cuda-core
cuda.core: pythonic CUDA module
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need Pythonic access to CUDA runtime, compiler, or linker operations and have a compatible NVIDIA GPU with CUDA 12 or 13. The package is actively maintained, permissively licensed, has no known vulnerabilities, and is backed by NVIDIA. Install friction is moderate due to platform-specific wheels, but pre-built wheels are available for all major platforms and Python versions.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires CUDA 12 or 13 compatible GPU and corresponding CUDA toolkit; Python 3.10 or later.
- Medium install friction due to platform-specific wheels across multiple Python versions (3.10–3.14) and architectures.
- Actively maintained with recent commits and no known vulnerabilities.
License · maintenance · safety
Apache-2.0 (permissive) — Apache-2.0 permissive license allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions.
last release 2026-07-29 (16 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-14 · 3,342 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 5,826,826 downloads/mo, #2,030 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install cuda-core[cu12]
import cuda.core
# Access CUDA runtime, compiler, or linker APIs- Specific CUDA runtime version requirements beyond the documented cu12/cu13 variants.
- Whether numpy and backports.strenum are runtime dependencies or build-time only.
- Performance overhead of the Python wrapper layer versus direct CUDA C APIs.
What it is and what it does
cuda-core is a Python library that wraps NVIDIA's CUDA core functionality, exposing runtime control, compiler, and linker operations through Pythonic APIs. It bridges Python's ease of use with CUDA's GPU compute performance, allowing developers to manage GPU execution, compilation, and linking directly from Python code without dropping into C/C++.
The package is actively developed by NVIDIA and supports modern Python versions (3.10–3.14) across Linux, Windows, and ARM architectures. It depends on cuda-pathfinder for CUDA toolkit discovery, numpy for numerical operations, and backports.strenum for enum support. Installation requires selecting a CUDA variant (cu12 or cu13) matching your system's CUDA toolkit.
Use it for
- Manage GPU kernel execution and memory from Python without writing C/C++ code.
- Compile and link CUDA code programmatically as part of a Python build or deployment pipeline.
- Prototype GPU-accelerated algorithms in Python with direct access to CUDA runtime APIs.
- Integrate CUDA operations into data science or machine learning workflows alongside numpy and other Python libraries.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need Pythonic access to CUDA runtime, compiler, or linker operations and have a compatible NVIDIA GPU with CUDA 12 or 13.
The package is actively maintained, permissively licensed, has no known vulnerabilities, and is backed by NVIDIA. Install friction is moderate due to platform-specific wheels, but pre-built wheels are available for all major platforms and Python versions.
Install
cuda-core on PyPI
Before you install
Medium install friction due to platform-specific wheels across multiple Python versions (3.10–3.14) and architectures. Actively maintained with recent commits and no known vulnerabilities.
Requires CUDA 12 or 13 compatible GPU and corresponding CUDA toolkit; Python 3.10 or later.
License in practice
Apache-2.0 permissive license allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install cuda-core[cu12]
import cuda.core
# Access CUDA runtime, compiler, or linker APIsVerify before relying
- Specific CUDA runtime version requirements beyond the documented cu12/cu13 variants.
- Whether numpy and backports.strenum are runtime dependencies or build-time only.
- Performance overhead of the Python wrapper layer versus direct CUDA C APIs.
Package facts
| License | Apache-2.0 permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Medium. Platform-specific wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 3 packagescuda-pathfindernumpybackports.strenum |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 16 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 5,826,826 / month, #2,030 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableEnvironment :: GPU :: NVIDIA CUDAEnvironment :: GPU :: NVIDIA CUDA :: 12Environment :: GPU :: NVIDIA CUDA :: 13Intended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: End Users/DesktopIntended Audience :: Science/ResearchNatural Language :: EnglishOperating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsOperating System :: POSIX :: LinuxProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPythonTopic :: EducationTopic :: Scientific/EngineeringTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries |
Evidence: cuda_core-1.1.1-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_24_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_24_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp310-cp310-win_amd64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_24_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_24_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp311-cp311-win_amd64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp312-cp312-manylinux_2_24_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp312-cp312-manylinux_2_24_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp312-cp312-win_amd64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp313-cp313-manylinux_2_24_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp313-cp313-manylinux_2_24_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp313-cp313-win_amd64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp314-cp314-manylinux_2_24_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp314-cp314-manylinux_2_24_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp314-cp314t-manylinux_2_24_aarch64.manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp314-cp314t-manylinux_2_24_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp314-cp314t-win_amd64.whl; cuda_core-1.1.1-cp314-cp314-win_amd64.whl
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See also cuda-python · cuda-bindings · cuda-pathfinder · cuda-tile · nvidia-cuda-nvcc · pycuda · ngcsdk · nvidia-cuda-crt · nvidia-cuda-nvcc-cu12 · nvidia-cuda-cupti