Python GUI programming, Licensing and Understanding

Question

I have been working on python recently and I have been making quite alot of research on the best x-platform UI toolkit. I dont really want something heavy because i am a lone developing switching from c# and there is possibility I will be selling some of my application in my locality.

I tried PyQt and I am beginning to love it, although, it appears that PyGTK is a bit mature.

Like I said earlier, I am not keen about heavy native look and feel but please not like Tk, I was stuck at the licensing issue of PyQt as you might not be able to sell programs written in it. someone introduced Pyside but from what I am seeing, it is not stable and well maintained.

• My question is, can i sell my PyQt written application
• is pyGTK any better than PyQt, give reasons
• Is there any other x-platform easy to learn and implement and license problem free UI toolkit for python out there that i can use

Educative reply will be much appreciated

Answer 1

From the PyQt website:

Like Qt itself, Riverbank's software (PyQt5, PyQt4, PyQtChart, PyQtMobility, dip and QScintilla2) is provided under a number of licenses depending on how it is going to be used.

The free versions are licensed under the GNU General Public License. If your use of Riverbank's software is compatible with the GPL then you do not need to buy a commercial license.

If your use of Riverbank's software is not compatible with the GPL then you require a commercial license.

My basic understanding of the GPL terms are that commercial releases are ok but any software that "uses" the GPL licensed software must also be released as open source under a GPL compatible license. What exactly "uses" means would probably require a lawyer :)

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I've never had much luck getting PyGTK to work however I've had no real issues with simple GUIs and the LPGL licensed PySide. The documentation is so-so and I've had to refer to the Qt C++ documentation a bit, but on the whole its been very stable and integrates well with MatplotLib for plotting.

E.g. these simple GUIs with live plots I have made using PySide. The first only took about ten minutes to code by hand, however for more complicated GUIs you can also use QtDesigner.

Answer 2

Is there any other x-platform easy to learn and implement and license problem free UI toolkit for python out there that i can use

Try Kivy. MIT license, quite nice API and documentation, works on Android and iOS.

There is a chance you'll fall in love with this framework. You have been warned.