Development Tools

9 Best Free and Open Source Python Web Frameworks

Python is an increasingly popular programming language. It ranks very highly on sites listing the popularity of programming languages, such as the TIOBE Index, IEEE Spectrum ranking, and the PYPL PopularitY of Programming Language.

The prominence of Python is, in part, due to its flexibility, with the language frequently used by web and desktop developers, system administrators, data scientists, and machine learning engineers. It’s easy to learn and powerful to develop any kind of system with the language. Python’s large user base offers a virtuous circle. There’s more support available from the open source community for budding programmers seeking assistance.

One of the types of software that’s important for a web developer is the web framework. A framework “is a code library that makes a developer’s life easier when building reliable, scalable, and maintainable web applications” by providing reusable code or extensions for common operations. By saving development time, developers can concentrate on application logic rather than mundane elements.

There are a respectable number of open source Python web frameworks available to download. Django receives the most coverage, but our other recommendations may be better suited for your requirements. Here’s our verdict captured in a legendary LinuxLinks-style ratings chart.

Ratings chart for the best free and open source Python web frameworks

Click the links in the table below to learn more about each framework.

Python Frameworks
DjangoHigh-level web application framework
DashBuild analytical web applications without JavaScript
TornadoFramework, scalable web server, and asynchronous networking library
MasoniteDev tool with all the features needed for rapid development
TurboGearsFramework based on the ObjectDispatch paradigm
web2pyFull-featured, full-stack framework for rapid development
ZopeObject-oriented web application server
django-hotsauceRapid web application development and testing
CubicWebSemantic web framework

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Background to Python

Python is a general-purpose high-level programming language. Its design philosophy emphasizes programmer productivity and code readability. It has a minimalist core syntax with very few basic commands and simple semantics, but it also has a large and comprehensive standard library, including an Application Programming Interface (API).

It features a fully dynamic type system and automatic memory management, similar to that of Scheme, Ruby, Perl, and Tcl, avoiding many of the complexities and overheads of compiled languages. The language was created by Guido van Rossum in 1991, and continues to grow in popularity, in part because it is easy to learn with a readable syntax. The name Python derives from the sketch comedy group Monty Python, not from the snake.

Learn Python with our recommended free books and free tutorials.

Best Free and Open Source SoftwareRead our complete collection of recommended free and open source software. Our curated compilation covers all categories of software.

The software collection forms part of our series of informative articles for Linux enthusiasts. There are hundreds of in-depth reviews, open source alternatives to proprietary software from large corporations like Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk.

There are also fun things to try, hardware, free programming books and tutorials, and much more.
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Deryk Barker
Deryk Barker
5 years ago

No mention of Flask? https://flask.pocoo.org/

I did use zope some time ago (maybe 15 years) but they made an incompatible upgrade at some point with IMHO insufficient migration tools available. They may have improved since, but once bitten…