modelcif
Package for handling ModelCIF mmCIF and BinaryCIF files
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. Low install friction, active maintenance, permissive MIT license, no known vulnerabilities, and a focused scope make it a safe choice for projects needing ModelCIF file handling. Install it if you work with mmCIF or BinaryCIF files in structural biology; skip it if you have no need for these formats.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.6 or later.
- BinaryCIF support requires the optional msgpack package.
- Low friction: pure Python wheel with a single runtime dependency (ihm).
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; suitable for most projects without licensing concerns.
last release 2026-04-11 (125 days) · last repo commit 2026-07-24 · 14 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 175,256 downloads/mo, #10,267 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install modelcif
import modelcif
# Load or create ModelCIF structures via the ihm dependency- Specific API surface and typical workflows beyond file I/O are not detailed in the excerpt.
- Whether msgpack is automatically installed or must be added separately for BinaryCIF support.
What it is and what it does
modelcif is a Python library for reading and writing mmCIF and BinaryCIF files that follow the ModelCIF extension standard used in structural biology. It wraps the ihm package to provide specialized handling for ModelCIF-compliant data, enabling researchers and bioinformaticians to work with molecular structure files in these formats.
The package is designed for Python 3.6 and later, installs with minimal dependencies (ihm is the only required runtime package), and offers optional BinaryCIF support when msgpack is available. It is actively maintained and well-documented, with worked examples and comprehensive documentation available.
Use it for
- Parse ModelCIF mmCIF files from structural biology databases or local sources.
- Generate or modify mmCIF files programmatically for molecular modeling workflows.
- Convert between mmCIF and BinaryCIF formats when msgpack is installed.
- Integrate ModelCIF data handling into bioinformatics pipelines.
- Validate mmCIF files against the ModelCIF extension specification.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
Low install friction, active maintenance, permissive MIT license, no known vulnerabilities, and a focused scope make it a safe choice for projects needing ModelCIF file handling. Install it if you work with mmCIF or BinaryCIF files in structural biology; skip it if you have no need for these formats.
Install
modelcif on PyPI
Before you install
Low friction: pure Python wheel with a single runtime dependency (ihm). Active maintenance with a recent release (125 days ago) and ongoing repository commits.
Requires Python 3.6 or later. BinaryCIF support requires the optional msgpack package.
License in practice
MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; suitable for most projects without licensing concerns.
Quickstart
pip install modelcif
import modelcif
# Load or create ModelCIF structures via the ihm dependencyVerify before relying
- Specific API surface and typical workflows beyond file I/O are not detailed in the excerpt.
- Whether msgpack is automatically installed or must be added separately for BinaryCIF support.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.6 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 1 packageihm |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 125 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 175,256 / month, #10,267 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Intended Audience :: Science/ResearchOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Topic :: Scientific/Engineering |
Evidence: modelcif-1.7-py3-none-any.whl
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See also ihm · mmcif-pdbx · mrcfile · gemmi · mmcif · msgpack-numpy · pdb2pqr · msgpack-python · msgpack · msgpack-numpy-opentensor