Revision 140 as of 2009-01-19 11:50:03

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GUI Programming in Python

Python has a huge number of GUI frameworks (or toolkits) available for it, from Tkinter (traditionally bundled with Python, using Tk) to a number of other cross-platform solutions, as well as bindings to platform-specific (also known as "native") technologies.

GUI Programming in Python is a similar page. It's not apparent to this reporter how the aims of the two differ.

While Python supports arguably a larger number of GUI toolkits than any other language (family), the selection doesn't satisfy a significant number of Python programmers; Straw Dogs, for example, is representative of several others when he writes, "if you want to create a GUI desktop app - don't use Python". Still, for most of us, Python GUI work is more-or-less a treat, and, in any case, more comfortable than the Java-oriented approach Straw Dogs favors.

Cross-browser Frameworks

Package

Target

Notes

Cross-platform Frameworks

The major cross-platform technologies upon which Python frameworks are based include Gtk, Qt, Tk and wxWidgets, although many other technologies provide actively maintained Python bindings.

Package

Target

Notes

Platform-specific Frameworks

Package

Target

Notes

PyScripter

Windows

An OpenSource IDE developed using Python and Delphi

Anyone for a GuiProgrammingShootout?

GUI Design Tools and IDEs

IDE

Target

Notes

CameronLaird's personal notes on Python GUIs http://phaseit.net/claird/comp.lang.python/python_GUI.html includes over 25 links to toolkits and techniques for connecting python with a GUI.

Other places to look are PythonGuis at Thinki, and http://sensei.co.il/python/ui.html .

Opendocs previously had some material on Qt programming with Python for on-line reading, but ownership of the domain appears to have lapsed. An online version of Boudewijn Rempt's book about PyQt for Qt 3, GUI Programming with Python: QT Edition, is still available. An up-to-date book covering PyQt4, Rapid GUI Programming with Python and Qt by Mark Summerfield, is now available in print and as an online "rough cut". More details can be found on the PyQt Wiki.

http://www.awaretek.com/toolkits.html - Choose Your GUI Toolkit: Find Your GUI Toolkit for Python based on your preferences. Quick cgi application which helps you make a choice. See also Python City.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_integrated_development_environments#Python - Wikipedia article describing several IDE's and GUI Builders.

Editorial Notes

The above lists should be arranged in ascending alphabetical order - please respect this when adding new frameworks or tools.

Currently, this section is rather incomplete. Don't be too disappointed if you can't find the information you need, but please add any information you can contribute. It might be useful to have information about the GUIs and development tools in a fixed format to make them more easily comparable (see WebProgrammingTemplate and WebProgrammingTemplateHelp). Some categories: directly supported widgets, add-on widgets, layout managers, etc. Maybe it could answer the questions in ChoosingGuiToolkits for each toolkit.


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