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 |
| PyJamas | All major Web Browsers | Comprehensive Widget toolkit, Python-to-Javascript compiler and AJAX library. Provides the “V” in MVC. See also PyjamasDesktop |
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 |
| AnyGui | many | (“Anygui is no longer being actively developed or supported.”) single source code runs on many GUI back-ends, including many in this table, plus ncurses |
| AVC | Linux / many | Fully automatic, live connection among graphical interface widgets and application variables. |
| Dabo | WxPython | Dabo is a 3-tier, cross-platform application development framework, written in Python atop the wxPython GUI toolkit – visithttp://dabodev.com/ |
| EasyGui | Tk | EasyGUI is a module for very simple, very easy GUI programming in Python. |
| FXPy | FOX | Last released 2002; presumed dead. |
| GnomePython | Gnome | Gnome Platform bindings: bonobo, bonoboui, gconf, gnome, gnomecanvas, gnomevfs, gnomeui |
| GnomePythonDesktop | Gnome | Gnome Desktop bindings: metacity, nautilus, gnomeprint, gtksourceview, gtop, media-profiles, totem, wnck |
| GnomePythonExtras | Gnome | Additional Gnome bindings: libegg, gda, gtkmozembed, gtkspell, gksu, gdl, gtkhtml2 |
| GWiz | Tix | GUI engine with integrated GUI builder. Need Alpha testers. |
| IronPython | .NET/Mono | Python for (originally MS’) .NET platform. See http://www.codeplex.com/Wiki/View.aspx?ProjectName=IronPython for more info. |
| Jython | Java | Jython is an implementation of the high-level, dynamic, object-oriented language Python seamlessly integrated with the Java platform. see http://www.jython.org/Project/index.html for more info. |
| libavg | MacOS, Linux | Not strictly a GUI toolkit, but a high-level multimedia framework that allows construction of media-rich guis. http://www.libavg.de. |
| Lucid | Windows, GTK, MacOS | An abstraction layer and clever layout engine that uses the native GUI widgets of each operating system. Previously known as “Claro Framework” – visit http://www.lucidtoolkit.org/ |
| Nufox | XUL (many) | Nufox is a python, XUL toolkit written ontop of the Twisted Networking Framework and Nevow. The idea is that you should be able to write server-side cross platform XUL applications without writing XUL markup, with little javascript, all from the comfort of python,http://nufox.berlios.de/ |
| Ocean | many | GUI library. Python only “pythonic javax.swing”. Model/View/Controller, skinning. See http://ocean.sourceforge.net/ |
| OcempGUI | Pygame | A small GUI toolkit written in Python based on Pygame. Provides accessibility support. |
| PyFltk | FlTk | supports Windows/Unix/Mac – visit http://pyfltk.sourceforge.net |
| PyGtk | Gtk | Bindings for pango, atk, gtk and libglade |
| PyGtk-ctypes | Gtk | Python 2.x and 3.x series, Bindings for gtk (gobject, glib) based on ctypes |
| PyGtk2Tk | Tkinter | PyGtk to Tkinter Wrapper runs PyGtk based code unchanged using Tkinter (Tk). |
| PyGUI | MacOS / Gtk | Abstract, pythonic API encapsulating different platforms; At the moment runs on MacOS X/Carbon & Unix/Gtk |
| PyjamasDesktop | Many | Comprehensive Widget toolkit that uses PyWebkitGtk to do the heavy lifting. Provides the “V” in MVC. See also Pyjamas |
| PyKDE | Qt / KDE | Python wrappers for the KDE libraries |
| PyPicoGUI | PicoGUI | python library is included in the main PicoGUI release |
| PyQt | Qt | Python bindings for the Qt application development framework |
| PySWT | SWT | PySWT is a Python Binding to the IBM Eclipse SWT library, to provide Python with a cross platform native looking GUI, seehttp://www.cs.nyu.edu/zilin/pyswt/pmwiki.php?n=PySWT.Introduction |
| PythonCard | WxWidgets | Both a framework and GUI builder. Can include wxPython code in PythonCard apps PythonCard tutorial videos at ShowMeDo |
| PyWebkitGtk | Web Browsers | PyWebkitGtk is a Python Binding to webkit, including DOM model manipulation, Javascript execution, plugin support (e.g. Flash) and (on the TODO list) SVG Canvas support, for extremely powerful and comprehensive applications development. See PyjamasDesktop for an easy-to-use API. |
