---
id: nose
version: "1.3.7"
license: GNU LGPL
license_treatment: copyleft
maintenance: abandoned
---

# nose — nose extends unittest to make testing easier

License: copyleft · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 10.0M/mo

## What it is and what it does

nose is a test runner that builds on Python's unittest framework, automating test discovery by looking for files and directories with "test" or "Test" in their names. It runs these tests and displays output similar to unittest but with the addition of captured stdout from failing tests, making print-style debugging easier. The framework is extensible through plugins that add support for doctests, code coverage, profiling, and flexible test selection.

The package has not been updated since 2015-06-02. While it remains stable and has no known security vulnerabilities, its abandonment means it will not receive bug fixes or compatibility updates for modern Python versions or testing practices. Developers should consider whether its age and lack of maintenance align with their project's long-term needs.

Use it for:

- Running tests across a codebase by automatic discovery without explicit test suite configuration
- Debugging test failures by examining captured stdout output alongside test results
- Adding code coverage or profiling to test runs through nose's plugin system
- Migrating from unittest to a more feature-rich runner without rewriting test code

## Worth the install?

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

nose extends unittest with automatic test discovery and execution, finding and running tests by naming convention with enhanced output including captured stdout from failures.

No, not for new projects. While nose is stable and has low install friction, it has been abandoned since 2015-06-02 with no maintenance or Python version updates. Existing projects already using nose may continue to do so if tests pass, but new codebases should choose a maintained testing framework.

## Install

pip install nose
uv add nose
poetry add nose

## Installing nose

Before you install: Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies, but the package has been abandoned since its latest release on 2015-06-02. Maintenance status is a significant concern for new projects.

License in practice: Licensed under GNU LGPL (copyleft). Any derivative work or modification must be released under compatible terms; using nose in a proprietary codebase requires careful review of your distribution model.

Quickstart:

pip install nose

from nose.tools import assert_equal

assert_equal(1, 1)

Verify before relying:

- Whether nose remains compatible with Python versions released after 2015 without manual patching
- Current status of the GitHub repository and whether community forks are actively maintained
- How nose interacts with modern test frameworks in the same codebase

## Package facts

- License: GNU LGPL (copyleft)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 10.0M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

test runner discovery, unittest extension, automatic test finding, nose testing framework, test discovery tool, python test runner, doctest integration, legacy, unmaintained

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