graphviz

Simple Python interface for Graphviz

graphviz Permissive license MIT Active ★ 1,805 v0.21 released 2025-06-15

Install

graphviz on PyPI

pip

pip install graphviz

uv

uv add graphviz

poetry

poetry add graphviz

Package facts

License	MIT (permissive)
Python support	supports the current Python release (>=3.9)
Install friction	low — pure-Python wheel
Runtime dependencies	none
Maintenance	actively maintained — 424 days since the last release
Last repo commit	2026-07-11
First released	2014-01-12
Popularity	one of the top 1,000 most-downloaded packages on PyPI (30-day window, as of 2026-08-13)
Known vulnerabilities	none known (OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-13)

Evidence: graphviz-0.21-py3-none-any.whl

Keywords: graph, visualization, dot, render

Development Status :: 4 - BetaIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: Science/ResearchOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: Scientific/Engineering :: Visualization

About graphviz

from the package's own PyPI description — quoted content, verbatim

Graphviz

|Binder-stable|

This package facilitates the creation and rendering of graph descriptions in the DOT_ language of the Graphviz_ graph drawing software (upstream repo_) from Python.

Create a graph object, assemble the graph by adding nodes and edges, and retrieve its DOT source code string. Save the source code to a file and render it with the Graphviz installation of your system.

Use the view option/method to directly inspect the resulting (PDF, PNG, SVG, etc.) file with its default application. Graphs can also be rendered and displayed within Jupyter notebooks (formerly known as IPython notebooks, example <notebook_>, nbviewer <notebook-nbviewer_>) as well as the Jupyter QtConsole_.

AI interpretation — verify before relying

AI-generated interpretation of the package facts above; every digit, version, license, or vulnerability id it cites is grounded in the facts already shown on this page

Generates DOT language graph descriptions and renders them using Graphviz, enabling programmatic creation of directed and undirected graphs with nodes and edges that can be exported to PDF, PNG, SVG, and other formats.

Low friction: pure Python wheel with no runtime dependencies. Actively maintained (latest release 2025-06-15, last commit 2026-07-11) with 1805 GitHub stars and support for Python 3.9–3.13.

MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in both open-source and commercial projects with minimal obligations.

Usage

pip install graphviz

import graphviz
dot = graphviz.Digraph(comment='Example')
dot.node('A', 'Node A')
dot.node('B', 'Node B')
dot.edge('A', 'B')
print(dot.source)

The Graphviz system software (not this package) must be installed separately and the `dot` executable must be on your system PATH to render graphs to files or view them.

Verdict: Mature, well-maintained library for programmatic graph creation in Python with no Python dependencies and permissive licensing. Requires separate installation of the Graphviz system software to render output, but the Python package itself installs cleanly and supports current Python versions through 3.13.

Needs verification

Whether the package is suitable for large-scale graph generation or has performance limitations with complex graphs.
Support status for rendering to less common output formats beyond PDF, PNG, and SVG.

graph visualization pythondot language generatorgraphviz python interfacecreate directed graphsrender graph diagramsnetwork visualizationflowchart generation