Typing Speed Tester

A desktop GUI application that assesses your typing speed, built using Tkinter and Python

Posted by CM-WebDev on November 05, 2025

This project is a desktop application built with Python and Tkinter that measures a user’s typing speed in words per minute (WPM). It displays a random sample text, starts a timer on the first keystroke, and calculates WPM when the user finishes typing.

What Went Into Building It

I focused on keeping the interface simple and intuitive — a text display, an entry box, and two buttons: Finish and Reset. The program uses event bindings to detect the first key press and the time module to measure elapsed time. It also picks a random text from a small list to add variety, showcasing use of Python’s random library.

The goal was to demonstrate practical GUI development — writing clean, readable, event-driven code that works reliably without extra dependencies. This project highlights my ability to turn a concept into a working app efficiently, using solid programming fundamentals.

Reflection

The layout came together easily thanks to previous Tkinter projects, but handling the timer logic took some thought — I needed it to start only once, at the right moment. If I revisited the project, I’d add accuracy tracking, countdown mode, and maybe a persistent high-score system.

My biggest learning was how event-driven logic differs from procedural scripts — thinking in terms of user actions and maintaining state cleanly. It’s a small project, but a powerful reminder that even simple apps can demonstrate strong technical and design thinking.

View a demo here