In addition to being a high level programming language, Python also supports widely used programming paradigms like object-oriented, functional, procedural and imperative. At the same time, its simple syntax rules enable programmers to create custom software applications with clean, maintainable, and readable code base. That is why; developers nowadays use the general purpose programming language to build a variety of software applications. Many Python developers nowadays use Python for developing graphical user interface (GUI) applications that run smoothly on multiple platforms. The developers also have option to simplify and speed up GUI application development by availing a number of Python GUI frameworks, libraries and toolkits.
Understanding the Features and Usage of 10 Popular Python GUI Frameworks and Toolkits
1) PyQT
Despite being written in C++, PyQT makes it easier for programmers to write both GUI and CUI applications in Python. The robust GUI toolkit further comes with a web browser, a multimedia framework, and several GUI widgets. At the same time, PyQT allows developers to create reusable software components using QA classes. It further speeds up GUI application development by providing Qt Designer. The developers can use Qt Designer to generate Python code and add new GUI controls.
2) TkInter
The popular GUI toolkit is available as part of Python. Hence, the developers are not required to install TkInter additionally. They also have option to run TkInter on Windows, Linux, or Mac OS. The GUI widgets provided by the Python GUI framework further helps programmers to build a variety of standalone GUI applications rapidly. However, TkInter is designed as a thin object-oriented layer based on Tcl/Tk. The users have to download and install Tcl/Tk additionally to avail the features provided by TkInter.
3) WxPython
The open source and cross-platform Python GUI framework for Python comes with features to simplify development of functional GUIs. Despite being written in C++, WxPython is implemented as a Python extension module. The developers can avail the features provided by WxPython to speedup GUI application development and simplify maintenance.
4) Kivy
The open source and cross platform GUI library helps programmers to build a variety of user interfaces (UIs) rapidly. In addition to using a fast GUI pipeline, Kivy also provides over 20 extensible widgets. The developers also have option to run the application code on both desktop and mobile operating system. They can use Kivy to build multi-touch mobile apps for Android and iOS
5) PyGUI
The developers can use PyGUI to create cross-platform GUI APIs for Python programming language. Also, they can implement the GUI APIs on major operating systems like Widows, Linux, and Mac OS X. They can even document the GUI APIs, and distribute them as part of core Python distribution. PyGUI enhances the performance of interposing minimal code between the Python application and GUI features of the underlying operating system.
6) PyGTK
The graphical user interface provided by PyGTK makes it easier for developers to write programs in Python. The developers can further speedup GUI application development by availing the visual elements and utilities provided by the underlying GTK+ library. PyGTK further simplifies application localization by handling complex multilingual or bidirectional text efficiently. The developers can run the GUI applications developed with PyGTK on major platforms like Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
7) Libavg
The open source GUI toolkit is written in C++. It allows developers to build GUI applications by using Python as a scripting language. Libavg simplifies modern GUI application development by supporting an array of display elements including text, images, videos, camera output, and vector graph. Also, it comes with a layout engine that supports varying display elements on a screen. The developers also have option to extend the cross-platform GUI framework using plug-ins written in C++.
8) Camelot
Camelot enables programmers to develop responsive GUIs by combining Python, Qt and SQLAlchemy. It simplifies GUI development by providing many editors, controls, and built-in functions. It further allows programmers to bind views to data model without writing additional code. The developers also have option to extend Camelot using the Actions Framework. The Python programmers can use Camelot to build both simple and complex GUI applications within a short amount of time.
9) CEF Python
Unlike conventional Python GUI frameworks, CEF Python enables developers to write desktop applications in HTML5. It further allows developers to embed a web browser control based on Google Chromium. The Python programmers can use CEF Python as an alternative to conventional GUI toolkits. They can even run the GUI applications on multiple platforms, and automate the entire software testing process. They also have option to use CEF Python as a web crawler or internet bot.
10) Pyjs
The features provided by Pyjs make it easier for programmers for not only for web but also for Python desktop application development. Pyjs enables programmers to write JavaScript-powered web applications in Python. Further, the programmers also have option to execute the same source code as a standalone desktop application or web application. Pyjs allows developers to reuse various classes and modules, while taking care of browser compatibility issues by providing robust AJAX libraries.
On the whole, the developers have option to choose from several Python GUI frameworks and libraries. Some of these GUI toolkits are cross-platform, whereas others support specific operating systems. Also, these GUI toolkits differ from each other in terms of features, performance, and usability. Hence, the Python programmers must keep in mind the precise needs of each project while evaluating these GUI libraries and frameworks.
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