---
id: oathtool
version: "2.4.0"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# oathtool — One-time password generator

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 119.3K/mo

## What it is and what it does

oathtool is a one-time password generator that produces TOTP (time-based one-time password) codes from a shared secret key. It wraps the oathtool functionality and exposes it both as a command-line utility and a Python API, making it suitable for integrating OTP generation into scripts, applications, or authentication workflows.

The package is designed for flexibility: you can use it as a standalone CLI tool, import it as a library in Python code, generate a standalone script, or install it via pipx for system-wide access. It depends on autocommand, importlib_resources, and path—all lightweight utilities—and requires Python 3.9 or later.

Use it for:

- Generate TOTP codes programmatically in a Python application for two-factor authentication flows.
- Use as a command-line tool to quickly generate one-time passwords during development or testing.
- Create a standalone script for offline OTP generation without a full Python environment.
- Integrate into automation or CI/CD pipelines that need to authenticate with TOTP-protected services.

## Worth the install?

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

Generates one-time passwords (TOTP codes) from a shared secret key, available as a command-line tool and Python API.

Yes. The package is actively maintained, has no known vulnerabilities, carries a permissive MIT license, and installs with low friction. It fills a straightforward need—TOTP generation—with both CLI and API interfaces. Install it if you need to generate one-time passwords in Python or from the command line.

## Install

pip install oathtool
uv add oathtool
poetry add oathtool

## Installing oathtool

Before you install: Low install friction with three lightweight runtime dependencies. Actively maintained as of April 2026, with stable production status and support for current Python versions (3.9+).

License in practice: MIT license permits free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions—suitable for both open-source and commercial projects.

Quickstart:

pip install oathtool

Command-line:
  python -m oathtool $key

Python API:
  import oathtool
  oathtool.generate_otp(key)

Requires Python 3.9 or later.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package wraps or reimplements the oathtool binary, and what system dependencies (if any) are required.
- Performance characteristics and any rate-limiting or retry behavior for OTP generation.

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 119.3K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

totp code generator, one-time password otp, time-based otp, authenticator code generator, oathtool command line, python totp library, 2fa code generation, totp, authentication, cryptography

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