PySide2
Python bindings for the Qt cross-platform application and UI framework
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
No, for new projects. PySide2 is abandoned (last release January 2022, 1673 days ago) with no active maintenance. The Qt for Python project has moved to PySide6. Install only if maintaining existing PySide2 code or if you have specific Qt 5.12 compatibility constraints. The copyleft LGPL license also requires derivative works to be open-sourced or licensed commercially.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Qt 5.12 or higher; prebuilt wheels available for Python 2.7 and 3.5–3.10 on Windows, macOS, and Linux, but building from source requires Clang 6.0+ and LLVM_INSTALL_DIR environment variable setup.
- Medium install friction due to compiled C++ dependencies (shiboken2) and platform-specific wheels.
- The package is abandoned as of 1673 days since last release, with no active maintenance.
License · maintenance · safety
LGPL (copyleft) — PySide2 is licensed under LGPL (copyleft), meaning derivative works must also be open-sourced under compatible terms. Commercial licensing is available separately; see Qt Licensing page for details.
last release 2022-01-14 (1673 days)
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 165,188 downloads/mo, #10,527 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install PySide2
from PySide2.QtWidgets import QApplication, QLabel
app = QApplication([])
label = QLabel('Hello World')
label.show()
app.exec_()- Whether shiboken2 dependency is automatically installed and compatible with current Python versions beyond 3.10.
- Current security status and whether abandoned status affects vulnerability disclosure or patching.
- Compatibility with modern Qt versions beyond 5.12 and whether PyQt6 or PySide6 are recommended alternatives.
What it is and what it does
PySide2 is the official Python binding layer for Qt 5.12+, a mature cross-platform GUI framework. It exposes Qt's complete API surface to Python developers, allowing them to build desktop applications that run on Windows, macOS, and Linux with native look-and-feel on each platform. The package wraps C++ Qt classes through shiboken2, a code generator that creates Python-callable interfaces to the underlying framework.
The package is production-stable but abandoned: the last release was in January 2022, and there is no active maintenance. It supports Python 2.7 and 3.5–3.10 via prebuilt wheels, though building from source requires manual setup of Clang and LLVM. For new projects, the Qt for Python project has moved forward to PySide6, and this version should be considered for legacy application maintenance only.
Use it for
- Build cross-platform desktop applications with native UI components on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Create data visualization and analysis tools that need a responsive graphical interface.
- Develop system administration or configuration utilities with Qt's rich widget set.
- Migrate or maintain existing PySide2 codebases that cannot yet upgrade to PySide6.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
No, for new projects.
PySide2 is abandoned (last release January 2022, 1673 days ago) with no active maintenance. The Qt for Python project has moved to PySide6. Install only if maintaining existing PySide2 code or if you have specific Qt 5.12 compatibility constraints. The copyleft LGPL license also requires derivative works to be open-sourced or licensed commercially.
Install
pyside2 on PyPI
Before you install
Medium install friction due to compiled C++ dependencies (shiboken2) and platform-specific wheels. The package is abandoned as of 1673 days since last release, with no active maintenance.
Requires Qt 5.12 or higher; prebuilt wheels available for Python 2.7 and 3.5–3.10 on Windows, macOS, and Linux, but building from source requires Clang 6.0+ and LLVM_INSTALL_DIR environment variable setup.
License in practice
PySide2 is licensed under LGPL (copyleft), meaning derivative works must also be open-sourced under compatible terms. Commercial licensing is available separately; see Qt Licensing page for details.
Quickstart
pip install PySide2
from PySide2.QtWidgets import QApplication, QLabel
app = QApplication([])
label = QLabel('Hello World')
label.show()
app.exec_()Verify before relying
- Whether shiboken2 dependency is automatically installed and compatible with current Python versions beyond 3.10.
- Current security status and whether abandoned status affects vulnerability disclosure or patching.
- Compatibility with modern Qt versions beyond 5.12 and whether PyQt6 or PySide6 are recommended alternatives.
Package facts
| License | LGPL copyleft |
| Python support | Capped below the current Python release >=2.7, !=3.0.*, !=3.1.*, !=3.2.*, !=3.3.*, !=3.4.*, <3.11 |
| Install friction | Medium. Platform-specific wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 1 packageshiboken2 |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 1,673 days since the last release |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 165,188 / month, #10,527 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableEnvironment :: ConsoleEnvironment :: MacOS XEnvironment :: Win32 (MS Windows)Environment :: X11 Applications :: QtIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: GNU Library or Lesser General Public License (LGPL)License :: Other/Proprietary LicenseOperating System :: MacOS :: MacOS XOperating System :: MicrosoftOperating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsOperating System :: POSIXOperating System :: POSIX :: LinuxProgramming Language :: C++Programming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 2Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: DatabaseTopic :: Software DevelopmentTopic :: Software Development :: Code GeneratorsTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Application FrameworksTopic :: Software Development :: User InterfacesTopic :: Software Development :: Widget Sets |
Evidence: PySide2-5.15.2.1-5.15.2-cp27-cp27m-macosx_10_13_intel.whl; PySide2-5.15.2.1-5.15.2-cp27-cp27mu-manylinux1_x86_64.whl; PySide2-5.15.2.1-5.15.2-cp35.cp36.cp37.cp38.cp39.cp310-abi3-macosx_10_13_intel.whl; PySide2-5.15.2.1-5.15.2-cp35.cp36.cp37.cp38.cp39.cp310-abi3-manylinux1_x86_64.whl; PySide2-5.15.2.1-5.15.2-cp35.cp36.cp37.cp38.cp39.cp310-none-win32.whl; PySide2-5.15.2.1-5.15.2-cp35.cp36.cp37.cp38.cp39.cp310-none-win_amd64.whl
Tags
Let your AI agent find packages like this
Example. Real query, live index.
You found this page by searching. An agent finds it by wishing: SkillFed indexes 14,416 PyPI packages by what they can do, searchable in plain language.
wish › “python qt bindings”
- PySide2PySide2 provides Python bindings to the Qt 5.12+ framework, enabling…
- PyQt6PyQt6 provides Python bindings for Qt v6, enabling Python developers…
- shiboken6Shiboken6 provides Python access to metadata and introspection…
Give your agent the search over MCP, or paste the wish link into any chat.
More Software Development packages
Provides backported and experimental type hints for Python 3.9+, allowing use of newer typing features on older Python versions and enabling early experimentation with type system PEPs before they enter the standard library.
NumPy provides an N-dimensional array object and a comprehensive suite of mathematical, linear algebra, Fourier transform, and random number functions for scientific computing in Python.
FastAPI is a Python web framework for building REST APIs using type hints, with automatic request validation, serialization, and interactive API documentation.
Provides a way to document function parameters, class attributes, return types, and variables inline using Python's `Annotated` type hint syntax instead of traditional docstrings.
Typer builds command-line applications from Python functions using type hints, automatically generating help text, argument parsing, and shell completion.
Install it if you are building CLIs in Python.
Distlib provides low-level packaging utilities for building, distributing, and managing Python software—including metadata handling, version specifiers, wheel support, script installation, and dependency resolution.
See also PySide6 · QtPy · PySide6-Essentials · shiboken2 · PySide6-Addons · PyQt5 · magicgui · PyQtWebEngine · PyQtWebEngine-Qt5 · QDarkStyle