---
id: cppheaderparser
version: "2.7.4"
license: BSD
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# CppHeaderParser — Parse C++ header files and generate a data structure representing the class

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 82.1K/mo

## What it is and what it does

CppHeaderParser is a Python library that reads C++ header files and builds a dictionary-like data structure representing their contents. It extracts classes with their public, protected, and private methods and properties; namespaces and nested classes; free functions; preprocessor defines; and include directives. It also parses Doxygen-style documentation comments attached to methods and properties.

The package uses PLY (Python Lex-Yacc) to tokenize and parse C++ syntax. It is intended for code generation, documentation extraction, or automated analysis of C++ codebases from Python. However, it has been abandoned since 2016 and does not track modern C++ features. Use it only when you need to extract structure from legacy C++ headers or when no active parser meets your needs.

Use it for:

- Extract class and method signatures from C++ headers for automated code generation or wrapper creation.
- Parse Doxygen documentation from header files to build API documentation programmatically.
- Analyze C++ codebases to gather metrics on class hierarchies, method counts, or namespace organization.
- Generate Python bindings or language bindings for C++ libraries by introspecting header structure.
- Audit or refactor C++ code by extracting public/private method and property inventories.

## Worth the install?

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

Parses C++ header files and extracts their structure—classes, methods, properties, namespaces, and free functions—into a Python data structure for programmatic inspection.

No, unless you have a specific legacy codebase or no active alternative. The package is abandoned (last release 2016), has high install friction, and does not support modern C++ syntax. For new projects, use an active C++ parser or AST tool. For existing code depending on it, consider migration.

## Install

pip install cppheaderparser
uv add cppheaderparser
poetry add cppheaderparser

## Installing CppHeaderParser

Before you install: High install friction: the package is abandoned (last release 2016-11-22, no commits tracked). No runtime dependencies listed, but the description notes PLY as an external requirement. Maintenance status makes this a legacy choice; use only if no active alternative exists.

License in practice: BSD license (permissive) imposes no significant restrictions on use, modification, or distribution. Suitable for both open-source and proprietary projects.

Quickstart:

import CppHeaderParser
try:
    cppHeader = CppHeaderParser.CppHeader("example.h")
    sampleClass = cppHeader.classes["SampleClass"]
    methods = sampleClass["methods"]["public"]
except CppHeaderParser.CppParseError as e:
    print(e)

PLY (Python Lex-Yacc) must be installed separately; the package requires a valid C++ header file path and does not handle all C++ syntax variations.

Verify before relying:

- Whether PLY is automatically installed as a dependency or must be installed separately.
- Compatibility with modern C++ standards (C++11, C++17, C++20) beyond what the 2016 release supports.
- Whether the parser handles template declarations, constexpr, and other modern C++ features.

## Package facts

- License: BSD (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 82.1K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

c++ header file parser, parse c++ class definitions, extract c++ metadata, c++ code analysis python, header file introspection, c++ ast parser, parse c++ declarations, c++-parsing, code-generation, legacy

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