dmgbuild
macOS command line utility to build disk images
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you develop or package for macOS. dmgbuild solves a real problem—creating polished disk images without Finder—with low install friction, active maintenance, MIT licensing, and no known vulnerabilities. It's only useful on macOS, so Windows and Linux developers can skip it entirely.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- macOS only—dmgbuild wraps macOS-specific tools and cannot run on Windows or Linux.
- Low friction install with only two runtime dependencies.
- Active maintenance with recent commits and stable production status.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution with minimal legal constraints.
last release 2026-01-15 (211 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-02 · 204 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 147,036 downloads/mo, #11,082 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install dmgbuild
from dmgbuild import build_dmg
build_dmg('output.dmg', 'source_folder')- What configuration options are available for customizing disk image appearance (window size, background, icon layout)
- Whether the package supports programmatic configuration beyond command-line invocation
- Specific examples of appearance customization in published documentation
What it is and what it does
dmgbuild is a Python wrapper around macOS disk image creation tools that lets you build .dmg files programmatically with customized appearance. Instead of using Finder or the low-level hdiutil command, you define the disk image layout and styling in Python, then dmgbuild handles the creation. It depends on two small libraries—ds_store and mac_alias—to manipulate the metadata that controls how the disk image appears when opened.
The package is designed for developers and build systems that need to package macOS applications or distribute software as polished disk images. It's actively maintained, supports modern Python versions, and carries no known vulnerabilities. Because it wraps macOS-specific system tools, it only runs on macOS and cannot be used for cross-platform builds.
Use it for
- Automate creation of branded .dmg installers for macOS applications in CI/CD pipelines
- Package and distribute macOS software with consistent, professional presentation
- Generate disk images programmatically as part of a build or release workflow
- Control disk image metadata and layout through Python configuration instead of GUI tools
- Create customized disk image layouts without manual Finder interaction
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you develop or package for macOS.
dmgbuild solves a real problem—creating polished disk images without Finder—with low install friction, active maintenance, MIT licensing, and no known vulnerabilities. It's only useful on macOS, so Windows and Linux developers can skip it entirely.
Install
dmgbuild on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction install with only two runtime dependencies. Active maintenance with recent commits and stable production status.
macOS only—dmgbuild wraps macOS-specific tools and cannot run on Windows or Linux.
License in practice
MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution with minimal legal constraints.
Quickstart
pip install dmgbuild
from dmgbuild import build_dmg
build_dmg('output.dmg', 'source_folder')Verify before relying
- What configuration options are available for customizing disk image appearance (window size, background, icon layout)
- Whether the package supports programmatic configuration beyond command-line invocation
- Specific examples of appearance customization in published documentation
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 2 packagesds_storemac_alias |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 211 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 147,036 / month, #11,082 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/StableProgramming 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 :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: 3.15Topic :: Desktop EnvironmentTopic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules |
Evidence: dmgbuild-1.6.7-py3-none-any.whl
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- dmgbuilddmgbuild creates macOS disk images (.dmg files) from the command line…
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See also developer-disk-image · mac-alias · pyobjc-framework-DiskArbitration · buildkite-sdk · ds-store · universal-startfile · flet-cli · iterm2 · macholib · python-editor