---
id: colcon-package-selection
version: "0.2.10"
license: Apache License, Version 2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: dormant
---

# colcon-package-selection — Extension for colcon to select the packages to process.

License: permissive · Maintenance: dormant · Downloads: 183.8K/mo

## What it is and what it does

colcon-package-selection is a plugin for the colcon build system that adds the ability to select and process only a subset of packages in a workspace rather than building everything. It integrates directly into colcon-core as an extension, letting you specify which packages to include during build, test, or other workspace operations.

The package is in Alpha status and has been dormant since its last release in October 2020. While it has low install friction and carries a permissive Apache 2.0 license, the lack of recent maintenance means it may not be compatible with newer versions of colcon-core or have unresolved issues. It is most useful in large multi-package workspaces where selective builds are essential.

Use it for:

- Speeding up iterative development by building only the packages you're actively modifying in a large workspace.
- Running CI/CD pipelines that need to build specific package subsets based on code changes or dependencies.
- Testing a single package or a small group of related packages without rebuilding the entire workspace.

## Worth the install?

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

Extends colcon-core to filter and select a subset of packages for processing during builds or workspace operations.

Yes, if you use colcon and need to select package subsets in your workflow. Install friction is minimal and the Apache 2.0 license is unencumbered. However, verify compatibility with your colcon-core version first—dormancy since 2020 means it may lag behind current colcon development, and you should confirm it works with your setup before relying on it in production.

## Install

pip install colcon-package-selection
uv add colcon-package-selection
poetry add colcon-package-selection

## Installing colcon-package-selection

Before you install: Low install friction with a single runtime dependency on colcon-core. Maintenance is dormant—last release was 2020-10-06 and no commits since 2024-11-25, so expect no active bug fixes or feature updates.

License in practice: Apache License 2.0 (permissive) allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; you must include a copy of the license and note any modifications.

Quickstart:

pip install colcon-package-selection

colcon build --packages-select <package_names>

Requires colcon-core to be installed; this is a plugin extension, not a standalone tool.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package selection syntax and filtering options are documented or discoverable outside the colcon-core documentation.
- Whether this extension works with current colcon-core versions or if dormancy has created compatibility gaps.

## Package facts

- License: Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: dormant
- Downloads: 183.8K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

colcon package filtering, colcon subset selection, colcon build package selection, colcon workspace package filter, colcon package subset processing, colcon-plugin, build-system

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