---
id: colcon-common-extensions
version: "0.3.0"
license: Apache License, Version 2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# colcon-common-extensions — Meta package aggregating colcon-core and common extensions.

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 183.9K/mo

## What it is and what it does

colcon-common-extensions is a meta-package that bundles colcon-core (the build system framework) together with twenty standard extensions covering build systems (CMake, Python setup.py), shell integration (Bash, Zsh, PowerShell), ROS support, testing, and utility features. It exists to simplify setup by letting developers install one package instead of manually selecting and installing each component separately.

The package itself contains no code—it is purely a dependency aggregator. When installed, it pulls in all its listed runtime dependencies, making the full colcon ecosystem available immediately. This is useful for developers setting up new machines or CI environments where they want the standard colcon toolchain without having to know which individual extensions to select.

Use it for:

- Set up a complete colcon build environment on a new development machine with a single install command.
- Configure CI/CD pipelines that need the standard colcon build system and common extensions without manual dependency selection.
- Provide a consistent baseline colcon installation across a team or organization.
- Bootstrap ROS workspace builds that rely on colcon's CMake, Python, and ROS-specific extensions.
- Simplify Docker or container images by installing one meta-package instead of listing twenty individual colcon plugins.

## Worth the install?

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

Bundles colcon-core and twenty common colcon extensions into a single meta-package for simplified installation of the colcon build system and its standard plugins.

Yes, if you are building or working with ROS or colcon-based projects and want a complete, pre-curated set of standard extensions. The meta-package approach eliminates guesswork about which extensions are essential. If you only need specific extensions or are building a minimal environment, installing individual colcon packages may be more appropriate.

## Install

pip install colcon-common-extensions
uv add colcon-common-extensions
poetry add colcon-common-extensions

## Installing colcon-common-extensions

Before you install: Low friction installation with active maintenance. The package is a pure meta-package (no compiled dependencies) distributed as a wheel. Last commit was 2026-05-08 and the repository is not archived, indicating ongoing support.

License in practice: Apache License 2.0 (permissive) allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, making it suitable for most development contexts.

Quickstart:

pip install colcon-common-extensions

import colcon_core
# colcon command-line tools now available

Verify before relying:

- Whether all 20 bundled extensions are actively maintained or if some are deprecated.
- Compatibility with specific ROS versions or Python versions beyond what classifiers indicate.
- Whether this meta-package is the recommended installation path for new colcon users.

## Package facts

- License: Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 183.9K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

colcon build system setup, colcon extensions bundle, colcon meta package, ros build tool installation, colcon plugin aggregator, build-system, ros, meta-package

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