and modifications.
PyQt or PySide
Best for desktop applications, multimedia, scientific and engineering software
PyQt and PySide are wrappers around the Qt framework. They allow you to easily create modern interfaces that look right at home on any platform, including Windows, macOS, Linux and even Android. They also have solid tooling with the most notable being Qt Creator, which includes a WYSIWYG editor for designing GUI interfaces quickly and easily. Being backed by a commercial project means that you will find plenty of support and online learning resources to help you develop your application.
Qt (and by extension PyQt & PySide) is not just a GUI library, but a complete application development framework. In addition to standard UI elements, such as widgets and layouts, Qt provides MVC-like data-driven views (spreadsheets, tables), database interfaces & models, graph plotting, vector graphics visualization, multimedia playback, sound effects & playlists and built-in interfaces for hardware such as printing. The Qt signals and slots models allows large applications to be built from re-usable and isolated components.
While other toolkits can work great when building small & simple tools, Qt really comes into its own for building real commercial-quality applications where you will benefit from the pre-built components. This comes at the expense of a slight learning curve. However, for smaller projects Qt is not really any more complex than other libraries. Qt Widgets-based applications use platform native widgets to ensure they look and feel at home on Windows, macOS and Qt-based Linux desktops.
Installation pip install pyqt6 or pip install pyside6
A simple hello world application in PyQt6, using the Qt Widgets API is shown below.
- PyQt6
- PySide6
As you can see, the code is almost identical between PyQt & PySide, so it’s not something to be concerned about when you start developing with either: you can always migrate easily if you need to.
Hello world application built using PyQt6, running on Windows 11Before the Qt Company (under Nokia) released the officially supported PySide library in 2009, Riverbank Computing had released PyQt in 1998. The main difference between these two libraries is in licensing. The free-to-use version of PyQt is licensed under GNU General Public License (GPL) v3 but PySide is licensed under GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL). This means that PyQt is limited GPL-licensed applications unless you purchase its commercial version, while PySide may be used in non-GPL applications without any additional fee. However, note that both these libraries are separate from Qt itself which also has a free-to-use, open source version and a paid, commercial version.
For a more information see our article on PyQt vs PySide licensing.
PyQt6
PySide6
PyQt5
PyQt/PySide with QML
Best for Raspberry Pi, microcontrollers, industrial and consumer electronics
When using PyQt and PySide you actually have two options for building your GUIs. We’ve already introduced the Qt Widgets API which is well-suited for building desktop applications. But Qt also provides a declarative API in the form of Qt Quick/QML.
Using Qt Quick/QML you have access to the entire Qt framework for building your applications. Your UI consists of two parts: the Python code which handles the business logic and the QML which defines the structure and behavior of the UI itself. You can control the UI from Python, or use embedded Javascript code to handle events and animations.
Qt Quick/QML is ideally suited for building modern touchscreen interfaces for microcontrollers or device interfaces — for example, building interfaces for microcontrollers like the Raspberry Pi. However you can also use it on desktop to build completely customized application experiences, like those you find in media player applications like Spotify, or to desktop games.
Installation pip install pyqt6 or pip install pyside6
A simple Hello World app in PyQt6 with QML. Save the QML file in the same folder as the Python file, and run as normally.
- main.py
- main.qml
Licensing for Qt Quick/QML applications is the same as for other PyQt/PySide apps.
PyQt
PySide
Hello world application built using PyQt6 & QML, running on Windows 11Best for Python mobile app development
While most other GUI frameworks are bindings to toolkits written in other programming languages, Kivy is perhaps the only framework which is primarily written in pure Python. If you want to create touchscreen-oriented interfaces with a focus on mobile platforms such as Android and iOS, this is the way to go. This does run on desktop platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux) as well but note that your application may not look and behave like a native application. However, there is a pretty large community around this framework and you can easily find resources to help you learn it online.
