The Python X Library

Copyright © 2000–2001 Peter Liljenberg

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Introduction

The Python X Library is a complete library for writing X Windows client applications in Python. It implements the entire X11R6 protocol and some extensions, and also some supplementary functionality such as a resource database. It is written entirely in Python, and is therefore entirely independent of the traditional C Xlib; it only requires a Python installation with network support.

Although the X11R6 protocol is the basis of all X client applications, it is a little too low-level to be useful for writing advanced graphical interfaces. To this end, many different widget sets has been developed, a few of the more popular are Motif, Qt and Gtk. The Python X Library is not compatible with any of these, as they are based on the C Xlib. As a result the Python X Library isn’t in itself very useful for writing GUIs, but is eminent for writing small X applications with no advanced GUI, e.g. simple monitor programs, or for that matter more advanced background applications such as window managers.

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