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wxPython VS Tkinter

Compare wxPython VS Tkinter and see what are their differences

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wxPython logo wxPython

wxPython is a GUI toolkit for the Python programming language.

Tkinter logo Tkinter

Tkinter is a Python wrapper for Tcl/Tk that offers classes to create various graphical user interfaces.
  • wxPython Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-18
  • Tkinter Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-28

wxPython features and specs

  • Cross-platform Compatibility
    wxPython is built on the wxWidgets C++ library, which supports multiple platforms, allowing developers to create applications that run on Windows, macOS, and Linux with minimal changes to the codebase.
  • Native Look and Feel
    Applications built with wxPython use native UI elements provided by the operating system, resulting in a more consistent and authentic look and feel across different platforms.
  • Rich Set of Widgets
    wxPython offers a wide range of widgets and controls, enabling developers to build complex and feature-rich GUIs with various functionalities and levels of customization.
  • Strong Community Support
    wxPython has been around for a long time and has accumulated a robust community. This support provides ample resources, tutorials, and examples that can assist developers in utilizing the library effectively.
  • Continuing Development
    wxPython continues to be actively developed and maintained, ensuring that it receives regular updates, bug fixes, and improvements to keep it viable for modern applications.

Possible disadvantages of wxPython

  • Steeper Learning Curve
    For beginners, wxPython can be more challenging to learn compared to other Python GUI libraries because of its comprehensive and sometimes complex API.
  • Larger Application Size
    Applications built with wxPython tend to have larger file sizes compared to those made with some other GUI libraries, potentially impacting distribution and storage demands.
  • Limited Mobile Support
    While wxPython excels in desktop application development, it offers limited support for mobile platforms, making it less suitable for developers looking to target mobile devices.
  • Dependency Overhead
    wxPython introduces additional dependencies that need to be managed, which can be cumbersome for developers aiming for lightweight applications or those trying to reduce build complexity.
  • Platform-specific Bugs
    Due to its reliance on native components, wxPython applications might encounter platform-specific bugs or inconsistencies that require platform-specific workarounds or additional testing.

Tkinter features and specs

  • Built-in Standard Library
    Tkinter comes bundled with Python, so there is no need for additional installations. This makes it highly accessible and quick to set up for projects.
  • Ease of Use
    Tkinter provides a simple syntax and an easy-to-understand system for building GUI applications, making it ideal for beginners who are just starting with programming.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Tkinter applications can run on multiple operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux without modification, which ensures broader audience reach.
  • Strong Community Support
    Being part of Python's standard library means that Tkinter benefits from Python's extensive community support, with plenty of tutorials and resources available online.
  • Object-Oriented Approach
    Tkinter supports an object-oriented programming model, which allows for structuring code in a manageable way, especially for larger applications.

Possible disadvantages of Tkinter

  • Limited Widget Set
    Compared to more modern GUI frameworks, Tkinter has a limited set of widgets and may not support advanced user interface features that newer applications might require.
  • Outdated Look and Feel
    The default Tkinter themes and styles may look outdated by modern standards, which might not be suitable for applications where a contemporary design is important.
  • Performance Limitations
    Tkinter may not perform well with applications requiring high-performance graphics or real-time updates, as it is not optimized for these tasks.
  • Learning Curve for Complex Applications
    While simple to use for basic applications, building more complex UI components can become challenging and might require a deeper understanding of the Tkinter framework.
  • Lack of Advanced Features
    Some advanced features like drag-and-drop, custom widgets, or native look and feel on different platforms might be either missing or require additional work to implement.

wxPython videos

+ Add

Python Top 3 GUI Frameworks In 2019 (PyQt5, wxPython, TKinter)

More videos:

  • Review - Starting on a GUI: WXpython vs Kivy #MP55
  • Tutorial - How To Create Panel In wxPython GUI Programming #2

Tkinter videos

+ Add

Which is Better Kivy Or Tkinter? - Python Kivy GUI Tutorial #42

More videos:

  • Review - Python Programming 93 - Review of Tkinter
  • Tutorial - Tkinter Course - Create Graphic User Interfaces in Python Tutorial

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to wxPython and Tkinter)

wxPython

Tkinter

Rapid Application Development
49 49%
Rapid Application Development
51% 51
Developer Tools
36 36%
Developer Tools
64% 64
Development Tools
43 43%
Development Tools
57% 57
Python Tools
100 100%
Python Tools
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using wxPython and Tkinter. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

