---
id: colcon-bash
version: "0.5.0"
license: Apache License, Version 2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# colcon-bash — Extension for colcon to provide Bash scripts.

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 176.4K/mo

## What it is and what it does

colcon-bash is a plugin for the colcon build system that generates Bash shell scripts for environment setup and workspace management. It extends colcon-core to produce shell initialization files that developers source to configure their build environment. The package is a pure-Python wheel with a single runtime dependency on colcon-core, making it lightweight to install.

It is used as part of the colcon ecosystem to automate shell environment configuration across different operating systems (macOS and POSIX systems). When integrated into a colcon workflow, it handles the generation of Bash-compatible setup scripts without requiring manual shell configuration. The package has been maintained since 2018 and remains active, though it carries an Alpha development status and has not had a release in over two years.

Use it for:

- Generate Bash environment setup scripts automatically when building multi-package colcon workspaces.
- Configure shell environment variables and paths for ROS 2 or other colcon-based projects on macOS and Linux.
- Automate workspace initialization so developers can source a single script to activate all build dependencies.
- Integrate Bash script generation into CI/CD pipelines that use colcon for build orchestration.

## Worth the install?

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

Provides Bash script generation as an extension to colcon-core, enabling shell environment setup and build orchestration for colcon-based projects.

Yes, if you use colcon and need Bash script generation for environment setup. Install friction is low and the package is actively maintained. However, the Alpha status and two-year gap since the last release suggest it may not be heavily developed; verify that the current version meets your colcon version requirements before depending on it for production workflows.

## Install

pip install colcon-bash
uv add colcon-bash
poetry add colcon-bash

## Installing colcon-bash

Before you install: Low friction install with a single pure-Python wheel dependency on colcon-core. Active maintenance with recent commits, though the package is classified as Alpha and last release was over 2 years ago.

License in practice: Apache License 2.0 is permissive; you may use, modify, and distribute this package freely in commercial and private projects with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart:

pip install colcon-bash

After installation, colcon will automatically discover and use the Bash extension when you run colcon build or other colcon commands that generate environment scripts.

Requires colcon-core to be installed; colcon-bash is a plugin that extends colcon and has no standalone utility.

Verify before relying:

- Whether Python version support is truly unspecified or if there are undocumented constraints from colcon-core.
- Current adoption rate and real-world usage patterns beyond download counts.
- Whether the Alpha status reflects incomplete features or simply conservative versioning.

## Package facts

- License: Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 176.4K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

colcon bash extension, bash script generation colcon, shell environment setup build, colcon build tools, bash integration colcon-core, colcon-plugin, build-automation

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/colcon-bash) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/colcon-bash/)