---
id: impi-rt
version: "2021.18.1"
license: Intel Simplified Software License
license_treatment: unclear
maintenance: active
---

# impi-rt — Intel® MPI Library

License: unclear · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 148.7K/mo

## What it is and what it does

impi-rt is Intel's MPI (Message Passing Interface) library packaged for Python environments. It enables distributed computing on Intel-based clusters by providing standards-compliant message passing for parallel applications. The package is compatible with the open-source MPICH implementation, meaning code written for one can often work with the other.

This is a runtime distribution rather than a development kit—it provides the compiled MPI libraries needed to run parallel applications. Installation requires platform-specific wheels; currently only Linux x86_64 and Windows x64 are supported. No Python runtime dependencies are declared, suggesting the package primarily wraps native Intel MPI binaries.

Use it for:

- Running existing parallel applications built with Intel MPI on new systems without separate MPI installation
- Distributing Python-based HPC workflows that depend on Intel MPI as a binary dependency
- Development environments where Intel MPI needs to be available alongside Python tools
- Cluster job submissions requiring Intel MPI runtime without system-wide installation

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Provides Intel's standards-based MPI implementation for cluster messaging on Intel architecture, compatible with MPICH.

Yes, if you need Intel MPI in a Python environment and your system is Linux x86_64 or Windows x64. The package is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, and is widely downloaded. However, verify that the proprietary Intel Simplified Software License terms suit your use case, and confirm Python version compatibility before deploying.

## Install

pip install impi-rt
uv add impi-rt
poetry add impi-rt

## Installing impi-rt

Before you install: Medium install friction due to platform-specific wheels (Linux x86_64 and Windows x64 only). Active maintenance with a recent release.

License in practice: Licensed under Intel Simplified Software License (proprietary, non-SPDX). Unclear license treatment means you should review Intel's terms before deploying in production or redistributing.

Quickstart:

pip install impi-rt==2021.18.1

# impi-rt provides MPI runtime; usage depends on your MPI application

Only available for Linux x86_64 and Windows x64 platforms; exact Python version requirements unspecified

Verify before relying:

- Whether this package requires Intel MPI runtime libraries already installed on the system
- Exact Python version compatibility (requires_python is unspecified)
- Whether macOS or other architectures are supported despite wheel availability only for Linux and Windows
- Runtime dependencies or system prerequisites beyond what the wheel provides

## Package facts

- License: Intel Simplified Software License (unclear)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: medium
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 148.7K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

MPI message passing interface, Intel MPI library, cluster computing messaging, parallel computing MPI, distributed memory communication, Intel architecture MPI, HPC message passing, hpc, mpi, parallel-computing

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