Tkinter is a Python package for building GUI applications. Python has many GUI frameworks, but Tkinter is the only framework built into the Python standard library. Tkinter has several strengths; It’s cross-platform, so the same code works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Tkinter is lightweight and relatively painless to use compared to other frameworks. This makes it a compelling choice for building GUI applications in Python, especially for applications where a modern polish is unnecessary and the top priority is to quickly build something that is functional and cross-platform.
Here are some common use cases for Tkinter in detail:
Reading: How to create an app window tkinter
- Creating windows and dialog boxes: Tkinter can be used to create windows and dialog boxes that allow users to interact with your program. These can be used to display information, collect input, or present options to the user. To create a window or dialog you can use the Tk() function to create a root window and then use functions like Label, Button and Entry to add widgets to the window.
- Creating a GUI for a desktop application: Tkinter can be used to create the user interface for a desktop application, including buttons, menus and other interactive elements. To create a GUI for a desktop application, you can use features like Menu, Checkbutton and use RadioButton to create menus and interactive elements, and layout managers like pack and grid to arrange the widgets in the window.
- Adding a GUI to a command line program: Tkinter can be used to add a GUI to a command line program, making it easier for users to interact with the program and enter arguments. To add a GUI to a command line program, you can use functions like Entry and Button to create input fields and buttons and use event handlers like command and bind to process user input.
- Creating custom widgets: Tkinter comes with a variety of built-in widgets, such as buttons, labels, and text boxes, but it also allows you to create your own custom widgets. To create a custom widget, you can define a class that inherits from the Widget class and overrides its methods to define the widget’s behavior and appearance.
- Prototyping a GUI: Tkinter can be used to quickly prototype a GUI, allowing you to test and iterate on different design ideas before committing to a final implementation. To create a GUI prototype with Tkinter, you can use the Tk() function to create a root window, and then use functions like Label , Button and Entry to add widgets to the window and various layouts and designs to test ideas.
Tkinter alternatives
There are a number of libraries similar to Tkinter for building graphical user interfaces can be used ( GUIs) in Python. Some examples are:
- PyQt: PyQt is a library that allows you to build GUI applications using the Qt framework. It is a comprehensive library with a large number of widgets and functions.
- wxPython: wxPython is a library that allows you to build GUI applications using the wxWidgets framework. It includes a wide range of widgets and is cross-platform, i. H. it can run on multiple operating systems.
- PyGTK: PyGTK is a library that allows you to build GUI applications using the GTK+ framework. It is a cross-platform library with a wide range of widgets and features.
- Kivy: Kivy is a library that allows you to create GUI applications with a modern, responsive design. It is especially good for building mobile apps and games.
- PyForms: PyForms is a library that allows you to build GUI applications with a simple, declarative syntax. It is designed to be easy to use and take up little space.
In summary, there are several libraries available for building GUI applications in Python, each with their own functions and capabilities. Tkinter is a popular choice, but depending on your specific needs and requirements, you may want to consider other options.
To better understand Tkinter, we will create a simple GUI.
Getting started
1. Import the tkinter package and all its modules.2. Create a root Window. Give the root window a title (with title()) and a dimension (with geometry()). All other widgets are in the root window. 3. Use mainloop() to invoke the window’s infinite loop. If you forget to call this, the user will not see anything. The window waits for any user interaction until we close it.
See also: How To Make an App? Best Way to Create an App in 8 Steps [2023]
Example:
See also: How to build a website tree structure
Output:
See also: How to build a website tree structure
4. We add a label using the Label class and change its text configuration as desired. The grid() function is a geometry manager that keeps the label in the desired location in the window. If no parameters are mentioned by default, they are placed in the empty cell; that’s 0,0 since that’s the first location.
See also: How To Make an App? Best Way to Create an App in 8 Steps [2023]
Example:
Output:
See also: How to build a website tree structure
5 . Now add a button to the root window. Changing the button configurations gives us a lot of options. In this example we will make the button display a text when clicked and also change the color of the text inside the button.
See also: How To Make an App? Best Way to Create an App in 8 Steps [2023]
Example:
Output:
See also: How to build a website tree structure
6 . Using the Entry() class, we create a text field for user input. To display the user input text, we make changes to the clicked() function. We can retrieve the text entered by the user using the get() function. When pressing the button after entering the text, a standard text is concatenated with the user text. Also change the position of the button grid in column 2 since Entry() will be column 1.
See also: How To Make an App? Best Way to Create an App in 8 Steps [2023]
Example:
Output:
See also: How to build a website tree structure
See also: How to build a website tree structure
See also: How to Make A Second YouTube Channel with an Existing Google Account
7. To add a menu bar, you can use the Menu class. First we create a menu, then we add our first label and finally we assign the menu to our window. We can add menu items under each menu using add_cascade().
See also: How To Make an App? Best Way to Create an App in 8 Steps [2023]
Example:
Output:
See also: How to build a website tree structure
This simple GUI covers the basics of the Tkinter package. Likewise, you can add more widgets and change their configurations as needed.
See also: How to build a website tree structure
Widgets
See also: How to build a website tree structure
Tkinter provides various controls, such as buttons, labels, and text boxes, to be used in a GUI application. These controls are commonly referred to as widgets. The list of commonly used widgets is below –
See also: How to build a website tree structure
Geometry Management
See also: How to build a website tree structure
All Tkinter widgets have access to specific geometry management methods for the purpose of organizing of widgets in the entire parent widget area. Tkinter provides the following geometry manager classes: Pack, Grid, and Place. Their description is listed below –
See also: How to build a website tree structure
.
