boto
Amazon Web Services Library
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
No, unless you are maintaining an existing legacy application that already uses Boto. The package is abandoned, its last release was 11-July-2018, and the maintainers explicitly recommend its successor for all new projects and active development. For any new work, use the next version instead. Installing Boto on new projects locks you into an unsupported codebase with no path for security updates or new AWS service support.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- AWS credentials must be provided either as environment variables (AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID and AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY) or passed directly to connection methods.
- Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies, but the package has been abandoned since 2018 and its repository is archived.
- The maintainers explicitly recommend migrating to the next version for any new work or active projects.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — Boto is licensed under the MIT License, a permissive open-source license that allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions.
last release 2018-07-11 (2956 days) · last repo commit 2024-01-12 · 6,421 stars · archived
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 7,313,071 downloads/mo, #1,756 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install boto
import boto
from boto.ec2 import connect_to_region
conn = connect_to_region('us-west-2', aws_access_key_id='...', aws_secret_access_key='...')- Current compatibility with modern Python versions beyond 3.4 given the 2018 release date and archived status.
- Whether critical security patches or bug fixes are still being applied to the archived repository.
What it is and what it does
Boto is a Python library that provides direct programmatic access to AWS services. It supports a broad range of AWS services across compute, storage, databases, networking, and management categories, with varying levels of Python 3 compatibility across different modules. The package works with Python 2.6, 2.7, 3.3, and 3.4.
The package is now in maintenance-only mode. Its developers explicitly state that the next version is stable and recommended for general use, and that all new feature work and API updates are focused there going forward. While Boto can run side-by-side with its successor in the same project, the project repository is archived and no longer actively maintained. The last release was 11-July-2018.
Use it for
- Maintaining legacy Python applications that depend on Boto and cannot immediately migrate to its successor.
- Gradual migration by running both libraries in parallel during a transition period.
- Educational purposes or historical reference to understand early AWS SDK design patterns.
- Working with specific AWS services where Boto's older API may still be preferred in existing codebases.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
No, unless you are maintaining an existing legacy application that already uses Boto.
The package is abandoned, its last release was 11-July-2018, and the maintainers explicitly recommend its successor for all new projects and active development. For any new work, use the next version instead. Installing Boto on new projects locks you into an unsupported codebase with no path for security updates or new AWS service support.
Install
boto on PyPI
Before you install
Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies, but the package has been abandoned since 2018 and its repository is archived. The maintainers explicitly recommend migrating to the next version for any new work or active projects.
AWS credentials must be provided either as environment variables (AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID and AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY) or passed directly to connection methods.
License in practice
Boto is licensed under the MIT License, a permissive open-source license that allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install boto
import boto
from boto.ec2 import connect_to_region
conn = connect_to_region('us-west-2', aws_access_key_id='...', aws_secret_access_key='...')Verify before relying
- Current compatibility with modern Python versions beyond 3.4 given the 2018 release date and archived status.
- Whether critical security patches or bug fixes are still being applied to the archived repository.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 2,956 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | repository archived |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 7,313,071 / month, #1,756 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 LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 2Programming Language :: Python :: 2.6Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4Topic :: Internet |
Evidence: boto-2.49.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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See also boto3 · xoto3 · aws · amazon-dax-client · aws-s3-access-grants-boto3-plugin · pynamodb · s3fs · aioboto3 · aioaws