mercurial
Fast scalable distributed SCM (revision control, version control) system
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need a distributed version control system and prefer Mercurial's workflow or are maintaining existing Mercurial repositories. The package is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, and supports current Python versions. However, consider your team's existing tooling; install Mercurial only if you have a specific reason to use it.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.9 or later.
- System C compiler may be needed if pre-built wheels are unavailable for your platform.
- Medium install friction due to compiled components across multiple platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux variants).
License · maintenance · safety
GPL-2.0-or-later (copyleft) — Licensed under GPL-2.0-or-later (copyleft). Derivative works and distributions must comply with GPL terms, including source code disclosure obligations.
last release 2026-08-11 (3 days)
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 403,292 downloads/mo, #6,918 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install mercurial
import mercurial
# Or use the command-line tool: hg init, hg add, hg commit- Whether the bundled python-zstandard copy can be safely updated or must remain as-is for production stability
- Performance characteristics compared to other distributed VCS tools in typical workflows
What it is and what it does
Mercurial is a mature, distributed revision control system designed for software developers and system administrators to track code changes across teams and repositories. It operates as both a command-line tool (hg) and a Python library, allowing developers to manage version history, branching, merging, and collaboration without a central server dependency.
The package includes pre-built wheels across Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms, with no external runtime dependencies. It ships with an embedded copy of python-zstandard for compression support and is actively maintained with current Python version support. The tool is intended for integration into development workflows and can be used standalone or embedded in other applications.
Use it for
- Track code changes and maintain version history in a distributed team environment without requiring a central server
- Manage branching and merging workflows for parallel development on multiple features or releases
- Integrate version control operations into Python applications via the mercurial library API
- Migrate from or work alongside other version control systems in heterogeneous development environments
- Audit and review historical changes to source code across a project's lifetime
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need a distributed version control system and prefer Mercurial's workflow or are maintaining existing Mercurial repositories.
The package is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, and supports current Python versions. However, consider your team's existing tooling; install Mercurial only if you have a specific reason to use it.
Install
mercurial on PyPI
Before you install
Medium install friction due to compiled components across multiple platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux variants). Active maintenance with a release 3 days old and support for current Python versions. No runtime dependencies to manage.
Requires Python 3.9 or later. System C compiler may be needed if pre-built wheels are unavailable for your platform.
License in practice
Licensed under GPL-2.0-or-later (copyleft). Derivative works and distributions must comply with GPL terms, including source code disclosure obligations.
Quickstart
pip install mercurial
import mercurial
# Or use the command-line tool: hg init, hg add, hg commitVerify before relying
- Whether the bundled python-zstandard copy can be safely updated or must remain as-is for production stability
- Performance characteristics compared to other distributed VCS tools in typical workflows
Package facts
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later copyleft |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9 |
| Install friction | Medium. Platform-specific wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 3 days since the last release |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 403,292 / month, #6,918 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 6 - MatureEnvironment :: ConsoleIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: System AdministratorsNatural Language :: DanishNatural Language :: EnglishNatural Language :: GermanNatural Language :: ItalianNatural Language :: JapaneseNatural Language :: Portuguese (Brazilian)Operating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsOperating System :: OS IndependentOperating System :: POSIXProgramming Language :: CProgramming Language :: PythonTopic :: Software Development :: Version Control |
Evidence: mercurial-7.2.4-cp310-cp310-macosx_10_9_universal2.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux2014_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_5_i686.manylinux1_i686.manylinux_2_17_i686.manylinux2014_i686.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp310-cp310-musllinux_1_2_i686.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp310-cp310-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp310-cp310-win32.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp310-cp310-win_amd64.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp311-cp311-macosx_10_9_universal2.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux2014_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_5_i686.manylinux1_i686.manylinux_2_17_i686.manylinux2014_i686.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp311-cp311-musllinux_1_2_i686.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp311-cp311-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp311-cp311-win32.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp311-cp311-win_amd64.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp311-cp311-win_arm64.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp312-cp312-macosx_10_13_universal2.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp312-cp312-manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux2014_x86_64.manylinux_2_28_x86_64.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp312-cp312-manylinux_2_5_i686.manylinux1_i686.manylinux_2_17_i686.manylinux2014_i686.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp312-cp312-musllinux_1_2_i686.whl; mercurial-7.2.4-cp312-cp312-musllinux_1_2_x86_64.whl
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