backports.entry-points-selectable
Compatibility shim providing selectable entry points for older implementations
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you maintain a library or application that must support older Python or importlib_metadata versions and need to use selectable entry points. Otherwise, simply requiring importlib_metadata >= 3.6 is simpler. No security issues, low friction, and stable maintenance make it safe to use when needed.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.8 or later; intended for use on Python versions older than 3.10 or where importlib_metadata is older than 3.6.
- Low install friction with a single runtime dependency on importlib_metadata.
- Actively maintained with stable production status.
License · maintenance · safety
permissive license (permissive) — MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; suitable for inclusion in most projects.
last release 2023-11-27 (991 days) · last repo commit 2026-04-13 · 2 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 611,289 downloads/mo, #5,761 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install backports.entry-points-selectable
from backports.entry_points_selectable import entry_points
eps = entry_points(group='console_scripts')
for ep in eps:
print(ep.name)- Whether vendoring this module into a project is feasible as an alternative to adding the dependency.
- Performance characteristics when used with large numbers of entry points.
- Specific deprecation warnings avoided and their conditions.
What it is and what it does
This package is a compatibility shim that bridges the gap between older versions of Python and importlib_metadata that lack support for selectable entry points. It lets you use the modern entry_points() API with keyword arguments or .select() methods on Python versions and importlib_metadata versions that would otherwise not support them, while avoiding deprecation warnings.
The package is designed for library and application maintainers who need to support older Python environments but want to use the newer entry point selection interface. It requires only importlib_metadata as a runtime dependency and can be vendored directly into a project if adding a dependency is a concern. Most projects should instead simply require importlib_metadata >= 3.6, but this shim exists for cases where that constraint is not possible.
Use it for
- Library that needs to support older Python while using modern entry point selection syntax.
- Application constrained to older importlib_metadata versions but needing selectable entry points.
- Avoiding deprecation warnings when calling entry_points() on older Python versions.
- Vendoring into a project to avoid adding a new external dependency.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you maintain a library or application that must support older Python or importlib_metadata versions and need to use selectable entry points.
Otherwise, simply requiring importlib_metadata >= 3.6 is simpler. No security issues, low friction, and stable maintenance make it safe to use when needed.
Install
backports-entry-points-selectable on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a single runtime dependency on importlib_metadata. Actively maintained with stable production status.
Requires Python 3.8 or later; intended for use on Python versions older than 3.10 or where importlib_metadata is older than 3.6.
License in practice
MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; suitable for inclusion in most projects.
Quickstart
pip install backports.entry-points-selectable
from backports.entry_points_selectable import entry_points
eps = entry_points(group='console_scripts')
for ep in eps:
print(ep.name)Verify before relying
- Whether vendoring this module into a project is feasible as an alternative to adding the dependency.
- Performance characteristics when used with large numbers of entry points.
- Specific deprecation warnings avoided and their conditions.
Package facts
| License | permissive license permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.8 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 1 packageimportlib-metadata |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 991 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 611,289 / month, #5,761 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 |
Evidence: backports.entry_points_selectable-1.3.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also importlib-metadata · entrypoints · importlib · importlib-resources · entrypoint · eval-type-backport · backports.tarfile · traceback2 · pathlib2