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CustomTkinter

A Python library that gives Tkinter GUIs a modern, customizable look, including dark mode.

GitHub Download source
Stars
13.6k
Forks
1.2k
Licence
MIT
Language
Python
Last update
4 months ago
Type
Library

What it is

CustomTkinter is a Python UI library built on top of Tkinter, the standard GUI toolkit that ships with Python. It provides replacement widgets that look more modern and can be customized, with a dark theme option based on the repository's description and topics. People use it to build desktop windows and applications in Python without learning a new GUI framework.

  • Build a desktop form or settings window in Python with a modern appearance
  • Create a dark-themed Python utility application
  • Prototype a small graphical tool using Tkinter-style code

Great for

  • Python developers who already know Tkinter and want a newer look
  • Students building simple desktop apps in Python
  • Developers who want built-in dark mode for a Python desktop tool

Not ideal for

  • Web or mobile app developers, since this produces desktop GUIs only (inferred from the Tkinter base)
  • Projects needing a large ecosystem of ready-made complex widgets, since the README was not available to confirm its widget set
Step-by-step guide: how to use CustomTkinterInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs
CustomTkinter alternativesCustomTkinter vs KivyCustomTkinter vs MantineCustomTkinter vs FTXUI

How to get it

  1. 1

    Install with a package manager

    You'll need: Python

    Clone the repository

    git clone https://github.com/TomSchimansky/CustomTkinter
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Install Python, then install the library from the repository following its README
    • Import customtkinter in a Python script alongside the standard Tkinter setup
    • Create a window and add a customtkinter widget
    • Run the script to see the window
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Check the README for theme and color customization options before styling widgets
    • Explore the dark mode setting mentioned in the topics once you have the basics running

Downloads

Source code (.zip)master branch · straight from GitHub

Strengths

  • Built on Tkinter, so it relies on the standard library rather than a separate GUI engine
  • Widely starred and actively maintained, with a recent push date listed in the metadata
  • Released under the permissive MIT license

Trade-offs

  • The README was truncated, so detailed features, setup steps, and limitations could not be verified here
  • Being based on Tkinter means it inherits that toolkit's constraints on styling and widget choice

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
CustomTkinter (this)13.6kLibrarybeginner4 months agoPython developers who already know Tkinter and want a newer look
kivy19kFrameworkintermediate4 days agoPython developers who want one codebase for desktop and mobile apps
FTXUI10.9kLibraryintermediate4 days agoC++ developers who want interactive text-based tools in the terminal
mantine31.9kLibraryintermediate4 days agoReact developers building web apps who want many components out of the box
darkreader22.6kAppbeginner4 days agoPeople who browse a lot in low light and want darker pages without changing each site themselves
pico16.8kLibrarybeginner1 months agoDevelopers who want a quick, clean look for a small static page or prototype

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.