Qt Bridges - Python

QtBridges is a framework that simplifies the integration of Python with QtQuick/QML. It connects Python backends to QML frontends, improving development efficiency. The framework offers an easy, declarative method for linking Python classes, properties, signals, and slots to QML, with minimal Qt knowledge required from the Python developer.

Getting started

Why Qt Bridges?

As a Python developer, you can expose your Python classes to QML without learning the full PySide6 model/view system. QtBridges automatically handles property binding, signal connections, and model registration.

• Less boilerplate - No manual @Slot, @Property, or signal management required
• Automatic discovery - Public methods become callable from QML automatically
• Model integration - Python classes become QML-ready models with simple decorators
• Cross-language - Consistent API design across Python, Rust, C++, and more

Setting up development environment

Requirements:

• Python: Minimum version 3.9

Build requirements:

• CMake: Minimum version 3.18 -
• Qt: Minimum version 6.x (with `qtpaths` available in your PATH) -
• Build system: [scikit-build-core](https://github.com/scikit-build/scikit-build-core) is used for building and packaging the project -
• Documentation QDoc (Qt's built-in tool for generating API reference documentation) -
• Testing: pytest framework with pytest-qt plugin

Dependencies: QtBridges automatically installs the required runtime dependencies for Python:

• PySide6
• Shiboken6

You don’t need to manually install these; they are pulled in when you install QtBridges.

Installation

pip install QtBridges

Building From source

Build and Install the project

pip install . -Ccmake.define.QT_PATHS=/path/to/qtpaths

Building wheels:

pip wheel . -Ccmake.define.QT_PATHS=/path/to/qtpaths

Optional Build Flags Non-limited-api:

pip wheel . -Ccmake.define.QT_PATHS=/path/to/qtpaths \
            -Cwheel.py-api=py3

Debug build:

pip wheel . -Ccmake.define.QT_PATHS=/path/to/qtpaths \
            -Ccmake.define.CMAKE_INSTALL_DO_STRIP=0 \
            -Ccmake.define.CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug

Install Development Dependencies Required for building documentation and running tests:

pip install -e ".[dev]"

Build Documentation with QDoc After installing development dependencies, run:

qdoc -project docs/QtBridges.qdoc
qdoc -outputdir docs/html

Running Tests

pytest .

Running

For running any project, go inside your directory and run the main file:

python main.py

Tutorials

The example minimal_app

The `minimal_app` is a simple application that demonstrates the basics of QtBridges for Python. It shows how to expose a simple Python list model to QML and perform basic operations such as `insert`, `delete`, `move`, and `edit` items.

The application is located in `examples/minimal_app` folder and can be run after all the prerequisites are installed.

Running the example

python examples/minimal_app/main.py

How-to guides

TBD