---
id: libipld
version: "3.4.1"
license: unclear
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# libipld — Python binding to the Rust IPLD library

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 588.6K/mo

## What it is and what it does

libipld is a Python binding to a Rust implementation of the IPLD (InterPlanetary Linked Data) specification, designed to accelerate serialization and deserialization of distributed data formats. It exposes functions to encode and decode CIDs (content identifiers), DAG-CBOR binary objects, multibase-encoded strings, and CAR (Content Addressable Archive) files—all core primitives for decentralized systems and the AT Protocol.

The package trades install complexity (compiled wheels across multiple platforms and Python versions) for performance: benchmarks show it substantially faster than pure-Python alternatives like dag_cbor and py-ipld-dag on typical workloads. It has no runtime dependencies and requires Python 3.8 or higher, making it straightforward to integrate into projects that need fast IPLD operations.

Use it for:

- Accelerate AT Protocol SDK operations by replacing slow Python IPLD serialization with Rust-backed encoding and decoding
- Decode and inspect CIDs in distributed systems to extract hash, version, and codec metadata
- Serialize and deserialize DAG-CBOR data structures efficiently in applications handling large volumes of linked data
- Encode and decode multibase-encoded strings for interoperability with systems using different base encodings
- Parse CAR archive files to extract header metadata and block data in content-addressed storage systems

## Worth the install?

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

libipld provides fast Python bindings to a Rust IPLD library for encoding and decoding CIDs, DAG-CBOR, multibase, and CAR formats used in distributed systems and the AT Protocol.

Yes, if you work with IPLD formats (especially in AT Protocol contexts) and need performance beyond pure Python. The permissive MIT license, active maintenance, zero runtime dependencies, and broad platform support make it low-risk. Medium install friction is typical for compiled packages and not a blocker. No known vulnerabilities.

## Install

pip install libipld
uv add libipld
poetry add libipld

## Installing libipld

Before you install: Medium install friction due to compiled wheels for multiple Python versions and architectures. Active maintenance with recent releases; last commit 2026-07-18 and production-stable status indicate ongoing support.

License in practice: MIT license (permissive) means you can use, modify, and distribute libipld with minimal restrictions in both open and closed projects.

Quickstart:

pip install libipld

import libipld

# Decode a CID
result = libipld.decode_cid('bafyreig7jbijxpn4lfhvnvyuwf5u5jyhd7begxwyiqe7ingwxycjdqjjoa')
print(result)  # {'hash': {...}, 'version': 1, 'codec': 113}

# Encode and decode DAG-CBOR
encoded = libipld.encode_dag_cbor({'a': 12, 'b': 'hello!'})
decoded = libipld.decode_dag_cbor(encoded)
print(decoded)  # {'a': 12, 'b': 'hello!'}

Verify before relying:

- Whether performance gains over pure-Python alternatives justify the compiled dependency in your specific use case
- Compatibility with PyPy beyond the classifier claim—wheel availability is limited to CPython versions

## Package facts

- License: not declared (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: medium
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 588.6K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

IPLD encoding decoding, CID content identifier, DAG-CBOR serialization, multibase encoding, CAR archive format, distributed data structures, AT Protocol SDK acceleration, ipld-serialization, rust-binding, distributed-data

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/libipld) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/libipld/)