Is it possible to use Python with the Ubuntu SDK?

David Planella wrote in his answer to a question I posted that:

...the recommended way to develop apps for Ubuntu is the Ubuntu SDK.

So I installed it, but looks like the supported programming language is C++. Does it mean I will need to know C++ to develop a new application for Ubuntu? Is C++ the recommended programming language for Ubuntu application now?

What about Python, I started learning it hoping to develop applications for Ubuntu.


It is currently not possible to use Python with the Ubuntu SDK. The Ubuntu project is tightly focused on getting a stable mobile phone OS by October 2013, and a full convergent story by Ubuntu 14.04. In order to achieve this, QML has been the language of choice to recommend to app developers to write their software.

Technically, provided that there are Qt/QML bindings in Python available, it should be possible to use it with the SDK. However, given the time frames, we want to focus on supporting one toolkit and doing it well, rather than supporting multiple options.

If any community members are interested in contributing towards it, it should not be an impossible task, but right now the status of Python Qt bindings is a bit complicated: PySide, which would be the natural choice, will not be ported to Qt5 in the foreseeable future. PyQt has just been ported to Qt5, but it might not be the best choice in terms of licensing commercial applications, which will coexist with free, open source apps in the ecosystem. See more context on this earlier question.


Now you can, got to new project - Python (at the bottom of the list in the sidebar) - and select class or source.


Python and Ubuntu are inseperable, any device running Ubuntu will definitely have python running now and in the future, whether this is desktop or mobile. They seem to be promoting Javascript/QML now, but it doesn't mean python is deprecated, see Ubuntu APIs:

http://developer.ubuntu.com/resources/platform/api/12-04/.

See also:

  • Will developers be able to use ruby or python for apps on ubuntu mobile?

  • Can I develop ubuntu for phones apps in Python?

  • http://developer.ubuntu.com/resources/cookbook/general-app-development/