r0x0r/pywebview
Pywebview
pywebview is a cross-platform desktop GUI framework for Python that renders HTML, CSS, and JavaScript content using the operating system's native web rendering engine. It enables developers to build desktop applications that run on Windows, macOS, and Linux from a single Python codebase, with the web frontend displayed in a lightweight, native window.
The framework provides a bidirectional JavaScript-Python bridge for real-time data exchange between frontend and backend, along with the ability to manipulate the Document Object Model directly from Python without writing JavaScript. It includes an embedded HTTP server for serving local web content, native OS integration for accessing system menus and file dialogs, and a window event callback system that triggers Python functions in response to lifecycle events like loading, closing, or resizing.
Developers can choose between several architectural patterns, including a serverless approach using the built-in API, an HTTP-server model that runs a Flask server alongside the desktop window, or a React desktop app scaffolding with automatic bundler configuration. The framework also supports application bundling with tools like PyInstaller and Nuitka for single-file desktop distribution.
Features
- Cross-Platform Desktop Toolkits - Provides a cross-platform desktop toolkit that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux from a single Python codebase.
- Webview Content Renderers - Renders HTML, CSS, and JavaScript content in a lightweight, cross-platform desktop GUI window using the system's native webview component.
- Embedded Webview Servers - Ships an embedded HTTP server to serve local HTML and API content for the desktop webview window.
- Python-JavaScript Bridges - Implements a bidirectional bridge for calling Python functions from JavaScript and vice versa in real time.
- Web-Technology Desktop GUIs - Builds native desktop applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as the frontend, controlled by a Python backend.
- Native HTML Rendering Engines - Uses the operating system's built-in web rendering engine to display HTML content in a desktop window.
- Webview-Based Frameworks - Ships a Python framework that renders HTML/CSS/JavaScript in a native system webview for desktop apps.
- Python DOM Manipulators - Reads and modifies the webview's Document Object Model directly from Python code without JavaScript.
- Python DOM Manipulators - Provides a Python API to traverse and modify the webview's DOM directly without writing JavaScript.
- Python Desktop Bundlers - Integrates with PyInstaller, Nuitka, and py2app to bundle the application into a distributable executable.
- React Desktop App Development - Scaffolds a complete React-based desktop application with automatic bundler configuration and build steps.
- Server-Backed Desktop Apps - Communicates between frontend and backend by running a Flask server alongside the desktop window.
- Serverless Desktop Apps - Communicates between frontend and backend using a built-in API that eliminates the need for an external server.
- Desktop OS Visual Components - Accesses operating system menus, dialogs, and window properties for a consistent desktop experience.
- Window Property Setters - Controls window size, position, title, and fullscreen mode and responds to window lifecycle events like close or resize.
- Window State Callbacks - Triggers Python functions in response to window lifecycle events like loading, closing, or resizing.
- Desktop Executables - Packages Python webview apps into standalone executables using PyInstaller or Nuitka for distribution.
- File Dialogs - Opens native file dialogs to select files for reading or saving, and accepts dropped files by retrieving their full paths.
- Native GUI Component Controls - Adds application menus, file dialogs, and other native GUI elements to the webview window for a desktop-like experience.
- Window Event Handling - Fires callbacks when the window loads, closes, or resizes so your app can react to these state changes.
- Desktop Application Frameworks - Builds desktop GUIs using web technologies for Python backends.
- GUI Development - Native wrapper for webview components.
- GUI Frameworks - Lightweight wrapper for native web-view components.
