---
id: configparser
version: "7.2.0"
license: unclear
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# configparser — Updated configparser from stdlib for earlier Pythons.

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 11.8M/mo

## What it is and what it does

ConfigParser is a backport of Python's standard library ConfigParser module, synchronized periodically with upstream CPython to bring newer features and fixes to Python 3.9+. It reads and writes INI-style configuration files with support for sections, options, and interpolation. The package is maintained by the same developer who maintains the vanilla ConfigParser in CPython, ensuring compatibility and feature parity.

It has no external runtime dependencies and installs with low friction. The project uses semantic versioning and tracks which upstream CPython functionality each release incorporates, making it straightforward to understand what you're getting. The repository is active with recent commits as of 2026-04-13.

Use it for:

- Reading INI configuration files in applications that need features from newer Python versions while supporting Python 3.9.
- Standardizing configuration parsing across codebases that must maintain compatibility with Python 3.9.
- Accessing ConfigParser enhancements before upgrading the minimum Python version requirement.
- Testing code that relies on newer ConfigParser behavior without upgrading your entire Python environment.

## Worth the install?

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

Provides an updated ConfigParser implementation for Python 3.9+ that backports enhancements from later Python standard library versions.

Yes, if you need ConfigParser features from newer Python versions but are constrained to Python 3.9+. The package is actively maintained, has no dependencies, and carries permissive licensing. However, if your project already supports a recent Python version, the built-in stdlib ConfigParser may be sufficient—verify whether the backported enhancements matter for your use case.

## Install

pip install configparser
uv add configparser
poetry add configparser

## Installing configparser

Before you install: Low friction installation with no runtime dependencies. Actively maintained with recent commits; last release was 524 days ago.

License in practice: MIT license (permissive) means you can use, modify, and distribute this package with minimal legal constraints in most contexts.

Quickstart:

pip install configparser

import configparser

config = configparser.ConfigParser()
config.read('settings.ini')
value = config.get('section', 'key')

Requires Python 3.9 or later.

Verify before relying:

- Which specific enhancements from later Python versions are included in version 7.2.0 compared to Python 3.9's stdlib ConfigParser.
- Whether this backport is necessary for current Python versions or primarily useful for projects constrained to Python 3.9.
- How to import and use the backport—whether it replaces the stdlib module or requires explicit backports namespace import.

## Package facts

- License: not declared (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 11.8M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

configparser backport, ini file parsing, configuration file reader, stdlib configparser upgrade, python config parsing, ini config handler, enhanced configparser, configuration-parsing, stdlib-backport

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