colcon-ros
Extension for colcon to support ROS packages.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you are actively developing ROS packages and already use colcon. The low install friction and permissive license make it a straightforward addition. However, the aging maintenance status (no release in 781 days, last commit 2026-01-13) warrants checking compatibility with your ROS distribution and colcon version before relying on it for production workflows.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires colcon-core and its other runtime dependencies (colcon-cmake, colcon-pkg-config, colcon-python-setup-py, colcon-recursive-crawl, catkin-pkg) to be installed; typically managed automatically by pip.
- Requires Python >=3.6.
- Low install friction; distributed as a wheel.
License · maintenance · safety
Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive) — Licensed under Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive). No restrictions on commercial or private use; you may modify and redistribute under the same license terms.
last release 2024-06-24 (781 days) · last repo commit 2026-01-13 · 15 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 197,081 downloads/mo, #9,770 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install colcon-ros
colcon build- Whether the 781-day gap since last release indicates active maintenance or dormancy relative to ROS ecosystem changes.
- Compatibility with recent ROS 2 distributions and colcon-core versions.
- Whether Alpha status reflects feature completeness or ongoing instability.
What it is and what it does
colcon-ros is a plugin that teaches colcon (a cross-platform build tool) how to recognize and build ROS packages. When you run `colcon build` in a workspace containing ROS packages, this extension handles ROS-specific metadata, package discovery, and build conventions so that ROS packages are built alongside other colcon-managed packages.
The package depends on six runtime components: colcon-core (the plugin framework), colcon-cmake and colcon-python-setup-py (build system handlers), colcon-pkg-config (system dependency resolution), catkin-pkg (ROS package metadata parsing), and colcon-recursive-crawl (workspace discovery). It is intended for developers working with ROS on macOS, Windows, or POSIX systems.
Use it for
- Build a mixed ROS and non-ROS workspace using a single colcon command without switching tools.
- Integrate ROS package builds into a CI/CD pipeline that already uses colcon for other projects.
- Develop ROS packages on Windows or macOS where native ROS build tools may have limited support.
- Manage multi-package ROS projects with automatic dependency resolution and parallel builds.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you are actively developing ROS packages and already use colcon.
The low install friction and permissive license make it a straightforward addition. However, the aging maintenance status (no release in 781 days, last commit 2026-01-13) warrants checking compatibility with your ROS distribution and colcon version before relying on it for production workflows.
Install
colcon-ros on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction; distributed as a wheel. Maintenance status is aging—last commit was 2026-01-13, and the package has not had a release in 781 days, though the repository remains active and not archived.
Requires colcon-core and its other runtime dependencies (colcon-cmake, colcon-pkg-config, colcon-python-setup-py, colcon-recursive-crawl, catkin-pkg) to be installed; typically managed automatically by pip. Requires Python >=3.6.
License in practice
Licensed under Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive). No restrictions on commercial or private use; you may modify and redistribute under the same license terms.
Quickstart
pip install colcon-ros
colcon buildVerify before relying
- Whether the 781-day gap since last release indicates active maintenance or dormancy relative to ROS ecosystem changes.
- Compatibility with recent ROS 2 distributions and colcon-core versions.
- Whether Alpha status reflects feature completeness or ongoing instability.
Package facts
| License | Apache License, Version 2.0 permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.6 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 6 packagescatkin-pkgcolcon-cmakecolcon-corecolcon-pkg-configcolcon-python-setup-pycolcon-recursive-crawl |
| Maintenance | Aging 781 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 197,081 / month, #9,770 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 3 - AlphaEnvironment :: PluginsIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software LicenseOperating System :: MacOSOperating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsOperating System :: POSIXProgramming Language :: PythonTopic :: Software Development :: Build Tools |
Evidence: colcon_ros-0.5.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also colcon-common-extensions · colcon-package-information · catkin-pkg · colcon-package-selection · rosdistro · rospkg · colcon-cmake · colcon-test-result · colcon-parallel-executor · colcon-metadata