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PyGTK VS Qt

Compare PyGTK VS Qt and see what are their differences

PyGTK logo PyGTK

PyGTK lets you to easily create programs with a graphical user interface using the Python...

Qt logo Qt

Powerful, flexible and easy to use, Qt will help you not only meet your tight deadline, but also reduce the maintainable code by an astonishing percentage.
  • PyGTK Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30
  • Qt Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-22

PyGTK features and specs

  • Cross-platform Compatibility
    PyGTK is designed to work on multiple operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and macOS. This cross-platform nature allows developers to write code once and run it on various systems without significant changes.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, PyGTK can be freely used, modified, and distributed. This promotes collaborative development and allows users to tailor the toolkit to their specific needs.
  • Comprehensive Widget Set
    PyGTK offers a wide array of standard widgets, making it easier for developers to create complex and highly functional GUIs without needing to implement basic components from scratch.
  • Strong Community Support
    There is a vibrant community around PyGTK, providing numerous tutorials, examples, and forums for support. This makes it easier for newcomers to learn and for seasoned developers to find solutions to their problems.
  • Integration with GNOME
    PyGTK is closely integrated with the GNOME desktop environment, which can be a significant advantage for developers targeting applications for GNOME users.

Possible disadvantages of PyGTK

  • Deprecated in Favor of PyGObject
    PyGTK is no longer actively developed and has been deprecated in favor of PyGObject, which includes support for newer versions of GTK. This makes PyGTK an outdated choice for new projects.
  • Limited Feature Updates
    Since PyGTK is deprecated, it does not receive updates for new features, limiting its capabilities compared to other, more modern GUI toolkits.
  • Documentation Gaps
    The documentation for PyGTK may not be as comprehensive or up-to-date as some other GUI libraries, which can pose challenges for developers, especially those new to the framework.
  • Heavier than Alternatives
    PyGTK can be more resource-intensive compared to some lightweight GUI frameworks, potentially impacting the performance of applications developed with it.
  • Steeper Learning Curve for Beginners
    New developers might find PyGTK challenging to learn due to its somewhat complex API and the need to understand the underlying GTK framework.

Qt features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Development
    Qt allows developers to write applications that can run on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, without the need for significant code changes.
  • Rich Documentation
    Qt provides extensive and well-maintained documentation, making it easier for developers to learn and troubleshoot the framework.
  • Mature and Stable
    Being a mature framework, Qt has a long history of stability and a strong track record in producing robust applications.
  • Comprehensive UI Components
    Qt offers a wide range of built-in UI components, which can significantly speed up the development process and provide a native look and feel on different platforms.
  • Strong Community Support
    Qt has an active and helpful community, which can be beneficial for developers seeking support or looking to collaborate on projects.
  • Performance
    Applications built with Qt tend to be efficient and performant, due to close-to-the-metal coding options and optimizations available in the framework.
  • Tooling
    Qt Creator, the official IDE for Qt, offers powerful tools for designing, coding, testing, and debugging applications, enhancing productivity.

Possible disadvantages of Qt

  • Licensing Costs
    Though Qt offers an open-source option, commercial licenses can be expensive, which can be a significant constraint for smaller businesses or independent developers.
  • Learning Curve
    The framework can have a steep learning curve for beginners, especially for those unfamiliar with C++ or the specific paradigms Qt employs.
  • Large Executable Size
    Applications built with Qt can have larger executable sizes compared to those built with more lightweight frameworks, which might be a concern for some applications.
  • Dependency on C++
    While Qt has bindings for other languages like Python (PyQt, PySide), its core is based on C++, which might not be ideal for developers looking for a more modern or different programming language.
  • Complexity in Customization
    While Qt offers many features out-of-the-box, deep customization, especially for non-standard requirements, can become complex and time-consuming.
  • Build Times
    Due to its comprehensive nature, applications using Qt can have longer build times, which can slow down the development cycle.

PyGTK videos

Getting started with Quickly and PyGTK

Qt videos

Review of Qt 5.4

More videos:

  • Review - QT.HAIR Wet & Wavy/ Dream Straight Review |Which is Better?
  • Review - QT HAIR REVIEW| Affordable Brazilian Bundles

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to PyGTK and Qt)
Development Tools
15 15%
85% 85
Developer Tools
34 34%
66% 66
Rapid Application Development
Development
100 100%
0% 0

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare PyGTK and Qt

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Qt Reviews

Top 5 Flutter Alternatives for Cross-Platform Development
Qt is a versatile C++ framework known for its efficiency and flexibility. With Qt, developers can create cross-platform applications with native-like performance.
Source: www.miquido.com
Exploring 15 Powerful Flutter Alternatives
Qt is a mature, cross-platform native framework for building apps and devices using C++. Qt sees extensive use in embedded systems requiring slick UIs on low-power devices with limited memory. It compiles nearly identically to straight C++ while adding conveniences like signals and slots that feel akin to JavaScript event handling. But apps targeting desktops, servers, and...
Best GUI frameworks for Go
Qt is a cross-platform application development framework widely used for developing desktop, mobile, and embedded systems. Qt provides a powerful, easy-to-use, and flexible C++ class library for building GUIs and other types of applications. Qt has a wide range of built-in widgets, including buttons, labels, list boxes, and more.
10 Best Tools to Develop Cross-Platform Desktop Apps 
Written in C++, this cross-platform framework is used for native embedded, desktop, and mobile applications using GUI widgets and quick modules using QML language. C++ is a backend and QML (QtQuick 2) is a frontend side. Its meta-object compiler runs before the build. Qt can be used in several programming languages like Python, JavaScript, and others due to language...
Top Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks
Qt is a pretty mature GUI and cross-platform app development framework that dates back to 1995. Developers can use Qt for crafting applications for mobiles, embedded platforms, or desktops. As Qt is based on C++, any developer with a decent C++ experience (pretty easily found) can help you craft a cross-platform app using Qt with a single codebase.
Source: www.pangea.ai

What are some alternatives?

When comparing PyGTK and Qt, you can also consider the following products

wxWidgets - wxWidgets: Cross-Platform GUI Library

WompMobile - WompMobile offers tow kind of functions – first creating new mobile apps and secondly converting the websites into mobile applications.

GTK - GTK+ is a multi-platform toolkit for creating graphical user interfaces.

Electron - Build cross platform desktop apps with web technologies

MD Python Designer - A drag and drop GUI Designer that uses a combination of Tkinter and its own code.

Flutter - Build beautiful native apps in record time 🚀