| PyUi | OpenGL | Specialized GUI Toolkit for generating GUIs for OpenGL programs. |
| Sugar | OLPC XO with Linux | User interface for collaborative educational software |
| TkInter | Tk | Python’s “standard” GUI library |
| TkZinc | Tk extension | TkZinc is a extension of the Tk Canvas, with transparency, gradient, transformations |
| VTK | many | The Visualization ToolKit (VTK) is an open source, freely available software system for 3D computer graphics, image processing, and visualization. See http://public.kitware.com/VTK/index.php for more info. |
| Wax | WxWidgets | A wrapper to WxPython, easier and more “pythonic” |
| WxPython | WxWidgets | supports Windows/Unix/Mac for now – visit http://www.wxwidgets.org, wxPython tutorial videosat ShowMeDo on writing a graphical application |
| uxPython | python/any | uxPython is a pure python cross-platform UI toolkit for creating stunning user interfaces. Taking a cue from the highly innovative Swing toolkit for Java and inspired by the creative work being done on the web, uxPython was developed to bring fun and productivity to desktop development. http://www.uxpython.com |
| XGui | XGui | XGui is a cross-platform widget set with C,C++ and Python bindings. Actually supports *nix over Gtk and Windows over Win32 – seehttp://www.objectblues.net/wiki/show/XGui for more info. |
Platform-specific Frameworks
| Package | Target | Notes |
| BeThon | BeOS | |
| MacPython | MacOS | Supports both OSX and OS9 |
| PyObjC | MacOSX | Supports Cocoa Aqua GUIs on the Mac |
| PyMUI | MorphOS | MagicUserInterface wrapper for Python. Support for MorphOS 2.x. |
| IronPython Studio | Windows | A free GUI implementation of IronPython with the same interface as Visual Studio. |
| venster | Windows | Venster is a highly native Windows GUI toolkit for Python based on the ctypes ffi library. The aim of Venster is to be a very lightweight wrapper around the standard Win32 API, making it easy to write slick windows applications in pure Python. |
| Win32All | Windows | Also known by the names of its components: PythonWin (for the UI), Win32Com(for COM/ActiveX), Win32 (for some other parts of the API) |
| PyScripter | Windows | An OpenSource IDE developed using Python and Delphi |
GUI Design Tools and IDEs
| IDE | Target | Notes |
| Autoglade | PyGtk | Automagically creates GUI applications from Glade GUI definition, GPL |
| BlackAdder | PyQt | Commercial, $50-400 |
| BoaConstructor | WxPython | GPL, Alpha, but starting to mature. Useful for debugging wxPython code! |
| Eric3 and Eric4 | PyQt | GPL |
| FarPy GUIE | WxPython | Freeware. Open-Source. Support wxRuby & wxPerl aswell. |
| Gazpacho | PyGtk | GPL |
| Glade | PyGtk | GPL |
| GWiz | Tix | GUI engine with integrated GUI builder. Need Alpha testers. |
| IronPython Studio | Windows Application | A free GUI implementation of IronPython with the same interface as Visual Studio. |
| Komodo | TkInter | Commercial |
| PAGE | Tkinter, Tix | ? |
| PythonCard | PythonCard,WxPython | Python License. Alpha. |
| PythonWorks | TkInter | PythonWorks is no longer being developed. They still support their existing customers, but licenses are no longer available to new customers. |
| Qt Designer | PyQt | A form design tool, available with both Commercial and GPL editions of Qt. Can be used with Eric3 and Eric4. |
| WxDesigner | WxPython | Commercial Student EUR 29, Single user EUR 129 |
| WxFormBuilder | WxPython | GPL cross-platform WYSIWYG GUI builder. Can produce XRC/XML, wxWidgets/C++, or wxPython/python. |
| WxGlade | WxPython | MIT License, Alpha. |
| xrope | Python Tkinter | GUI, class browser, file manager, with code completion. Licensed under the GPL. |
| Visual Python IDE | Tkinter | Visual Python IDE for Python 2.6 to TKINTER |
Links
CameronLaird’s personal notes on Python GUIs http://phaseit.net/claird/comp.lang.python/python_GUI.htmlincludes 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 WebProgrammingTemplateandWebProgrammingTemplateHelp). Some categories: directly supported widgets, add-on widgets, layout managers, etc. Maybe it could answer the questions inChoosingGuiToolkits for each toolkit.