foxglove-sdk
Foxglove Python SDK
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you work with robotics, autonomous systems, or sensor data visualization. The SDK is actively maintained, has no external dependencies, and offers both local and remote visualization options. Install friction is moderate but manageable; verify platform compatibility for remote access before deploying to edge devices.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.10 or later.
- Remote access (foxglove.start_gateway) unavailable on Linux armv7, Linux musl, and Windows x86 platforms; on those systems the SDK functions normally for local logging and visualization only.
- Medium install friction due to platform-specific wheels and optional remote-access compilation.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions—suitable for most projects without licensing concerns.
last release 2026-07-21 (24 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-13 · 296 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 373,027 downloads/mo, #7,155 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install foxglove-sdk
import foxglove
# Log to MCAP file or connect to local visualization server
foxglove.log_message("topic", {"data": "value"})- Specific API surface and available logging/visualization methods beyond basic message logging
- Performance characteristics when handling high-frequency sensor data streams
- Whether MCAP file format is compatible with external tools or locked to Foxglove ecosystem
What it is and what it does
Foxglove SDK is the official Python integration layer for the Foxglove visualization platform. It allows developers to log events and sensor data to MCAP files or stream them to a local visualization server for real-time inspection in the Foxglove app. The package is built with Rust bindings and ships as pre-compiled wheels for multiple platforms and architectures, minimizing installation friction on supported systems.
The SDK supports optional remote access via gateway connection on most modern platforms (Linux x86_64/aarch64 with glibc 2.28+, macOS, and Windows x86_64), enabling live visualization and teleoperations through the Foxglove platform. On unsupported platforms (Linux armv7, musl-based Linux, Windows x86), the package still functions for local logging and visualization. It has no runtime dependencies, making it lightweight to deploy once installed.
Use it for
- Log robotics sensor data (lidar, camera, IMU) to MCAP files for post-hoc analysis and visualization
- Stream live telemetry from autonomous systems to Foxglove for real-time monitoring and debugging
- Integrate with simulation environments to visualize synthetic sensor outputs during development
- Enable remote teleoperations by connecting local systems to Foxglove via gateway on supported platforms
- Build data pipelines that capture and replay sensor streams for reproducible testing
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you work with robotics, autonomous systems, or sensor data visualization.
The SDK is actively maintained, has no external dependencies, and offers both local and remote visualization options. Install friction is moderate but manageable; verify platform compatibility for remote access before deploying to edge devices.
Install
foxglove-sdk on PyPI
Before you install
Medium install friction due to platform-specific wheels and optional remote-access compilation. Active maintenance with recent releases (24 days since last update). No runtime dependencies simplifies deployment once installed.
Requires Python 3.10 or later. Remote access (foxglove.start_gateway) unavailable on Linux armv7, Linux musl, and Windows x86 platforms; on those systems the SDK functions normally for local logging and visualization only.
License in practice
MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions—suitable for most projects without licensing concerns.
Quickstart
pip install foxglove-sdk
import foxglove
# Log to MCAP file or connect to local visualization server
foxglove.log_message("topic", {"data": "value"})Verify before relying
- Specific API surface and available logging/visualization methods beyond basic message logging
- Performance characteristics when handling high-frequency sensor data streams
- Whether MCAP file format is compatible with external tools or locked to Foxglove ecosystem
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Medium. Platform-specific wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 24 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 373,027 / month, #7,155 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Programming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Rust |
Evidence: foxglove_sdk-0.26.0-cp310-abi3-macosx_10_12_x86_64.whl; foxglove_sdk-0.26.0-cp310-abi3-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; foxglove_sdk-0.26.0-cp310-abi3-manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux2014_aarch64.whl; foxglove_sdk-0.26.0-cp310-abi3-manylinux_2_17_armv7l.manylinux2014_armv7l.whl; foxglove_sdk-0.26.0-cp310-abi3-manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux2014_x86_64.whl; foxglove_sdk-0.26.0-cp310-abi3-manylinux_2_28_aarch64.whl; foxglove_sdk-0.26.0-cp310-abi3-manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; foxglove_sdk-0.26.0-cp310-abi3-musllinux_1_2_aarch64.whl; foxglove_sdk-0.26.0-cp310-abi3-musllinux_1_2_armv7l.whl; foxglove_sdk-0.26.0-cp310-abi3-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; foxglove_sdk-0.26.0-cp310-abi3-win32.whl; foxglove_sdk-0.26.0-cp310-abi3-win_amd64.whl
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See also foxglove-schemas-protobuf · mcap · ouster-sdk · mcap-ros1-support · encord · portforward · opentelemetry-instrumentation-logging · snowpipe-streaming · mcap-ros2-support · langgraph-sdk