Which One’s Better for Python Mobile App Development? BeeWare Vs Kivy

Python for mobile app development? Historically, building mobile apps with Python was almost like a daydream because Python wasn’t considered reliable for writing mobile GUI apps. In fact, iOS and Android development were quite out of the question with pure Python technology alone. Thanks to the comprehensive development in recent years that entirely enhanced the outlook on using Python for building mobile apps. Now, most of the mobile application development services are focusing on Python to help product owners build their dream products.

In this article, we have run a small comparison between BeeWare Vs. Kivy for mobile app development with Python. Kivy and the BeeWare project are two well-known Python frameworks, but choosing the best out of these two will be challenging.

So, let’s start this exciting comparison between them.

Kivy – Cross-Platform GUIs

Kivy is an open-source Python library for cross-platform GUI apps development. It helps you write pure-Python graphical apps that run on the prime desktop platforms, i.e., macOS, Windows, Linux, and Android & iOS.

Whenever it’s about a new GUI toolkit, knowing how native that application feels is important- because a great GUI app should play to the strengths of the platform they run on.

For example, most users want consistency across their applications as It doesn’t feel enjoyable to use an application developed with UI patterns from a different platform.

Kivy offers you a custom-built set of UI tools that provides various editions of text labels, buttons, text entry forms, etc. It means all these widgets are not rendered with the native platform UI controls.

On the positive side, it guarantees the portability and consistency of your application from one platform to another. While on the other side, it also means that your Android application will not really feel and look like an Android application.

Based on the kind of application you have in your vision, this might not be an issue at all. However, for most gaming apps, the “nativeness” of the User Interface is not very critical. The same is true for a particular type of niche application like graphical MIDI controllers for creating music. But for several other applications, it has a crucial impact on usability.

So, if you need a go-to solution for a non-native UI toolkit in your applications, then Kivy is a suitable option. It helps create mobile apps with your Python programming skills without the need to learn another platform-specific language like Apple’s Swift.

The BeeWare Project – Native Mobile Apps

The “BeeWare” project is one of the most extensive Python GUI and mobile development frameworks. It provides you with an abstraction layer and a set of tools to help you write native-looking desktop and mobile applications with Python.

The main difference between BeeWare and Kivy is that BeeWare programs use the native UI toolkit of the program they run on. In contrast, Kivy applications use a custom UI toolkit that uses the same controls across various platforms.

Using BeeWare, the UI controls your application uses will be the checkboxes, buttons, and elements given by the underlying operating system. It means you can develop applications that look and feel entirely native to the particular mobile and desktop platform.

The only drawback of the BeeWare project is that it is still relatively young and currently under substantial development under the leadership of Pythonista Russel Keith-Magee. The potential of this comprehensive framework is yet to be discovered. This means more work for you as a product owner due to bugs, API changes, and a lack of features.

We hope you are now clear on the basics of the Framework. However, if there are still some doubts in your mind, we will further elaborate on this discussion. Let’s discuss the following advantages and disadvantages of both the Python Framework.

Kivy – Advantages

• It is an exclusive open-source Python Library that offers fast application development.
• Kivy is compatible with Linux, Windows, Android, and Raspberry Pi;
• It gives you the benefit of running the same code base across various platforms.
• This exciting Framework offers a better representation of all the program functionalities,
• The programming style is highly precise and organized when compared to several other frameworks.

Kivy – Disadvantages

• You have to compile the code with every step ahead.
• Kivy alone is not a good choice for building complex apps.

The BeeWare Project – Advantages

• BeeWare is also an open-source python framework and one of the most trustable ways to develop robust applications.
• It helps you give a native-like look and feel to the app.
• The BeeWare toolkit is BSD licensed, and anyone can modify or access it.
• BeeWare is backed by a vast community of product owners who help in design, documentation, and bug solving.

The BeeWare Project – Disadvantages

• There are many possibilities for this Framework yet to be explored.

Final Thoughts

Which will be the better choice for you? choosing between Kivy and BeeWare can only be determined after analyzing the product needs. Therefore, you can contact a mobile application development company to help you select the most perfect framework for your upcoming app.

Both Kivy and BeeWare are beneficial GUI frameworks, but the significant competition lies in the feel and look of your final product. Kivy is a mature Python framework, while BeeWare is still in its development phase. We hope you have found this article interesting.