# fbs

Create Python GUIs with Qt in minutes

Repository: https://github.com/mherrmann/fbs
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/fbs
Homepage: https://build-system.fman.io
Language: Python
License: GPL-3.0
License Family: copyleft
Topics: pyqt5, pyinstaller, python3, pyside2, pyqt6, pyside6
Last push: 2025-01-06T10:55:46+00:00
Link (homepage): https://build-system.fman.io
Link (site_page): https://build-system.fman.io/docs

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 34/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 0, release rhythm 40, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3183, "days_push": 604, "days_rel": 604, "gap_med": 26.5, "n_releases_24m": 5}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 3923, forks 192 (observed 2026-08-28T04:08:29.819149+00:00)

## What it is
fbs (fman build system) is a Python-based build system for creating and packaging cross-platform desktop GUI applications built with Qt (PyQt5/6 or PySide2/6). It wraps PyInstaller and NSIS to handle packaging, installers, code signing, and automatic updates on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

## Use cases
- package a PyQt app into an installer
- create a desktop app with Python and Qt
- alternative to Electron for lightweight desktop apps
- distribute a Python GUI app on Windows, Mac and Linux
- add automatic updates to a PyQt application
- code sign a Python desktop application

## When to choose
- you are building a Python + Qt desktop app and need easy packaging and installers
- you want a lightweight Electron alternative
- you need cross-platform distribution with auto-updates out of the box

## When to avoid
- your app is not a GUI desktop application
- you need a permissive license for closed-source use without buying fbs Pro
- you prefer configuring PyInstaller and platform installers yourself

## Facets
- artifact type: cli-tool
- maturity: active
- function: build-tool, deployment, gui
- domain: desktop-applications, cross-platform, developer-tools
- platform: python, windows, cross-platform
- tags: pyqt, pyside, qt, pyinstaller, desktop-packaging, installer, electron-alternative, code-signing, auto-updates, build-tool, macos, linux

## Member repositories
- mherrmann/fbs (main) score 34
- mherrmann/fbs-tutorial (docs) score 32

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:29.819149+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T08:31:27.992268+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/mherrmann/fbs (fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:29.819149+00:00, sha c2703e13d8fb)
  - homepage: https://build-system.fman.io (fetched 2026-08-29T09:18:49.891112+00:00, sha a194ffef1486)
  - site_page: https://build-system.fman.io/docs (fetched 2026-08-29T09:18:49.894193+00:00, sha f538c7eaf06d)
  - registry_pypi: https://pypi.org/pypi/fbs-tutorial/json (fetched 2026-08-29T09:18:49.895865+00:00, sha 495bca4b8fab)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.