clikit
CliKit is a group of utilities to build beautiful and testable command line interfaces.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
No—unless you are maintaining legacy code that already depends on clikit. The package is abandoned and has not been updated since 2020. For new CLI projects, use Cleo (which builds on clikit but is actively maintained) or a modern alternative like Click or Typer. If you must use it, verify that all its dependencies remain compatible with your target Python version.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 2.7 or 3.4+; Python 2 support is included but deprecated in modern ecosystems.
- Installation is straightforward with low friction, but the package is abandoned—last release was 2020-06-09 and no commits since 2023-08-20.
- Maintenance has stopped; consider Cleo or a maintained alternative if you need active support.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license is permissive and imposes no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in proprietary or open-source projects.
last release 2020-06-09 (2257 days) · last repo commit 2023-08-20 · 74 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 1,539,846 downloads/mo, #3,787 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install clikit
from clikit.api.command import Command
from clikit.api.io import IO
command = Command('hello')
# Configure and execute your CLI command- Whether pastel, pylev, and crashtest dependencies are actively maintained or also abandoned.
- Compatibility with Python versions beyond 3.8 (classifiers stop at 3.8; current support unclear).
- Whether Cleo (the primary dependent project) remains the recommended path forward for new CLI projects.
What it is and what it does
CliKit is a utility library for constructing command-line interfaces with styled output and built-in testing support. It abstracts away the complexity of terminal formatting and command parsing, allowing developers to focus on CLI logic rather than low-level I/O handling. The library depends on pastel for color/style rendering, pylev for string distance calculations, and crashtest for error handling.
The package is no longer maintained—its last release was in June 2020, and the repository has seen no commits since August 2023. It was designed primarily as the foundation for Cleo, a higher-level CLI framework. While it carries no known security vulnerabilities and installs with low friction, its abandonment means no bug fixes, security patches, or compatibility updates for modern Python versions will be forthcoming.
Use it for
- Building styled command-line tools when Cleo is overkill or you need lower-level control over CLI behavior.
- Writing testable CLI applications that separate I/O logic from command execution.
- Formatting terminal output with colors and text styles without external terminal libraries.
- Legacy projects that already depend on clikit and need to maintain compatibility.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
No—unless you are maintaining legacy code that already depends on clikit.
The package is abandoned and has not been updated since 2020. For new CLI projects, use Cleo (which builds on clikit but is actively maintained) or a modern alternative like Click or Typer. If you must use it, verify that all its dependencies remain compatible with your target Python version.
Install
clikit on PyPI
Before you install
Installation is straightforward with low friction, but the package is abandoned—last release was 2020-06-09 and no commits since 2023-08-20. Maintenance has stopped; consider Cleo or a maintained alternative if you need active support.
Requires Python 2.7 or 3.4+; Python 2 support is included but deprecated in modern ecosystems.
License in practice
MIT license is permissive and imposes no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in proprietary or open-source projects.
Quickstart
pip install clikit
from clikit.api.command import Command
from clikit.api.io import IO
command = Command('hello')
# Configure and execute your CLI commandVerify before relying
- Whether pastel, pylev, and crashtest dependencies are actively maintained or also abandoned.
- Compatibility with Python versions beyond 3.8 (classifiers stop at 3.8; current support unclear).
- Whether Cleo (the primary dependent project) remains the recommended path forward for new CLI projects.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=2.7, !=3.0.*, !=3.1.*, !=3.2.*, !=3.3.* |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 6 packagespastelpylevcrashtesttypingtyping-extensionsenum34 |
| Maintenance | Abandoned 2,257 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 1,539,846 / month, #3,787 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | License :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseProgramming Language :: Python :: 2Programming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4Programming Language :: Python :: 3.5Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8 |
Evidence: clikit-0.6.2-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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See also cleo · cli-helpers · rich-toolkit · hexor · cloup · clickclick · rich-click · pystyle · pastel · questionary