Microsoft-ui-xaml: Proposal: Add Python support to WinUI 3

Created on 3 Oct 2020 · 39Comments · Source: microsoft/microsoft-ui-xaml

Proposal: Add Python support to WinUI3

Summary

WinUI 3 should include an official Python API, allowing end-users to build native Windows GUI apps in Python.

Rationale

Python is one of the most popular programming languages in the world - by some measures, more popular than JavaScript, C# and C++.
"Developing a native GUI app" is one of the most fundamental use cases for any programming language. However, there are no Microsoft supported paths at present for build Windows GUIs using Python. Pythonnet is a third-party tool that can be used, but it doesn't produce UWP-compatible apps.
Python is widely used in education as an introductory language for new developers. Giving students the ability to build GUIs is an essential part of a modern developer experience.
Python is widely used in scientific circles to support research. These researchers currently use Jupyter to provide visualisations of their data analysis; however, there Jupyter cannot be used to develop standalone applications for visualization or data gathering. A native GUI API would enable scientists to develop these apps.
Microsoft already has an established interest in Python as a language. Microsoft has a dedicated Python language team (employing multiple members of the Python core team); VSCode has established Python language support; and Microsoft sponsors multiple major Python conferences.

Scope

Important Notes

This has been proposed in direct response to this tweet from @WindowsDocs, and this follow up from @zooba. It may be related to #1421.

Open Questions

feature proposal

Source

freakboy3742

👍231 ❤51 🚀29 🎉26 👀12 👎6 😄5

Most helpful comment

This could be really awesome for data apps. Please think about how to integrate the wide range of popular Dataviz tools like Matplotlib, plotly, bokeh, holoviews, datashader, altair etz.

And look to the popular web frameworks bokeh, Dash, panel, Streamlit and voila for inspiration on how domain experts, scientists and data scientist develop data apps.

For example check out my sites awesome-panel.org and awesome-panel.org.

MarcSkovMadsen on 3 Oct 2020

👍7

All 39 comments

Probably should also link to the experimental Python/WinRT projection which could see the necessary work required for WinUI support (as in: Xaml support).

Felix-Dev on 3 Oct 2020

👍2

This could be really awesome for data apps. Please think about how to integrate the wide range of popular Dataviz tools like Matplotlib, plotly, bokeh, holoviews, datashader, altair etz.

And look to the popular web frameworks bokeh, Dash, panel, Streamlit and voila for inspiration on how domain experts, scientists and data scientist develop data apps.

For example check out my sites awesome-panel.org and awesome-panel.org.

MarcSkovMadsen on 3 Oct 2020

👍7

Make sure we can get an OpenGL context, so libraries like Arcade can do high-performance graphics.

pvcraven on 5 Oct 2020

❤5

We need Python support

laike9m on 5 Oct 2020

Here to show support for this.

RushNMob on 5 Oct 2020

Please add Python support to WinUI 3!

miguelp1986 on 5 Oct 2020

In my opinion, If Microsoft wants to substantially increase the number of apps that support windows, then one of the best approaches is to invest in the Python community. They are huge in number, enthusiasm, ambition, and growth. A large portion of them are young, and young developers are the future! Your app store will be full of python based apps :)

As a Python developer, if Windows supports Python, then that will make it my first choice as a development OS.

Best,

AzizAlqasem on 5 Oct 2020

👍3

Strongly in favor 🤚

leadersheir on 5 Oct 2020

Absolutely Support this.

kilrogg on 5 Oct 2020

I support this idea!

roodie on 5 Oct 2020

Yes please.

BertRaeymaekers on 5 Oct 2020

Yes i'd very much appreciate.

holg on 5 Oct 2020

Totally support this!

70Shubham07 on 5 Oct 2020

👍1

Support from Mauritius

Abdur-rahmaanJ on 5 Oct 2020

I also support this suggestion!

Twilight0 on 5 Oct 2020

👍1

Hey iirc there is a python library for this. It's called pythonnet, a python library for the .NET framework.

SFM61319 on 5 Oct 2020

Please add Python support to WinUI 3

hasii2011 on 5 Oct 2020

I support adding Python support to the WinUI3 library.

andycrofford on 5 Oct 2020

I support this. Good idea @freakboy3742

jjpepper on 5 Oct 2020

I support this!!!

tfillmor924 on 5 Oct 2020

I'm interested in Python Support for WinUI3.

With recent additions like WSL and native containers Windows has started talking my language. I'd honestly strongly consider Windows as a daily driver if Python was picked up officially.

mkturner on 5 Oct 2020

👍2

This would be amazing addition to the platform and I'm 100% for it.

rlitchfield-Edcara on 5 Oct 2020

This would be wonderful!

cerickson on 5 Oct 2020

Yes please !

frisbeegrammer on 5 Oct 2020

This is gonna be awesome!

rednafi on 5 Oct 2020

@benJkuhn and @kennykerr FYI! :)

StephenLPeters on 6 Oct 2020

👀2

We shall not lose this opportunity! This can change the world for the better!

iCarlosCode on 6 Oct 2020

This is needed! Windows is falling behind in the apps race because it doesn't have a straightforward solution for beginners to try their hand at making native apps.

awildtechno on 6 Oct 2020

👍1

I am very excited to see Windows (WinUI3) supports Python, and I hope Microsoft approve that as soon as possible!

AzizAlqasem on 6 Oct 2020

👍1

Have developed GUIs with Python on Windows platform for few years. Had to use win32 and some other libraries to use specific functionalities. This support would have helped a lot.