The look and feel of Kivy is extremely customizable, allowing it to be used as an alternative to libraries like Pygame (for making games with Python). The developers have also released a number of separate libraries for Kivy. Some provide Kivy with better integration and access to certain platform-specific features, or help package your application for distribution on platforms like Android and iOS. Kivy has it’s own design language called Kv, which is similar to QML for Qt. It allows you to easily separate the interface design from your application’s logic.
There is a 3rd party add-on for Kivy named KivyMD that replaces Kivy’s widgets with ones that are compliant with Google’s Material Design.
A simple hello world application in Kivy is shown below.
Installation pip install kivy
A simple hello world application in Kivy is shown below.
Hello world application built using Kivy, running on Windows 11An equivalent application built using the Kv declarative language is shown below.
- main.py
- controller.kv
The name of the Kv file must match the name of the class from the main application — here Controller and controller.kv .
Hello world application built using Kivy + Kv, running on Windows 11In February 2011, Kivy was released as the spiritual successor to a similar framework called PyMT. While they shared similar goals and was also led by the current core developers of Kivy, where Kivy differs is in its underlying design and a professional organization which actively develops and maintains it. Kivy is licensed under the MIT license, which is a ‘permissive’ license that allows you to use it freely in both open source and proprietary applications. As such, you are even allowed to make proprietary modifications to the framework itself.
PySimpleGUI
Best for quickly building UIs for simple tools, very portable
PySimpleGUI aims to simplify GUI application development for Python. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel but provides a wrapper around other existing frameworks such as Tkinter, Qt (PySide 2), WxPython and Remi. By doing so, it not only lowers the barrier to creating a GUI but also allows you to easily migrate from one GUI framework to another by simply changing the import statement. While there is a separate port of PySimpleGUI for each of these frameworks, the Tkinter version is considered the most feature complete with the Qt version coming in at second. At the time of writing, the other ports are still more or less a work-in-progress.
There is a fair amount of good resources to help you learn to use PySimpleGUI, including an official Cookbook and a Udemy course offered by the developers themselves. According to their project website, PySimpleGUI was initially made (and later released in 2018) because the lead developer wanted a ‘simplified’ GUI framework to use in his upcoming project and wasn’t able to find any that met his needs.
Installation pip install pysimplegui
Hello world application built using PySimpleGUI, running on Windows 11PySimpleGUI is licensed under the same LGPL v3 license as PySide, which allows its use in proprietary applications but modifications to the framework itself must be released as open source.
Downloadable ebook (PDF, ePub) & Complete Source code
Purchasing Power Parity
WxPython
Best for simple portable desktop applications
WxPython is a wrapper for the popular, cross-platform GUI toolkit called WxWidgets. It is implemented as a set of Python extension modules that wrap the GUI components of the popular wxWidgets cross platform library, which is written in C++.
WxPython uses native widgets on most platforms, ensure that your application looks and feels at home. However, WxPython is known to have certain platform-specific quirks and it also doesn’t provide the same level of abstraction between platforms as Qt for example. This may affect how easy it is to maintain cross-platform compatibility for your application.
WxPython is under active development and is also currently being reimplemented from scratch under the name ‘WxPython Phoenix’. The team behind WxWidgets is also responsible for WxPython, which was initially released in 1998.
Installation pip install wxpython
Hello world application built using WxPython, running on Windows 11Both WxWidgets and WxPython are licensed under a WxWindows Library License, which is a ‘free software’ license similar to LGPL (with a special exception). It allows both proprietary and open source applications to use and modify WxPython.
PyGObject (GTK+)
Best for developing applications for GNOME desktop
If you intend to create an application that integrates well with GNOME and other GTK-based desktop environments for Linux, PyGObject is the right choice. PyGObject itself is a language-binding to the GTK+ widget toolkit. It allows you to create modern, adaptive user interfaces that conform to GNOME’s Human Interface Guidelines (HIG).
It also enables the development of ‘convergent’ applications that can run on both Linux desktop and mobile platforms. There are a few first-party and community-made, third-party tools available for it as well. This includes the likes of GNOME Builder and Glade, which is yet another WYSIWYG editor for building graphical interfaces quickly and easily.
