The term GUI, which stands for graphical user interface, refers to the type of user interaction that involves viewing information via screens rather than having to enter it directly. The most common way for programmers to create GUIs is with the help of a specialized library. There are several libraries you can use to create GUIs in Python. Some of the top choices include Kivy, PyQt, Tkinter and wxPython. Each has its own pros and cons depending on your specific needs. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best Python GUI libraries so you can choose the one that works best for your project.
Kivy
Kivy is a cross-platform Python library for building mobile apps and desktop GUIs. It supports a wide range of GUI elements and is designed for rapid prototyping and end-user deployment. Kivy’s main strength is its enormous user base. It’s one of the most popular GUI libraries for custom Python development, and many people are already familiar with how to use it.
Kivy is also cross-platform, so your app will work on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android without any tweaks. Kivy, like many other GUI libraries, is designed for end-user applications, not for data analysis or another heavy lifting. If you need a GUI for something like a data analysis program, this library probably isn’t the right choice.
PyQt
PyQt is a Python library that allows you to create GUIs for desktop and mobile apps. It supports a wide range of widgets and is designed for ease of use. PyQt is almost like a “wrapper” around the popular programming language Qt, which is a popular cross-platform GUI framework. Because of this, if you’ve used Qt before, the transition to PyQt will be easier. If you’re new to GUIs, you’ll still find PyQt relatively easy to learn, but it may take you a bit longer to get started. PyQt is, again, designed for end-user applications. It’s great for quickly building interfaces, but it isn’t meant for data analysis or other complex programming tasks.
Tkinter
Tkinter is a very simple but widely used GUI library for Python. It’s been around since the 1990s, making it one of the oldest GUI libraries for Python. Tkinter is relatively simple and easy to learn. It’s designed for basic GUIs, so it won’t handle things like multiple windows or widgets as robustly as some of the other libraries listed here.
While Tkinter is still widely used, it’s not as popular as it was when it was first released. Some of this is due to the fact that newer libraries like Kivy, Qt, and wxPython are more robust and easier to use. But some of it is also because the creators weren’t able to keep up with the changes in Python 3.
wxPython
It is a GUI library based on the popular wxWidgets C++ library. It’s used to build desktop apps in Python and supports a wide range of widgets. Among Python GUI libraries, wxPython is one of the top choices people use. It’s been around for a long time, and many people are already familiar with the way it works. Like many other libraries, it allows you to create multiple windows inside a single program. wxPython is easy to use, but it may not be the best choice if you’re just starting out with GUI programming. It’s a bit more complex than some other Python GUI libraries, and its syntax is a bit different from Python itself.
Final Words
If you want to create a GUI for an app you’re building in Python, you have a few choices. The best Python GUI library for you will depend on your specific needs. If you’re just getting started with GUI programming, Tkinter is a good option. If you’re already familiar with Qt, PyQt is a great choice. And if you want to create a cross-platform mobile app, Kivy is the best Python GUI library for that job.
