Kivy Garden

0.1.5 · active · verified Thu Apr 16

Kivy Garden is a project and command-line tool that centralizes user-contributed add-ons, called "flowers," for the Kivy framework. These "flowers" are typically distributed as separate PyPI packages under the `kivy_garden.*` namespace (e.g., `kivy_garden.mapview`). The `kivy-garden` tool facilitates the management and installation of both legacy and modern pip-installable Kivy extensions. It is currently at version 0.1.5 and provides utilities for Kivy developers to extend their applications with community-contributed widgets and tools.

Common errors

```
KeyError: 'kivy.garden.mapview' (or similar for other flowers) in Android build logs
```
cause The Kivy Garden 'flower' was not correctly included in the Android application package (APK), even if it runs fine on desktop. Buildozer did not detect or bundle the `kivy_garden.*` module.

fix Explicitly add `kivy_garden.mapview` (or the name of your flower) to the `requirements` list in your `buildozer.spec` file. For example: `requirements = python3,kivy,kivy_garden.mapview`.
```
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'kivy.garden.graph' (or similar for other flowers)
```
cause You are trying to import a Kivy Garden 'flower' using an outdated or incorrect import path, or the flower itself is not installed.

fix Ensure the specific 'flower' is installed (e.g., `pip install kivy_garden.graph` or `garden install graph`). If it's a modern flower, use the import `from kivy_garden.graph import Graph`. If it's a legacy flower managed by the `garden` tool, ensure `kivy-garden` is installed and the `garden` command was used.

Warnings

breaking Kivy 1.11.0 introduced a significant shift in the Kivy Garden structure. Newer 'flowers' are designed to be installed via `pip install kivy_garden.flower_name` and imported from `kivy_garden.*`. While the legacy `garden install flower_name` command still functions for older modules, new development and support primarily target the pip-installable package format.
Fix: For new projects, prioritize `pip install kivy_garden.flower_name` and `from kivy_garden.flower_name import ...`. For existing legacy projects, ensure `kivy-garden` is installed and use the `garden` command or migrate flowers to the new format if possible.
gotcha Kivy Garden 'flowers' are community-contributed and are not actively monitored or officially supported by the core Kivy developers. Their stability, maintenance, and adherence to Kivy's latest versions can vary significantly between individual 'flowers'.
Fix: Always check the specific 'flower's' GitHub repository or documentation for its status, last update, and compatibility. Use at your own risk and consider contributing or forking if a critical 'flower' becomes unmaintained.
gotcha When packaging Kivy applications for mobile platforms (e.g., Android with Buildozer) that use Kivy Garden 'flowers', merely installing `kivy-garden` is insufficient. Each specific `kivy_garden.flower_name` package must be explicitly listed in the `requirements` section of your `buildozer.spec` file, or installed using `garden install --app flower_name` during the build process, to ensure it's bundled with your application.
Fix: In `buildozer.spec`, add `kivy_garden.flower_name` to the `requirements` list (e.g., `requirements = python3,kivy,kivy_garden.mapview`). Alternatively, for legacy flowers, use `garden install --app flower_name` from your app directory.

Install

pip install kivy-garden Install the Kivy Garden management tool
pip install kivy_garden.mapview Install a modern Kivy Garden 'flower' (e.g., MapView)
garden install graph Install a legacy Kivy Garden 'flower' using the `garden` command

Imports

MapView
wrong:
```
from kivy.garden import mapview
```
correct:
```
from kivy_garden.mapview import MapView
```
Modern Kivy Garden 'flowers' are separate Python packages imported directly from the `kivy_garden` namespace. The `kivy.garden` path was for older, legacy integrations.

Quickstart

This quickstart demonstrates how to create a simple Kivy application displaying an interactive map using the `kivy_garden.mapview` 'flower'. It initializes a MapView widget and places a marker on it, showcasing the standard import and usage pattern for modern Kivy Garden components.

from kivy.app import App
from kivy.uix.boxlayout import BoxLayout
from kivy_garden.mapview import MapView, MapMarker
from kivy.core.window import Window

# Ensure kivy_garden.mapview is installed: pip install kivy_garden.mapview

class MapApp(App):
    def build(self):
        Window.size = (800, 600)
        box = BoxLayout(orientation='vertical')
        # Initialize MapView with example coordinates
        mapview = MapView(zoom=11, lat=50.6394, lon=3.057)
        # Add a marker to the map
        marker = MapMarker(lat=50.6394, lon=3.057, source="atlas://kivy_atlas/data/images/defaulttheme/star")
        mapview.add_marker(marker)
        box.add_widget(mapview)
        return box

if __name__ == '__main__':
    MapApp().run()

view raw JSON →