Unfortunately, there aren’t a whole lot of online resources to help you learn PyGObject application development, apart from this one rather well-documented tutorial. While cross-platform support does exist (e.g. Inkscape, GIMP), the resulting applications won’t feel completely native on other desktops. Setting up a development environment for this, especially on Windows and macOS, also requires more steps than for most other frameworks in this article, which just need a working Python installation.
Installation Ubuntu/Debian sudo apt install python3-gi python3-gi-cairo gir1.2-gtk-4.0 , macOS Homebrew brew install pygobject4 gtk+4
Hello world application built using PyGObject, running on Ubuntu Linux 21.10PyGObject is developed and maintained under the GNOME Foundation, who is also responsible for the GNOME desktop environment. PyGObject replaces several separate Python modules, including PyGTK, GIO and python-gnome, which were previously required to create a full GNOME/GTK application. Its initial release was in 2006 and it is licensed under an older version of LGPL (v2.1). While there are some differences with the current version of LGPL (v3), the license still allows its use in proprietary applications but requires any modification to the library itself to be released as open source.
Best for web based UIs for Python applications
Remi, which stands for REMote Interface, is the ideal solution for applications that are intended to be run on servers and other headless setups. (For example, on a Raspberry Pi.) Unlike most other GUI frameworks/libraries, Remi is rendered completely in the browser using a built-in web server. Hence, it is completely platform-independent and runs equally well on all platforms.
That also makes the application’s interface accessible to any computer or device with a web browser that is connected to the same network. Although access can be restricted with a username and password, it doesn’t implement any security strategies by default. Note that Remi is meant to be used as a desktop GUI framework and not for serving up web pages. If more than one user connects to the application at the same time, they will see and interact with the exact same things as if a single user was using it.
Remi requires no prior knowledge of HTML or other similar web technologies. You only need to have a working understanding of Python to use it, which is then automatically translated to HTML. It also comes included with a drag n drop GUI editor that is akin to Qt Designer for PyQt and PySide.
Remi is licensed under the Apache License v2.0, which is another ‘permissive’ license similar to the MIT License. The license allows using it in both open source and proprietary applications, while also allowing proprietary modifications to be made to the framework itself. Its main conditions revolve around the preservation of copyright and license notices.
Hello world application built using Remi, running on Chrome on Windows 11Conclusion
If you’re looking to build GUI applications with Python, there is probably a GUI framework/library listed here that fits the bill for your project. Try and weigh up the capabilities & licensing of the different libraries with the scale of your project, both now and in the future.
Don’t be afraid to experiment a bit with different libraries, to see which feel the best fit. While the APIs of GUI libraries are very different, they share many underlying concepts in common and things you learn in one library will often apply in another.
You are only limited by your own imagination. So go out there and make something!
For a complete guide to building GUI applications with Python, see our PyQt6 tutorial. Using another library? We also have a PyQt5 tutorial, PySide6 tutorial and PySide2 tutorial.
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Which Python GUI library should you use? was written by Punition Chaetognathan with contributions from Martin Fitzpatrick .
Punition is a technology enthusiast with a focus on Linux and digital privacy. Punition is currently trying to learn Python so he can build paid, open source applications and libraries with Linux as a first-class citizen.
Which Python GUI library should you use? was published in faq on July 24, 2022 (updated March 15, 2023 )
13 Best Python GUI Frameworks for Developers in 2023
No doubt, Python is the most popular and easy-to-learn programming language. It tops the list of popular programming languages as of April 2023, according to the TOIBE Index .
Python is a general-purpose programming language for software and web development, data analysis , data visualisation, and task automation. Since it has a smooth learning curve, the language is beginner friendly.
If you are just a beginner, you generally have to deal with small Python programs whose outputs are displayed on the terminal with a black background and white text. You will use IDLE to execute Python programs.
But what if you want to make an interactive and graphical application using this language?
This is where the role of Python GUI frameworks and libraries comes into play. They simplify the process of creating graphical applications that are more interactive and robust compared to console-based applications.
A gamut of frameworks is available to help you develop intuitive interfaces in Python for your modern applications. With plenty of options, beginners struggle to choose the right one.
