# Getting Started

It’s easy to get started with Enaml. If you are comfortable programming in Python, you should find yourself quickly up to speed. The sections below provide the information you need to start writing simple Enaml applications. When you are comfortable with the topics here, have a look at the Developer Guides for in-depth articles about developing with the framework.

Introduction

The introduction to Enaml explains the motivations behind the project and what it seeks to achieve in the context of the larger Python ecosystem. It presents the challenges inherent to UI development and how the declarative programming model is used to address them.

Installation

The installation instructions present the steps needed to install Enaml and its dependencies.

Anatomy of Enaml

The building blocks of an Enaml application are presented in the form of a runnable example. The example shows how the various syntactic constructs and framework components combine to create a simple user interface application.

Enaml syntax and Data Models

Enaml defines a superset of Python that allows to define the UI in a declarative way. One of the great features of Enaml is its ability to automatically bind to data models through a rich set of operators. This section describes the Enaml specific part of the syntax and how those operators are used to connect user defined data models to Enaml views and how they automatically keep the views up-to-date when the data in the models change at runtime.

Constraints Layout

The layout systems of typical user interface frameworks can quickly become tedious for all but the simplest of cases. Enaml sheds the status quo and provides a flexible layout system which uses symbolic constraints. This section covers the basics of constraints layout.