---
id: bidsschematools
version: "1.2.7"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# bidsschematools — Python tools for working with the BIDS schema.

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 172.4K/mo

## What it is and what it does

bidsschematools is a Python library for working with the Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS) schema, a standardized format for organizing neuroimaging datasets. It provides lightweight schema parsing, validation, and export functionality, serving as the reference implementation used for testing the BIDS schema itself. The library is designed for neuroimaging researchers and developers who need to programmatically interact with BIDS metadata structures.

The package includes both a Python API for direct schema manipulation and simple command-line bindings (such as `bst export`) for common tasks. It depends on three runtime libraries: acres, click for CLI support, and pyyaml for schema file handling. The project is actively maintained by the BIDS community and supports modern Python versions.

Use it for:

- Validate neuroimaging datasets against the BIDS schema specification during data collection or preprocessing pipelines.
- Export BIDS schema definitions in different formats for documentation or integration with other neuroimaging tools.
- Programmatically parse and inspect BIDS schema structure in research workflows or data management systems.
- Test BIDS schema compliance in custom neuroimaging data processing scripts.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Parse, validate, and export the Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS) schema using a lightweight Python library with command-line tools.

Yes, if you work with BIDS datasets or neuroimaging data structures. The package has low install friction, active maintenance, permissive licensing, and no known vulnerabilities. It is marked Beta but serves as the reference implementation for BIDS schema testing, suggesting stability for its intended use. Install it if you need to validate, parse, or export BIDS schema metadata.

## Install

pip install bidsschematools
uv add bidsschematools
poetry add bidsschematools

## Installing bidsschematools

Before you install: Low install friction with three lightweight runtime dependencies (acres, click, pyyaml). Active maintenance with a recent release 25 days ago and ongoing commits; the repository is not archived and has 366 stars.

License in practice: MIT license (permissive) means you can use, modify, and distribute this package freely in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart:

pip install bidsschematools

import bidsschematools
# Use the library to parse and work with BIDS schema objects

Requires Python 3.10 or later.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package is suitable for production use despite Beta status, or primarily for schema testing and development.
- What specific schema validation capabilities are available beyond reference parsing.

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 172.4K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

BIDS schema parsing, neuroimaging data structure tools, brain imaging schema validation, BIDS CLI export, schema reference implementation, neuroimaging metadata tools, neuroimaging, bids-standard, schema-tools

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