If you are a beginner facing the same issue, you have landed in the right place. This article aims at making beginners aware of some of the best Python GUI frameworks that facilitate the creation of intuitive user interfaces.
So, let us explore!
What is GUI?
GUI is an acronym for Graphical User Interface. It is among any application’s three cornerstone aspects, alongside security and performance. These three aspects are vital in creating intuitive applications that offer a seamless user experience.
But what exactly is GUI? It is the first thing or aspect you see whenever you open any application or website. As you read this web page, you can see various elements, such as title, text, images, etc. This is simply what the graphical user interface is. It consists of various elements, including buttons, icons, graphics, and different forms of input, through which end users interact with an application, website, or any electronic device.
Why is a GUI Framework Important?
Gone are the days when developers would have to work to create a minimalist and straightforward graphical user interface for a long time. Today, GUI frameworks have made this process a breeze. They accelerate the process of creating a graphical user interface for applications and eliminate the need for writing code from the ground up.
A framework serves as a basic building block for creating any software application. It provides a fundamental structure where developers use their programming skills and add more functionality. It makes developers’ lives easier and more convenient.
13 Best Python GUI Frameworks For Developers to Create Stunning UIs
1. Kivy
The most powerful Python GUI framework, Kivy, is open-source and free. Hence, you can download it for free and build any software application. Being cross-platform, Kivy allows developers to create applications that run on multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, GNU/Linux, Windows, and macOS.
Among all, it is well-known for building Android applications. Also, it is capable of building Raspberry Pi software. Python and CPython form a base for Kivy. Its best feature is the support for multi-touch functionality, allowing developers to fully utilise the power of a device’s screen for input.
Furthermore, Kivy supports multiple types of input, including gestures. Hence, it is an excellent GUI framework for Python. However, it is not ideal for building complex user interfaces.
Kivy comes with the following features:
- Input support through the mouse, keyboard, TUIO, and OS-specific multitouch events.
- A graphic library that leverages OpenGL ES 2 that makes it possible to write code once and deploy it on different platforms.
- A variety of widgets supporting multitouch.
- An intermediate language (Kv) to design customisable widgets.
To make things even better, it boasts well-written documentation.
Getting Started with Kivy
There are certain prerequisites to installing Kivy on your system – Upgrading Python and pip installation.
The next step is to create an environment to install Kivy and its associated items. I have created a virtual environment – kivy_venv, as follows:
Now, it’s time to activate the created environment.
Now, install Kivy with the kivy[base] command
Kivy Example
2. Tkinter
Tkinter, a go-to GUI toolkit, is among the developers’ most preferred. It is a de facto Python GUI framework and provides an object-oriented interface to the Tk GUI toolkit. It comes pre-installed with the installation of Python on Windows, Linux, and macOS.
This framework is useful for the development of a variety of applications, such as desktop apps. Also, many Python data visualisation libraries use it to print graphs and charts. The applications you develop using Tkinter can run on any platform that supports Python.
Tkinter comes with a wide range of visual elements. Out of all, most of them are familiar to beginners and are referred to as widgets. A few visual elements familiar to beginners include
- Buttons
- Checkbuttons
- Frame
- Labels
- Canvas
- Message boxes
- Color-chooser
These visual elements or widgets make it easy to create cross-platform UIs.
Getting Started with Tkinter
You can install Tkinter using the following pip command:
Tkinter Example
3. PyQT
Built on top of the popular C++ GUI framework – Qt, PyQT is a popular and influential cross-platform Python graphical user interface library. So, developers can create applications for different platforms, including Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Basically, PyQt is a library and not a framework. Nonetheless, with the help of this library, we can build user interfaces for applications. So, it has its place in the list of frameworks.
The latest version of PyQT is PyQt5, which includes all the required Python bindings based on version 5 of the Qt framework. You get two options to build user interfaces with PyQt:
- Qt widgets API for creating desktop applications.
- A declarative API called Qt Quick/QML to create touch interfaces for microcontrollers and devices.