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

wxPython Reviews

Which Python GUI library should you use? Comparing the Python GUI libraries available in 2023
WxPython is under active development and is also currently being reimplemented from scratch under the name 'WxPython Phoenix'. The team behind WxWidgets is also responsible for WxPython, which was initially released in 1998.
Source: www.pythonguis.com
10 Best Python Libraries for GUI
Nearing the end of our list is Wax, which is the wrapper for wxPython. Offering the same functionality as wxPython, Wax stands out thanks to it being far more user-friendly. Wax is also implemented as an extension module for Python, and it supports the development of cross-platform applications.
Source: www.unite.ai
Top 10 Python GUI Frameworks for Developers
wxPython is essentially a Python extension module that acts as a wrapper for the wxWidgets API. wxPython allows Python developers to create native user interfaces that add zero additional overhead to the application. The cross-platform capabilities of wxPython allow deployment to platforms like Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and Unix-based systems with little to no modifications.
Source: towardsdatascience.com

Tkinter Reviews

25 Python Frameworks to Master
It’s a great option for creating simple and easy-to-use graphical user interfaces in Python and allows you to add a GUI to your already working scripts pretty easily. PySimpleGUI wraps the power of 4 different GUI libraries, PySide, Tkinter, wxPython, and Remi.
Source: kinsta.com
Which Python GUI library should you use? Comparing the Python GUI libraries available in 2023
Tkinter is a simple library with support for standard layouts and widgets, as well as more complex widgets such as tabbed views & progressbars. Tkinter is a pure GUI library, not a framework. There is no built-in support for GUIs driven from data sources, databases, or for displaying or manipulating multimedia or hardware. However, if you need to make something simple that...
Source: www.pythonguis.com
10 Best Python Libraries for GUI
Another top Python library for GUI is Tkinter, which is an open-source Python Graphic User Interface library. It is well known for its simplicity and comes pre-installed in Python, meaning there is no work on your part. These features make it a great choice for beginners and intermediates, but it is not capable of carrying out larger-scale projects.
Source: www.unite.ai
Top 10 Python GUI Frameworks for Developers
Often referred to as the go-to GUI toolkit by a majority of Python developers, Tkinter was created to equip modern developers with a standard interface to the Tk GUI toolkit with its Python bindings. In Tkinter’s world, most of the visual elements that we’re familiar with are called widgets, and each of these widgets offers a different level of customizability.
Source: towardsdatascience.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Tkinter seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 37 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

wxPython mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of wxPython yet. Tracking of wxPython recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Tkinter mentions (37)

  • Building a Lightweight OCR-Powered Receipt Parser
    Tkinter Documentation – Official Python Tkinter library documentation. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • The Adventures of Blink S2e7: A GUI Screen in Python
    For our hangman, I've elected to use Tkinter. It has a pre-built collection of little widgets that make dialog-based apps work, and I think it will be useful for Hangman, which doesn't require a great deal of animation and image management but does require us to have an easy-to-use interface for the user to make changes. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Ask HN: How popular is Tcl in 2024?
    >> So it's hard for me to recommend tk for GUI development. Tcl/Tk is widely used in lightweight legacy GUIs. Python distributions will typically include tkinter (https://docs.python.org/3/library/tkinter.html) which is just a Python wrapper for Tk. Git usually includes the gitk graphical utility which is written in Tcl/TK: - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • A brief interview with Tcl creator John Ousterhout
    Lots of people care about it, and it's alive and kicking in-industry and being developed (Tcl 9 is imminent[0]). I've had fun w Guile over the years (though actually never considered its "heaviness"); fun. I'm constantly amazed at the professional love for Python; its got it's network effect in full-effect: lots of people, lots of software - there's just no denying that. But for Joy of Development, Tcl (and C) is... - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Essential Deep Learning Checklist: Best Practices Unveiled
    How to Accomplish: Create a simple interface (CLI or GUI) where users can input an image, and the script processes and displays the model's prediction. For a CLI, use argparse to handle input arguments. For a GUI, consider libraries like Tkinter or web-based interfaces using FastAPI or Flask. The script should perform necessary preprocessing, invoke the model prediction, and present the results clearly, such as... - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing wxPython and Tkinter, you can also consider the following products

PyQt - Riverbank | Software | PyQt | What is PyQt?

Kivy - Open source Python framework for rapid development of applications that make use of innovative user interfaces, such as multi-touch apps. Installation on WindowsInstallation on Windows. Installation; What are wheels .

PySimpleGUI - A simple to use GUI that can create custom GUIs

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.

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

wxWidgets - wxWidgets: Cross-Platform GUI Library

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