Dear PyGui vs Dear ImGui
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A Python toolkit for building fast graphical desktop interfaces, built on Dear ImGui.
Open source · MIT
A lightweight C++ library for building immediate-mode graphical user interfaces, mainly for tools and games.
The short answer
Choose Dear PyGui if you need…
- Python developers who want a desktop GUI for a script or internal tool
- Projects that need fast, data-heavy graphs or plots
- Developers who want theme and style control over their interface
- Anyone who wants to learn from the built-in demo and example code
Choose Dear ImGui if you need…
- Game developers who want an in-engine debug or tools panel
- C++ developers building internal tools that need a quick interface
- Developers who want a small GUI library with few dependencies
Side-by-side
| Dear PyGui | Dear ImGui | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 15.7k | 76.9k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | C++ | C++ |
| Last code update | 17 days ago | 6 days ago |
What each one is
Dear PyGui
Dear PyGui is a graphical user interface toolkit for Python that lets you build windows, buttons, text inputs, sliders and plots from ordinary Python code. It is built on the Dear ImGui library and its C/C++ core, and the README says it uses the GPU for rendering. People use it to quickly make tools and control panels for scripts.
Dear ImGui
Dear ImGui is a C++ library for drawing graphical user interfaces such as buttons, sliders, and windows. It is described as bloat-free with minimal dependencies, and it is commonly used for debug panels and tools inside games and other software. The README provided to me was empty, so this description relies mainly on the repository's description and topics.
Best for
Dear PyGui
- Python developers who want a desktop GUI for a script or internal tool
- Projects that need fast, data-heavy graphs or plots
- Developers who want theme and style control over their interface
- Anyone who wants to learn from the built-in demo and example code
Dear ImGui
- Game developers who want an in-engine debug or tools panel
- C++ developers building internal tools that need a quick interface
- Developers who want a small GUI library with few dependencies
Strengths
Dear PyGui
- Installs with a single pip command and the README notes minimal dependencies
- Includes a built-in demo and inspectable demo source code
- Released under the permissive MIT license
Dear ImGui
- Described as bloat-free with minimal dependencies
- Widely starred and actively pushed, with a v1.93.0 release listed
- Released under the permissive MIT license
Not ideal for
Dear PyGui
- People who need a native-looking app with standard OS widgets, since the README describes a custom immediate-mode look
- Web-based or mobile projects, because the README lists only Windows, Linux and macOS (plus Raspberry Pi 4)
Dear ImGui
- People who want a ready-made desktop app with no coding, since this is a library for developers
- Teams that need a native-looking, polished end-user interface out of the box, because the README provided does not establish this
Trade-offs
Dear PyGui
- The README is short on API detail, so you will rely on external docs and the demo to learn it
- Its immediate-mode, GPU-rendered look differs from typical Python GUI frameworks
- Requires Python 3.8 64-bit or newer per the README
Dear ImGui
- The README was not available to verify features, APIs, or setup details
- Release v1.93.0 is listed without binaries, so you build from source
- Being a library, it requires C++ programming to use
Getting started
Dear PyGui
Install Dear PyGui
pip install dearpyguiAlternative for systems where pip points to Python 3
pip3 install dearpyguiDear ImGui
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/ocornut/imguiFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Dear PyGui and Dear ImGui?
Dear PyGui: A Python toolkit for building fast graphical desktop interfaces, built on Dear ImGui. Dear ImGui: A lightweight C++ library for building immediate-mode graphical user interfaces, mainly for tools and games. Dear PyGui suits python developers who want a desktop gui for a script or internal tool, while Dear ImGui suits game developers who want an in-engine debug or tools panel.
Are Dear PyGui and Dear ImGui free?
Dear PyGui: Free and open source. Dear ImGui: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Dear PyGui or Dear ImGui?
Dear PyGui is easier to get started with (rated beginner); Dear ImGui is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Dear PyGui or Dear ImGui more popular?
Dear ImGui has more GitHub stars (76.9k) than Dear PyGui (15.7k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Dear PyGui and Dear ImGui?
Other options people compare them with include Kivy, Iced, NiceGUI, Material, EnTT.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.