QtGui and QtDesigner Modules provide many visual elements that developers can use by simply dragging and dropping them on their workspace. In addition, developers can create these visual elements through code.
So, PyQt helps you create user interfaces for small and large-scale applications and supports code reusability.
Getting Started with PyQt
Install PyQt using the following pip command:
PyQt Example
4. PyGame
As its name suggests, PyGame, a well-known library, is packed with robust Python modules for developing cross-platform video games. It has many built-in graphical and sound libraries that help developers build interactive and powerful video games. Besides video games, PyGame supports the development of desktop-based GUI applications.
Moreover, it uses the Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL) library. This library enables developers to create real-time computer games without worrying about C’s low-level mechanics and derivatives. SDL provides some common features: collision detection, vector maths, MIDI support, free-type font support, drawing, and pixel-array manipulation.
PyGame Subset for Android (PGS4A) supports PyGame-based applications and games on Android mobile phones and tablets.
However, it is essential to note that this library is not ideal for graphic designers, as it requires a basic understanding of Python. The library has made it possible to create video games without heavy graphical software.
A few popular games developed using PyGame are Frets on Fire, Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble, Save the Date, IndieCade 2013 Finalist, and Drawn Down Abyss.
Getting Started with PyGame
Use the following command to install PyGame using pip:
PyGame Example
5. wxPython
It is a cross-platform, open-source Python GUI API or toolkit. It allows you to build interactive and robust cross-platform GUI applications. The latest version of wxPython is 4.2.0. It is a Python extension module serving as a wrapper for wxWidgets, a cross-platform graphical user interface library.
wxPython is a top alternative to Python’s de facto standard GUI toolkit – Tkinter. It allows developers to create native interfaces without overloading applications. With just a single codebase (with little changes in some cases), this toolkit supports the development of UIs for Unix-based, Windows, Linux, and macOS platforms.
The successor of wxPython, Project Phoenix, provides support for Python 3. This successor was built from scratch to provide users with a clean Python implementation of wxWidgets.
Getting Started with wxPython
Use the following pip install command to install wxPython:
wxPython Example
6 . PyGUI
Also popular as the Python GUI Project, PyGUI is one of the simplest and most lightweight toolkits for creating cross-platform GUI applications. These applications are compatible with Unix-based, Windows, Linux, and macOS. Also, it allows developers to create UIs using native elements.
Moreover, the toolkit provides comprehensive documentation to help beginners understand and learn quickly about using it. It supports both Python 2.x and 3.x, and with the help of extensions, it supports the use of OpenGL and GTK.
A few popular features of PyGUI include high performance, stable operations, modern theme control and style, a node editor, and many developer tools. As it is a highly lightweight API, it requires little additional code between the Python program and the target platform.
Getting Started with PyGUI
Use the following command to install PyGUI.
7. PyForms
It is a cross-platform, open-source framework that supports Python 2.x and 3.x to create GUI applications, whether for desktop, mobile, or web. It emphasises code reusability and modular software design.
Furthermore, PyForms offers a variety of visual elements, including buttons, radio buttons, checkboxes, input fields, and labels.
The framework provides the following:
- Desktop forms based on PyQt, OpenGL, and others.
- A Python layer that enables applications to run on a desktop graphical user interface, the web, and the terminal without needing code adjustments.
- A set of guidelines and best practices that aid the developer in keeping his code readable, reusable, and concise.
Getting Started with PyForms
The following command helps you install PyForms on your system:
8. PySimpleGUI
PySimpleGUI is the simplest Python GUI framework aimed at beginners. This project has four pillars:
- The core software
- The extensive documentation, cookbook, call reference, and built-in documentation via docstrings
- 300+ Demo Programs to give you an immediate jump start on your project.
- Free customer support
It takes four other popular frameworks – Qt, Tkinter, WxPython, and Remi- into a single interface. Though the default library is Tkinter, you switch between the others available anytime.
PySimpleGUI simplifies the creation of UIs by eliminating the difficulties of the frameworks mentioned above. Since it has a lower learning curve, you can completely focus on developing the core logic.
