Kivy

What it is

Kivy is a library for developing multitouch applications. It's cross-platform (Linux/OS X/Windows/Android/iOS) and released under the MIT license. It is great for anyone looking to build applications that require multi-touch capabilities or natural user interface elements.

Kivy stands out as a cross-platform library for developing multitouch applications, offering flexibility and ease of use with Python, making it ideal for rapid prototyping and deployment across multiple operating systems.

When it fits — and when it doesn’t

Known weaknesses

Each one links to the public issue, changelog or docs page it came from, where we have one.

1. 01

   Steep learning curve for non-Python developers

   Kivy's API and documentation are heavily oriented towards Python, which can be a significant barrier for developers unfamiliar with the language.

2. 02

   Performance issues on complex UIs

   Complex user interfaces or heavy multitouch applications may experience lag or frame drops due to Kivy's rendering engine limitations.

3. 03

   Limited commercial support and small community

   Kivy has a relatively small community compared to other frameworks, which can lead to fewer resources for troubleshooting and less frequent updates or bug fixes.

4. 04

   Frequent breaking changes between versions

   Upgrading Kivy often requires significant code adjustments due to API changes, which can be time-consuming and disruptive in production environments.

What it does well

• Cross-platform support for Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Android and iOS.

• Supports multitouch input.

• Highly customizable UI components.

• Built-in widgets for common interface elements.

• Dynamic language binding.

Pricing

Free tier

YesOpen source — free to use

Paid from

$0

Model

Flat rate

Enterprise plan

No

Pricing not independently confirmed — check the vendor’s page.