desktop-notifier
Python library for cross-platform desktop notifications
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. The package is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, carries a permissive MIT license, and offers low install friction. It is well-suited for any Python application needing cross-platform desktop notifications. The main consideration is platform-specific setup: macOS requires a signed Python executable, and event loop integration may require additional configuration for GUI apps.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.9 or later.
- On macOS 10.14+, the Python executable must be signed for notifications to work.
- Event loop integration may require additional setup on macOS (rubicon-objc CFRunLoop) or Gnome (gbulb).
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, making it suitable for most projects.
last release 2025-08-08 (371 days) · last repo commit 2026-06-24 · 153 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 114,310 downloads/mo, #12,307 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install desktop-notifier
import asyncio
from desktop_notifier import DesktopNotifier
notifier = DesktopNotifier()
async def main():
await notifier.send(title="Hello", message="Test notification")
asyncio.run(main())- Whether platform-specific system libraries (e.g., D-Bus on Linux) are automatically available or require manual installation.
- Behavior and compatibility with sandboxed or containerized Python environments.
- Whether unsupported notification features silently fail consistently across all platforms.
What it is and what it does
Desktop-notifier is a Python library that sends native desktop notifications across Linux, macOS, Windows, and iOS using each platform's native notification API. It wraps dbus on Linux, the Notification Center framework on macOS and iOS, and WinRT on Windows, presenting a unified async interface.
The library supports advanced features where the platform allows: clickable notifications with user callbacks, multiple action buttons, reply fields for inline responses, notification sounds, thread grouping, and limiting notification center capacity. Any unsupported feature on a given platform is silently ignored rather than raising an exception, allowing code to degrade gracefully. The main API is async-only, requiring a running event loop for callback execution—on macOS this typically means integrating with CFRunLoop via rubicon-objc.
Use it for
- Alert users to application events (file downloads, background task completion) without blocking the main thread.
- Build interactive notifications with action buttons and reply fields for chat or messaging applications.
- Integrate notifications into cross-platform desktop applications that need to work on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
- Implement notification sounds and urgency levels for time-sensitive alerts.
- Group related notifications by thread to reduce notification center clutter.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
The package is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, carries a permissive MIT license, and offers low install friction. It is well-suited for any Python application needing cross-platform desktop notifications. The main consideration is platform-specific setup: macOS requires a signed Python executable, and event loop integration may require additional configuration for GUI apps.
Install
desktop-notifier on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel. Maintenance is active with a recent commit on 2026-06-24. The package carries platform-specific runtime dependencies (dbus-fast on Linux, rubicon-objc on macOS, WinRT bindings on Windows) that are resolved automatically but may require system libraries on some platforms.
Requires Python 3.9 or later. On macOS 10.14+, the Python executable must be signed for notifications to work. Event loop integration may require additional setup on macOS (rubicon-objc CFRunLoop) or Gnome (gbulb).
License in practice
MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, making it suitable for most projects.
Quickstart
pip install desktop-notifier
import asyncio
from desktop_notifier import DesktopNotifier
notifier = DesktopNotifier()
async def main():
await notifier.send(title="Hello", message="Test notification")
asyncio.run(main())Verify before relying
- Whether platform-specific system libraries (e.g., D-Bus on Linux) are automatically available or require manual installation.
- Behavior and compatibility with sandboxed or containerized Python environments.
- Whether unsupported notification features silently fail consistently across all platforms.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 11 packagesbidictpackagingtyping-extensionsdbus-fastrubicon-objcwinrt-runtimewinrt-windows.applicationmodel.corewinrt-windows.data.xml.domwinrt-windows.foundationwinrt-windows.foundation.collectionswinrt-windows.ui.notifications |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 371 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 114,310 / month, #12,307 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/StableIntended Audience :: DevelopersNatural Language :: EnglishOperating System :: MacOS :: MacOS XOperating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: CommunicationsTopic :: Desktop EnvironmentTopic :: Desktop Environment :: GnomeTopic :: Desktop Environment :: K Desktop Environment (KDE)Topic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules |
Evidence: desktop_notifier-6.2.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also notify_py · notify2 · pystray · pyobjc-framework-UserNotifications · dbus-next · pyobjc-framework-NotificationCenter · Farama-Notifications · pyobjc-framework-UserNotificationsUI · apprise · plyer