Moreover, the framework provides access to various visual elements, allowing you to create UIs easily and quickly.
Getting Started with PySimpleGUI
Install PySimpleGUI with the following command:
9. Libavg
It is a free and open-source GUI framework developed in C++. Libavg is a perfect solution for creating user interfaces for modern touch-based devices. Developers, designers, and artists can use it to create media applications within less time. As it is developed in C++, you can ensure the fast execution of applications you develop using Libavg.
Libavg is excellent for multi-touch development. It supports Win7 Touch, Linux Drivers, TUIO, the Apple Multitouch Trackpad, and all major driver models. Additionally, it comes with its own tracker for optical FTIR and DI devices.
A few popular features of Libavg include animation support, text alignment, GPU effects, camera support, and many others. The advanced screen layout engine makes it possible to implement various manipulation techniques, including rotation, scaling, cropping, and blending modes, for visual elements.
Moreover, OpenGL facilitates hardware-accelerated graphics processing, and GPU Shaders speeds up other critical aspects, including video decoding, compositing, and visual effects.
Getting Started with Libavg
Check out the installation guide for different platforms here .
10. Wax
Wax is a wrapper of wxPython. This GUI framework is a Python extension module, like other popular frameworks.
It supports creating UIs for cross-platform applications. Its goal is to provide application developers with a more straightforward interface for using Python to build user interfaces by removing the low-level wxPython features.
The underlying wxWindows platform is incredibly fast and efficient, and the wax GUI framework benefits from the same degree of speed and efficiency when using the platform’s native widgets.
Getting Started with Wax
Using the following command, you can install Wax:
11. PySide
PySide is the official Python bindings project for Qt. It allows developers to access the complete Qt 4.8 framework and generator tools to create bindings for any C++ libraries . It is among the best alternatives for Python’s standard GUI library — Tkinter.
This free Python binding library supports macOS, Microsoft Windows, and Linux. It features a binding generator called Shiboken. Creating bindings using Shiboken results in the reduced size of binaries and minimal memory footprint.
Currently, PySide supports Python 2.6 and above and Qt 4.6 and above but not Qt 5.x. It comes in handy to help you access all Qt libraries in a more natural way.
Getting Started with PySide
12. PyGObject
If you are using GTK (a cross-platform widget toolkit for creating user interfaces) to create an application for GNOME or a Python GUI application, PyGObject is a go-to option. It is a Python package offering bindings for GTK and other GObject-based libraries, like GStreamer, WebKitGTK, GLib, GIO.
PyGObject is compatible with Python 3.8+ and PyPy3 and Windows and macOS operating systems. It dynamically provides a Python interface based on the metadata from the typelib file and by accessing the C library (libgtk-4.so) using GObject-based libraries.
You can create modern, adaptive, intuitive interfaces that comply with GNOME’s Human Interface Guidelines (HIG).
Totem, Matlplotlib, gedit, and beets are libraries and applications that leverage PyGObject.
Getting Started with PyGObject
13. Pycairo
Pycairo provides Python bindings for the Cairo graphics library, a 2D graphics library supporting several output devices. It works well with Python 3.7+ and PyPy3. Pycairo bindings match closely with Cairo C API.
Furthermore, this module provides an object-oriented interface to Cairo. It provides a C API that other Python extensions use extensively. It queries an object’s error status and translates it into exceptions.
Getting Started with Pycairo
Conclusion
Here ends our list of the best Python GUI frameworks. Almost all are open-source, easily accessible, and simple to set up. Also, they are beginner-friendly with a low learning curve.
Though a few are libraries, they function similarly to a framework. Hence, we have placed them in the list of GUI frameworks for Python. They will help you create intuitive and excellent user interfaces for your applications.
If you want to add any other framework to this list, do let me know in the comments.
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What is GUI?
GUI is an acronym for Graphical User Interface. It is an interface that enables users to interact with electronic devices. In simple terms, it is a collection of visual components that lets users interact with computer software.
Which is the best for GUI in Python — Tkinter or Kivy?
While Tkinter is straightforward and easy and is best suited for small applications, Kivy is pretty complex and offers more features that make it ideal for complex projects.
