dist-meta
Parse and create Python distribution metadata.
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need to read or write Python distribution metadata programmatically. The package has low install friction, active maintenance, permissive licensing, and no known vulnerabilities. It is a specialized tool—install it only if your workflow involves inspecting or constructing package metadata; it is not a general-purpose utility.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Low friction install with three stable runtime dependencies (domdf-python-tools, handy-archives, packaging).
- Active maintenance with a commit as recent as 2026-07-08, though the last release was 548 days ago.
License · maintenance · safety
permissive license (permissive) — MIT license permits commercial and private use, modification, and redistribution with minimal restrictions—only requiring preservation of copyright and license notices.
last release 2025-02-12 (548 days) · last repo commit 2026-07-08 · 4 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 811,020 downloads/mo, #5,004 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
$ python -m pip install dist-meta
import dist_meta
# Parse metadata from a dist-info directory or package- Specific API surface and whether it covers all standard metadata fields (METADATA, WHEEL, entry_points.txt, etc.)
- Whether the package handles edge cases in non-standard or legacy metadata formats
- Performance characteristics when parsing large or complex metadata structures
What it is and what it does
dist-meta is a library for reading and writing Python distribution metadata—the standardized information stored in dist-info directories that describes a package's dependencies, version, entry points, and other installation details. It abstracts the parsing of metadata files (METADATA, WHEEL, entry_points.txt, and related formats) into a programmatic interface, making it easier to inspect or construct package metadata without manually parsing text files.
The package is aimed at developers building packaging tools, build systems, or utilities that need to inspect or manipulate Python package metadata. It depends on domdf-python-tools, handy-archives, and packaging, and supports Python 3.6 through 3.12 on CPython and PyPy. The codebase is actively maintained and carries type hints.
Use it for
- Inspect metadata of installed packages programmatically in a build or deployment tool
- Generate or validate dist-info metadata when creating custom Python packages
- Extract dependency information from wheel or installed package metadata
- Automate metadata-driven workflows in package management or CI/CD systems
- Parse and transform metadata across different Python package formats
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need to read or write Python distribution metadata programmatically.
The package has low install friction, active maintenance, permissive licensing, and no known vulnerabilities. It is a specialized tool—install it only if your workflow involves inspecting or constructing package metadata; it is not a general-purpose utility.
Install
dist-meta on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction install with three stable runtime dependencies (domdf-python-tools, handy-archives, packaging). Active maintenance with a commit as recent as 2026-07-08, though the last release was 548 days ago.
License in practice
MIT license permits commercial and private use, modification, and redistribution with minimal restrictions—only requiring preservation of copyright and license notices.
Quickstart
$ python -m pip install dist-meta
import dist_meta
# Parse metadata from a dist-info directory or packageVerify before relying
- Specific API surface and whether it covers all standard metadata fields (METADATA, WHEEL, entry_points.txt, etc.)
- Whether the package handles edge cases in non-standard or legacy metadata formats
- Performance characteristics when parsing large or complex metadata structures
Package facts
| License | permissive license permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.6.1 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 3 packagesdomdf-python-toolshandy-archivespackaging |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 548 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 811,020 / month, #5,004 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 4 - BetaIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPythonProgramming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: PyPyTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python ModulesTopic :: System :: Archiving :: PackagingTyping :: Typed |
Evidence: dist_meta-0.9.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also pypi-json · pyproject-parser · shippinglabel · whey · appdirs-stubs · pkginfo2 · pkginfo · pyproject-metadata · pkg-about · distlib