Tkinter is a popular Python library for creating graphical user interfaces (GUIs). A common task is adding a button that allows users to close the window cleanly. This article explores several methods to accomplish this, highlighting their differences and recommending best practices.
Table of Contents
Using the destroy() Method
The most common and recommended approach uses the destroy() method. This method is associated with the main window object (typically named root) and cleanly closes the Tkinter window, releasing associated resources.
import tkinter as tk
root = tk.Tk()
root.title("Close Window Example")
def close_window():
root.destroy()
button = tk.Button(root, text="Close Window", command=close_window)
button.pack(pady=20)
root.mainloop()
This code defines a function close_window() that calls root.destroy(). This function is then linked to the button’s command attribute. Clicking the button executes close_window(), leading to the window’s closure.
Directly Calling destroy()
For simpler applications, you can directly assign root.destroy to the button’s command attribute, eliminating the need for a separate function:
import tkinter as tk
root = tk.Tk()
root.title("Close Window Example")
button = tk.Button(root, text="Close Window", command=root.destroy)
button.pack(pady=20)
root.mainloop()
This is more concise but might reduce readability in larger projects.
Using the quit() Method
The quit() method differs from destroy(). quit() only stops the main event loop, while destroy() actually destroys the window and its widgets. quit() is useful for more complex scenarios where you need finer control over the closing process, like cleaning up resources before the window is destroyed. However, for simple window closure, destroy() is preferable. Improper use of quit() can leave behind orphaned processes.
import tkinter as tk
root = tk.Tk()
root.title("Close Window Example")
def close_window():
root.quit()
button = tk.Button(root, text="Close Window", command=close_window)
button.pack(pady=20)
root.mainloop()
This demonstrates root.quit(), but root.destroy() remains the safer, cleaner option for most cases.
Recommended Approach
While several methods exist, root.destroy() offers the most straightforward and reliable way to close a Tkinter window with a button in most applications. Its simplicity and clear behavior make it the preferred choice unless your application requires the more nuanced control offered by root.quit().