Which Python GUI framework is best for beginners?
Since Tkinter is an easy-to-use and straightforward framework, it is ideal for beginners to create the GUI for applications in Python. It is the standard GUI framework for Python applications.
Which is better — PyQT or Tkinter?
PyQT comes with more GUI widgets, while Tkinter does not. In addition, PyQt provides a more modern look to applications, while TKinter is old-fashioned. So, if you want your application to have a modern look, PyQt is the best choice. On the other hand, Tkinter is best if you are a beginner.
Is Tkinter faster?
Yes, Tkinter is a faster and easier-to-use Python GUI framework than Kivy and PyQt, as it provides the most basic features.
10 Best Python Libraries for GUI
An essential part of a web application is GUI which allows a user to contact the electronic device through graphical elements. Many developers shift to Python while creating GUIs, as Python GUI packages are an interactive programming language. The next challenge a beginner may face soon after getting a grip on Python programming is to create user interfaces.
There are diverse opportunities for Python GUI frameworks. From Platform-specific frameworks to Cross-Platform frameworks, Python wiki records them all. This blog covers the ten best Python GUI frameworks for all platforms like Linux, Windows, and Mac OS.
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- Why is Python GUI Framework Important?
- Best Python GUI Frameworks for Developers
These GUI frameworks are popular and easy to use; some are open-source. This is why developers find a framework essential for effective Python GUI development, whereas Python lacks GUI frameworks.
Why is Python GUI Framework Important?
Python GUI frameworks make it easier for you to develop the user interface. Now you know what to search for, and currently, I will start my countdown of the top 10 Python GUI frameworks.
Best Python GUI Frameworks for Developers
Python has many frameworks for generating GUIs, and in this blog, some of the most popular Python GUI frameworks are gathered in our list listed below.
1. PyQt5
PyQt5 is a considerably favored Python framework for GUI. The PyQt package is created about the Qt framework, a cross-platform framework for developing diverse applications on distinct platforms.
PyQt5 is a fully QT application framework or a cross-platform, signifying developers can utilize it to create applications on multiple platforms like Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. It suggests QtDesigner and QtGUI modules that furnish visual elements the designer can execute with drag and drop. You can correspondingly opt to build a virtual environment to experiment and install. After starting the virtual environment, install PyQT in the virtual environment operating Python pip.
2. Tkinter
For the Tk widget set, Tkinter is Python’s interface version. It is Python’s de facto standard GUI toolkit and is the classic Python interface to the Tk GUI toolkit.
The Python GUI library Tkinter is one of the most popular, known to be an open-source Python project for the GUI (Graphical User Interface) library.
The visual elements are called widgets with Tkinter, and each of the widgets arrives with a distinct class of customizability.
It also presents a wide range of typically used factors that many developers are already acquainted with, such as:
3. Kivy
Kivy is a Python GUI framework for OpenGL ES 2 created for user interface creation. It approves platforms like Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and Raspberry Pi.
A mixture of Cython and Python came up as the Kivy framework, which is intended to assist in creating intuitive user interfaces paired with applications with multi-touch features. These apps with multi-touch feature help to implement Natural User Interface (NUI). This interface allows users to reveal numerous interactions when they are not visible naturally.
Kivy encourages the designer for OpenGL ES 2, which authorizes visuals and modern techniques, to deliver and code to numerous platforms and built-in support.
Some of the main features of Kivy Python GUI frameworks are:
Based on Python
Code written once can be used across all devices
Easy-to-use widgets with multi-touch support
Deploy to multiple platforms
4. wxPython
Like other libraries and frameworks, wxPython works on devices such as Inix-Based systems, Mac OS, Linux, and Windows.
For the cross-platform GUI library wxWidgets, wxpPython is an open-source wrapper known as WxWindows and is now implemented as a Python extension module.
Here are some of the benefits of wxPython:
Large library of native widgets
Helpful user community
5. PySimpleGUI
PySimpleGUI was created so that novices to Python could find it simpler to begin GUI programming. Other frameworks need complicated tasks, but PySimpleGUI lets you start without worrying about other libraries’ advanced complexities. Developers new in the GUI development field with Python applications may see some Python GUI frameworks discourage at the beginning.
