GUI testing automation in Python: how pywinauto and MS UI Automation met

How about desktop GUI tests scripting in pure Python? Is it a myth or reality? First we take a look at the open source tools known in this area: some of them allow Python scripting, some are written in Python only. Consider Windows desktop applications testing using various accessibility technologies in more details and introduce automation library "pywinauto" written in pure Python.

Pywinauto exploits 2 approaches: Win32 API direct calls (like AutoIt) and MS UI Automation technology (like TestStack.White or Winium.Desktop both in C#). A high-level and seemingly simple pywinauto syntax uses the multilayer concept that can describe non-trivial things in just a few lines. The new extendable architecture should encourage writing accessibility plugins (backends) for various windowing systems and platforms.