The framework relies on four other Python GUI frameworks:
By executing most of the code, the problem of them drops dramatically. Beginners can choose a framework for visual elements delivered with it, have managed credentials, and be encouraged to design intuitive user interfaces.
Some of the main benefits of PySimpleGUI are:
Easy for beginners
It doesn’t require the advanced intricacies of other frameworks
Uses Qt, Tkinter, wxPython, and Remi
Create UIs based on your favorite GUI framework
6. Libavg
As a scripting language, Libavg is a GUI framework that bends on Python. It is one of the most considered and useful libraries to develop user interfaces for gadgets based on touch. The acceleration of hardware is executed via OpenGL and GPU shadres.
The Python library maintains a total capacity of text alignment, GPU effect, camera and animation support, and many other features.
Here are some of the primary benefits of Libavg:
Python as a scripting language
Wide range of features
Advanced screen layout engine
7. PyForms
The PyForms GUI framework implements Windows Forms in Python. It allows programmers to design highly interactive user interfaces for Windows GUI, Terminal, and Web modes.
The cross-platform or open-source library drives it easier for the developers to create a
Without needing any coding changes, open-source and cross-platform libraries are offered to make it simpler for developers to construct applications for several platforms. It also allows the user to create customized graphical user interfaces.
Some of the key features are:
Open-source Python library
Cross-platform
8. PySide2
Another top Python GUI library is PySide2, or QT for Python, which gives Python developers access to the official Python bindings for Qt (PySide2). It enables its APIs in Python applications, and the binding generator tool can be used to expose C++ projects to Python. If you’re still working with Python 2, you can try several GUI frameworks, including PyGUI, PySide 2, and wxPython. However, you should know that Python 2 is no longer officially supported by the Python Software Foundation or the Python community.
All other Python GUI frameworks are compared to Qt as the industry standard for GUI design. To quickly and flexibly construct user interfaces, PySide2 gives Python developers access to a large selection of useful GUI components and packages.
9. Wax
Nearing the end of our list is Wax, the wrapper for wxPython. Wax is also implemented as an extension module for Python, and it supports the development of cross-platform applications. The implementation is a set of Python extension modules that wrap the GUI components of the wxWidgets cross-platform library, written in C++. wxPython creates native user interfaces that add zero additional overhead to the application, giving you the capabilities of a functional library without the burden.
Wax was implemented to make it easier for developers to access Python objects and elements when implementing GUIs. Wax is known for its high level of efficiency and performance.
Here are some of the main advantages of Wax:
Open-source and cross-platform
Same functionality as wxPython
Implemented as an extension module for Python
10. PyGUI
The Python GUI Project, a more user-friendly API, enables programmers to construct user interfaces for Python applications. The lightweight framework ensures greater efficiency by requiring less code between the program and the target platform.
Applications can be created with PyGUI on various platforms, including Windows computers, Mac OS devices, and Unix-based systems. The library’s documentation is in Python, so you don’t need to consult other GUI libraries.
Here are some of the main advantages of PyGUI:
All documentation is written in Python
Available in Python 2 and 3
Supports Python extensions like OpenGL and GTK
Open-source and cross-platform GUI toolkit
Conclusion
Now, we have a wide array of GUI frameworks in Python, such as TkInter, Kivy, PyForms, and more, designed to supercharge, building the most intuitive user interfaces that people will love to use. We hope this list will end your search for the best Python GUI frameworks , or at least shorten it to some extent. What are your thoughts on Python frameworks for building GUI? Which framework do you use? We are eager to hear from you!
Bilal Mohammed is a cyber security enthusiast passionate about making the internet safer. He has expertise in penetration testing, networking, network security, web development, technical writing, and providing security operations center services. He is dedicated to providing excellent service and quality work on time. In his spare time, he participates in Hack the box and Vulnerable By Design activities.
- Why is Python GUI Framework Important?